Cook County Booking Releases
Cook County booking releases are available through the Sheriff's Office website in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The Cook County Jail is a small facility at 143 Gunflint Trail with 5 individual holding cells and a 10-bed work release unit. Booking records update daily and include names, ages, booking dates, charges, offense levels, bail amounts, and location. The data is public under Minnesota law.
Cook County Overview
Cook County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Pat Eliasen leads the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Chief Deputy Will Sandstrom and Jail Administrator Ben Hallberg round out the leadership team. The office is at 143 Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Main phone is 218-387-3030. Fax is 218-387-3032. Email the sheriff at Pat.eliasen@co.cook.mn.us.
| Sheriff | Pat Eliasen (Pat.eliasen@co.cook.mn.us) |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | Will Sandstrom |
| Jail Administrator | Ben Hallberg |
| Address | 143 Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, MN 55604 |
| Phone | 218-387-3030 |
| Fax | 218-387-3032 |
Cook County is the northernmost county along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. The county borders Canada to the north. The jail is small, reflecting the county's low population. For any questions about a specific person in custody, call 218-387-3030.
Cook County Jail and Booking Records
The Cook County Jail page at cookcountymn.gov is the official source for booking and facility information. The jail has 5 individual holding cells for initial detention and first appearances, plus a separate 10-bed unit for work release and Huber program participants.
The Cook County Jail page on the county website covers facility details, capacity, booking procedures, and services available to people held at the Grand Marais facility.
People held for first appearances and pre-trial are typically detained for up to 72 hours, not counting weekends and holidays. Long-term pre-trial detainees who cannot be held locally are transferred to facilities in other counties. Juvenile offenders are not housed at the Cook County Jail. Both adult males and adult females are accepted at this facility.
Note: Cook County is one of the smallest counties in Minnesota by population. Some days the jail may hold very few or no inmates. If you cannot find someone online, call the sheriff's office at 218-387-3030 directly.
What Cook County Booking Records Include
The Cook County daily booking roster shows the person's name, age, booking date, charges, offense level (misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony), bail amount, and location. Third-party aggregator sites index this data and allow name-based searches. These tools update regularly from the county source.
For fuller charge and court record information, use the free Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) tool. Cook County cases appear in the 6th Judicial District. MCRO is searchable by name and shows all filed cases across the state at no cost.
Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest and booking data is public. Minnesota Statute 13.85 extends that requirement to inmate roster data at correctional facilities. Minnesota Statute 641.05 requires the sheriff to keep a formal record of every admission and release from the jail. These three statutes form the legal basis for Cook County's public booking records.
Visitation at Cook County Jail
Cook County Jail has a set visiting schedule. Visits are allowed Sunday from 1:30pm to 3:30pm and 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Monday visits are from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Tuesday visits run from 1:30pm to 3:30pm and 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Wednesday visits are from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. No visits are listed for Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.
All visitors should call ahead to confirm the schedule has not changed and to ensure the person they wish to visit is still in custody at the facility. Call 218-387-3030 to confirm. Bring valid government-issued photo ID to every visit. Standard jail rules on attire and conduct apply.
Cook County Jail Phone and Work Release
Phone services for inmates are handled through Reliance Telephone. You must purchase minutes in advance through the Reliance system to make or receive calls at the facility. Contact the jail at 218-387-3030 for information on how to set up an account and add funds.
The Work Release and Huber program allows qualifying inmates to leave the facility for work and return at night. The 10-bed work release unit is dedicated to this purpose. Eligibility and terms are set by the court and must be approved before an inmate can participate. The Sentence to Service (STS) program provides additional work opportunities within the community for people serving sentences at the Cook County Jail.
State Resources for Cook County Records
The VINE system covers Cook County and lets you search by name or ID and register for free custody status alerts. Call 1-877-664-8463 for phone access to VINE. For court case information, the free Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) covers all 87 Minnesota counties. The BCA Criminal History database provides statewide conviction records for $8 per search. Cook County is remote and its population is small, but all the same state tools apply as in any other Minnesota county.
Cities in Cook County
No qualifying cities (population 100,000+) have dedicated pages in Cook County. Grand Marais is the county seat and the primary community. Residents use the Cook County Sheriff's Office for all booking release information.
Nearby Counties
Cook County borders Lake County to the west, which has its own booking release records. Cook County also borders Canada to the north.