- What hours is the Sheriff's Office open?
Answer:
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is open 24 hours a day 7
days a week, and yes, 365 days a year. However,
administrative staff, the civil department, and detectives
primarily work M-F 8:00am-5:00pm and the Sheriff's Office
recognizes all National holidays. The Driver's License
division opens at 8:30am and closes at 5:00pm. (*The
latest a license test will be given to any applicant is 4:00pm)
- How do I get to the Sheriff's Office?
Answer:
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is located at
145 East Main Street, Rexburg, Idaho. The
building is set back from Main Street on the North
side of Main Street just West of the Madison County
Courthouse. Click
here for map.
- What is the difference between a Police Officer, State
Trooper, and a Sheriff's Deputy?
Answer:
All three are peace officers and are authorized
under the Idaho penal code with identical police
powers anywhere in Idaho.
A) Idaho is
divided into counties and a Deputy
Sheriff works for the County in which he/she is
deputized by an elected Sheriff.
In Madison County there are numerous communities
that have not incorporated into cities. The
Madison County Sheriff's Office provides law
enforcement to these communities and also operates the
county jail and the court. Some cities within
counties, such as Sugar City, choose to contract
with the Madison County Sheriff's Office to provide
law enforcement services in the City. This
contract provides all services of a normal police
department including patrol, SRT(SWAT), detectives,
and more all at a substantial savings to the city.
Other cities, like Rexburg, maintain their own police
department.
B) Police Officers, like
in the Rexburg Police Department(RPD), work for the city of
Rexburg. RPD is an independent police agency
specifically within in the City of Rexburg.
C)
The Idaho State Police also contracts with various
communities in Idaho and provides traffic related
enforcement on Idaho's Interstate Freeways and
Highways.
- Why do I have Sheriff's Deputies patrolling in my area
instead of a Police Officer?
Answer:
In Madison County the Sheriff's Office provides
law enforcement services to several communities that
have not incorporated into cities. Sugar City
contracts with the Madison County Sheriff's Office
to provide law enforcement services to the City.
Because Rexburg maintains it's own police
department, Deputy Sheriff's do not spend much time
patrolling within Rexburg. However, both
Madison County and the Rexburg Police Department
will assist each other when necessary.
- How do I get access to a list of convicted child
molesters in my area?
Answer:
The State of Idaho maintains a current list of
all registered sex offenders at the Idaho State
Police Sex Offender Registry on the
Idaho State Police website. The State also
maintains a list of Violent Sexual Predators on
their website. Click
here for a list of sex offenders in Madison
County. Use the pull down menu until you find
Madison County and click on the search button.
- What happens to someone when they get arrested?
Answer:
If the person was arrested in Madison County, and is
over the age of 18, they will be taken to the Madison
County Jail. (*If the individual is a juvenile
they may be taken to the Five County Detention Center in
St. Anthony or released to their parent/guardian.)
Once at the jail they will be booked into the facility
in the order that they arrive. This includes
fingerprints and photographs. If the offense for
which they were arrested is a bondable offense, they
will be told their bond amount and if they desire they
are given an opportunity to attempt to post the bond.
If they post bond, they will be given a court appearance
date upon release. If they are unable to post the
bond, they will be held in the jail until they appear
before the Magistrate Judge.
- What are the definitions of the different types of
crimes?
Answer:
In Idaho there are three basic types of crimes:
Misdemeanors, Felonies, and Status Offenses
Misdemeanors: These are typically a
lower 'grade' of crime. Misdemeanors can
include everything from Driving Under the Influence,
to Trespassing, to Petit Theft, to Possession of
Marijuana (*up to three(3) ounces).
Misdemeanors typically carry six(6) months in
jail and a $300.00 fine but often carry up to one(1)
year in jail and can even carry up to two(2) years.
Felonies: These are typically a
higher 'grade' of crime. Felonies can include
everything from 3rd offense Driving Under the
Influence, to Burglary, to Grand Theft, to
Possession of Methamphetamine (*in any amount), to
Murder. Felonies can carry anything from
one(1) year in prison to life in prison and fines
vary.
Status Offenses: These are
offenses that are crimes because of age. For
example, Minor Consumption of Alcohol.
Where the suspect in the crime is 20 years old he is
guilty of a Status Offense because if the offender
were 21 years old it would not be a crime.
Status Offense's include crimes like Minor
Possession of Tobacco, Minor Consumption of Alcohol,
and Curfew Ordinances. Status Offenses
typically carry probation terms but can carry
Juvenile Detention.
- How can I have my fingerprints taken?
Answer:
The Madison County Sheriff's Office will take
fingerprints for any resident of Madison County free
of charge. Please call ahead to 208-356-9152 for
the best time to get your fingerprints taken at.
Because the Madison County Sheriff's Office
fingerprinting station is in a secure area, all
visitors are subject to search. Please limit
personal items to a photo identification.
Residents of Rexburg City can go to the Rexburg
Police Department for fingerprints free of charge
Monday - Friday between 9:00am - 4:00pm. The
Rexburg Police Department will also take
fingerprints for non-city residents for a fee of
$10.00. (Click
here for map to the Rexburg Police
Department)
- How do I obtain a restraining/protection order against
someone?
Answer:
Restraining/Protection orders are only given by a
judge. Madison County residents may apply for
these orders at the Madison County Courthouse
located on Main Street next to the Sheriff's Office.
Click
here for a map to the Madison County Courthouse.
In certain domestic violence situations these orders
are automatic and remain in place until removed by a
judge. If you have been a victim of domestic
violence, contact the Madison County Sheriff's
Office or the
Family Crisis Center.
- How can I get a copy of a police report?
Answer:
Depending on the nature of the report and any
confidentiality issues involved, report copies are
generally available if you were directly involved in the
report. Due to the nature of some reports you may
have to have release of the report approved by the
Chief Deputy. Reports take approximately one week
to become available and crash reports may take longer.
Copies of crash reports for insurance purposes are
obtained by your insurance company through the Sheriff's
Office. When requesting reports please have the
case number available or the date, time, location, and
your name. At this time the Madison County
Sheriff's Office does not charge for copies of police
reports.
- If my car has been towed, how do I locate it?
Answer:
If the Sheriff's Department stored or impounded your
vehicle, you should call 208-356-5426 for information.
If your vehicle was towed by an apartment complex where
you live you will need to contact the apartment manager.
In most cases, you will be responsible for paying any
towing and storage charges or fees directly to the
towing company. Remember to check for seasonal
parking ordinances!
- What do I do if I get a ticket?
Answer:
There are two kinds of citations that may be issued.
Infraction and Misdemeanor.
Misdemeanor: You
must appear in court on the date and time specified by
the officer unless you make other arrangements with the
court.
Infraction: Infraction citations
include such things as speeding, not stopping at a stop
sign, failing to wear your seatbelt, and many others.
You have basically two options with an infraction
citation. The first is, you can pay the fine.
If you pay the fine you are pleading guilty to the
offense but you do not have to appear in court.
In Madison County you can even mail in the fine to the
courthouse without appearing at all. The second
option you have is to appear in court to contest the
citation on the date and time indicated by the officer
on the citation. (*You MUST pay/appear in
the county where the citation was issued! You
cannot pay a ticket in Rexburg (Madison County) that you
got in Idaho Falls (Bonneville County).)
- What happens if I refuse to sign a traffic ticket I
disagree with?
Answer:
Signing a citation is merely your promise to
appear in court for a violation or pay the fine for
something like a speeding ticket. Your
signature is not an admission of guilt. Only a
judge can levy punishments. When a person
refuses to sign a misdemeanor citation the Deputy is
required to arrest and bring them directly before
the magistrate having jurisdiction. This may
involve being held in the county jail overnight or
during the weekend until court is next in session.
When a person refuses to sign an infraction ticket
the Deputy can serve the citation without a
signature and it holds the person to the same
standard as if he/she had signed it.
- How can I volunteer at the
Sheriff's Office?
Answer:
There are a number of ways that you can help
your community by volunteering at the Madison County
Sheriff's Office. Contact Chief Deputy Ryan
Kaufman at the Sheriff's Office (208-356-5426) for more
information. If you are interested in volunteering
for the Madison County
Search and Rescue contact Lt. Bruce Bowler at the
Sheriff's Office (208-356-5426).
- What is a citizen's arrest?
Answer:
You, as a citizen, have the right to arrest another
person for a criminal act they commit in your presence.
However, unless absolutely necessary, you should avoid
taking direct action and call us to avoid being injured
or sued for false arrest. In some specific
situations, limitations in the laws may make it
necessary for Deputy Sheriff to have you make a
citizen's arrest. In this case, you must sign the
citation, but the Deputy will physically take the person
into custody and ensure that they are properly arraigned
in court. You may be required to testify in court.
- How do I find
out the status of a person who has been arrested?
Answer:
If the person you are looking for was arrested by a
Deputy Sheriff in Madison County you can contact the
Madison County Jail at 208-356-9152 and speak to a jailer in
reference to the person arrested. From the time of
arrest there will be no information available for
approximately 30 minutes and may be longer depending on
the situation. If the person was arrested by
Rexburg Police Department they will not be transported
to the jail until after booking procedures are done by
the Rexburg Police Department. Please give the
jail at least one hour before attempting to find
information for this person.
- Who should I call to compliment or complain about a law enforcement
officer?
Answer:
If you would like to compliment or file a complaint
for a Deputy you can follow this
link or contact Sheriff Roy Klingler or Chief Deputy
Ryan Kaufman at 208-356-5426 during regular business hours.
- How can I find out the progress of an investigation or a court case?
Answer:
Call the Sheriff's Office during regular business
hours. If you do not have the case number be
prepared to provide the date, time and the names of
the people involved. If you're case has been
forwarded to the courts you must contact the County
Prosecutor's Office (208-356-7768) or the Madison County
Courts (208-356-9383) for information.
- When must a Deputy read me my rights?
Answer:
The Miranda decision (read
full text here) requires officers to inform a
person of their rights involving counsel and
self-incrimination only in certain situations
involving interrogation after arrest. Current
case law, based on past court decisions, dictates
specifically which situations require this
advisement.
- How long will I have to wait for a patrol car to respond to my call?
Answer:
Calls for service are handled in order or priority
based on the level of emergency each incident
represents. Crimes in progress, rescues and felony
crimes take precedence over non-violent crimes and
report calls. Because emergency calls often
require the coordinated efforts of many units, Deputies
may be delayed arriving to non-emergency calls.
Dispatch personnel continually review the current calls
for service and should advise you by telephone if a
Deputy expects a delay in responding to your call.
Please do not use the 911 telephone system for
non-emergency situations. (*Click
here to learn what constitutes a
911 emergency)
- Do I have to give my name when reporting a call?
Answer:
No. We will attempt to investigate an anonymous
crime tip, however, court decisions impose limitations
on investigations based solely on anonymous tips.
We recognize that you may not want to be identified by
the people you are reporting. If you have
concerns, request that your information be kept
confidential or that Deputies not contact you when they
respond. To leave a non-emergency crime tip call
our Crimebuster hotline at 208-359-3282.
- Often misunderstood terminology:
Answer:
A. Burglary vs. Robbery - These two
crimes often get confused. A person who enters a
home, business or car with the intent to steal is
committing burglary. A person who steals directly
from another person by force (like a purse snatch) or
fear (threats or by using a weapon) is committing
robbery. (Read full Idaho definitions for
burglary and
robbery)
B.
Trespassing & Harassment - Trespassing occurs when a person enters or
remains on private property which has signs prohibiting
entry or after they have been told to leave by the
owner. Harassment occurs when a person telephones
another with the intent to annoy, harass, intimidate or
threaten OR uses lewd, obscene, or profane language OR
repeated anonymous phone calls. (Read full Idaho
definitions for
trespassing and
harassment)
C. Assault vs. Battery
- Several states have different definitions in their
laws for these two crimes. In Idaho, assault is
defined as an attempt to commit injury or the threat by
word or act to do violence to another in compilation
with an act that makes the receiver fear violence will
occur. For example: A person, after striking
a vehicle with a bat, points at you in anger and says,
"You're next!" while approaching you with the bat.
Battery is defined as ANY willful and unlawful force,
touching, striking, or causing of bodily harm. For
example: The person strikes you with the bat.
(Read full Idaho definitions for
assault and
battery)
- What constitutes a 911 emergency?
Answer:
(Click here)
- Are our schools really that bad that we need law enforcement officers in
them?
Answer:
Not at all! Our schools are in great shape due
to some excellent administrators and teaching staff that
truly care about our children. However, law
enforcement in general has found that a pro-active role
in schools is extremely effective in combating school
violence and other crimes that occur in our schools.
We wish we could say that nothing bad ever happens in
our schools, but we do have our issues, and having law
enforcement present has made it much easier for all of
us together to manage these issues effectively and make
a safer learning environment for our children.
Please visit our SRO page for
the history of School Resource Officers and more useful
information as parents and students!
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