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.
Howard County, Iowa, has about 9,400 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Howard County depends on where the incident happened: the Howard County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county, the agency that reports for the city inside a city. 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 sheriff's reports, the cities' reports, how many reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Howard County public records, Howard County arrest records, Howard County warrants, Howard County criminal records, Howard County court records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Howard County
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.
In Howard County that is the Howard County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and for any city that contracts with it for police service, and the agency that reports for a city where the city has one of its own.
Reports from the Howard County Sheriff's Office
The Howard County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 15 violent and 21 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 38 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit.
Reports from the City Agencies in Howard County
The one city the FBI lists in Howard County with a reporting agency of its own:
- Cresco: 6 violent and 8 property crimes reported for 2025; 51 arrests reported for 2025.
A city on that list is reported separately whether the officers are the city's own or the sheriff's under contract; the FBI's list does not say which.
How Many Reports: Howard County in 2025
The two agencies in Howard County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 21 violent and 29 property crimes to the FBI that year, each one a report taken by the agency that holds it.
Together, the two agencies in Howard County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 89 arrests to the FBI that year, and each arrest is a report of its own.
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.
Any other county record goes through the county records request page SearchSystems verified, at ia.iowadot.gov/openrecords (page title: Open Records Request | FOIA).
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the County Attorney, (563) 547-9202, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Howard County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the Howard County Sheriff's Office for its own arrests, or the agency that reports for the city where it happened. 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.
How long does an agency in Howard County 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 Howard 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 Howard County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.