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 30, 2026.
Winterset, Iowa, in Madison County, has about 5,400 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Winterset 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: Winterset public records, Madison County police reports, Winterset arrest records, Winterset warrants, Winterset inmate search, Winterset criminal records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Winterset
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Winterset that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Winterset Police Department); outside it, the Madison County Sheriff's Office.
The West Des Moines Police Department is listed by the FBI across four counties including Madison County, so its arrests are not broken out for Madison County here.
Reports from the Winterset Police
For Winterset, SearchSystems opened and checked the Winterset police department's page at winterset.gov/m/directory/department?did=10 (page title: Staff Directory, Police), phone 515-462-1423, 1012 N John Wayne Drive P.O. Box 517 Winterset, IA 50273, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 26, 2026.
The agency that reports for Winterset had 11 violent and 29 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 222 arrests for 2020.
Reports from the Madison County Sheriff's Office
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 10 violent and 27 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 106 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at sheriffrandytucker.com/madison-county-detention-center (page title: Madison County Detention Center | Madison County Sheriff's Department), 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, (515) 462-5034, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Winterset?
From the agency that took it. The Winterset police department's page is at winterset.gov/m/directory/department?did=10, phone 515-462-1423; the sheriff's reports come from the Madison County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Winterset 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 Madison 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 Winterset 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.