Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026.
Grinnell, Iowa, in Poweshiek County, has about 9,500 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Grinnell depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Grinnell public records, Poweshiek County police reports, Grinnell arrest records, Grinnell warrants, Grinnell inmate search, Grinnell criminal records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Grinnell
The report of an incident is released by the agency that took it; the court and the jail hold their own records of the same event, but not the report.
Inside Grinnell that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Grinnell Police Department); outside it, the Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office.
Reports from the Grinnell Police
For Grinnell, SearchSystems opened and checked the Grinnell police department's page at grinnelliowa.gov/169/Police (page title: Police | Grinnell, IA), phone (641) 236-2670, 1020 Spring Street Grinnell, IA 50112, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 26, 2026.
The agency that reports for Grinnell had 29 violent and 117 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 175 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office
The Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 16 violent and 66 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 40 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at poweshiekcountyiowa.gov/sheriff/dispatch_jailers (page title: Dispatch & Jailers | Sheriff | Poweshiek County, Iowa), 302 East Main Montezuma, IA 50171, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
What the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) Requires
Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) the agency must answer a request without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified, and it may charge the actual cost of copying and retrieval. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the County Attorney, 641-623-5135, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Grinnell?
From the agency that took it. The Grinnell police department's page is at grinnelliowa.gov/169/Police, phone (641) 236-2670; the sheriff's reports come from the Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Grinnell have to answer?
Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22), without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified. It may charge the actual cost of copying and retrieval.
How do I get a report from the Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) the answer is due without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified.
Is this the official Grinnell website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.