Chapter 165

165.82(2) (2) The department of justice shall not impose fees for criminal history searches for purposes related to criminal justice.

165.82 History History: 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 122; 1991 a. 11; 1995 a. 27; 2003 a. 33; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32, 35.

165.825 165.825 Information link. The department of justice shall cooperate with the departments of safety and professional services, health services, and financial institutions in developing and maintaining a computer linkup to provide access to the information obtained from a criminal history search.

165.825 History History: 1997 a. 27; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20.

165.827 165.827 Transaction information for the management of enforcement system; fees. The department of justice shall administer a transaction information for the management of enforcement system to provide access to information concerning law enforcement. The department of justice may impose fees on law enforcement agencies and tribal law enforcement agencies, as defined in s. 165.83 (1) (e), for rentals, use of terminals and related costs and services associated with the system. All moneys collected under this section shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.455 (2) (h).

165.827 History History: 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 407; 1995 a. 27.

165.8285 165.8285 Transaction information for management of enforcement system; department of corrections records.

165.8285(1) (1) The department of justice shall, through the transaction information for management of enforcement system, provide local law enforcement agencies with access to the registry of sex offenders maintained by the department of corrections under s. 301.45.

165.8285(2) (2) The department of justice shall provide the department of corrections with access to the transaction information for management of enforcement system administrative message process.

165.8285(3) (3) Beginning on July 9, 1996, the department of justice and the department of corrections shall cooperate in using the transaction information for management of enforcement system, and in developing or using any other computerized or direct electronic data transfer system, in anticipation of the transfer of the sex offender registry from the department of justice to the department of corrections under 1995 Wisconsin Act 440 and for the purpose of providing access to or disseminating information from the sex offender registry under s. 301.45.

165.8285 History History: 1995 a. 440.

165.8287 165.8287 Transaction information for management of enforcement system; department of transportation photographs.

165.8287(1) (1) In this section:

165.8287(1)(a) (a) “Administration of criminal justice” has the meaning given in 28 CFR 20.3 (b).

165.8287(1)(b) (b) “Federal law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s. 343.237 (1) (ag).

165.8287(1)(c) (c) “Law enforcement agency of another state” has the meaning given in s. 343.237 (1) (ar).

165.8287(1)(d) (d) “Wisconsin law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s. 175.46 (1) (f).

165.8287(2) (2) Upon electronic request, the department of transportation shall make available to the department of justice, in a digital format, any photograph taken of an applicant under s. 343.14 (3) or 343.50 (4) that is maintained by the department of transportation. Updated photographs shall be available to the department of justice within 30 days of photograph capture.

165.8287(3) (3) 

165.8287(3)(a) (a) The department of justice shall, through the transaction information for the management of enforcement system or another similar system operated by the department of justice, provide Wisconsin law enforcement agencies, federal law enforcement agencies, and law enforcement agencies of other states with electronic access to any photograph specified in sub. (2) for the administration of criminal justice and for traffic enforcement. Access to these photographs shall be available electronically if the law enforcement agency submits an electronic request bearing an electronic certification or other indicator of authenticity. For an electronic request made by a law enforcement agency of another state, the electronic certification or other indicator of authenticity shall include an electronic signature or verification of the agency making the request and a certification that the request is made for the purpose of administration of criminal justice or traffic enforcement.

165.8287(3)(b) (b) Any photograph electronically available under this subsection shall contain the notation: “This photograph is subject to the requirements and restrictions of section 165.8287 of the Wisconsin Statutes. The photograph shall not be used for any purpose other than the administration of criminal justice or traffic enforcement. Secondary dissemination is prohibited and the photograph shall be destroyed when no longer necessary for the purpose requested. The photograph shall not be used as part of a photo lineup or photo array.”

165.8287(3)(c) (c) The provisions of s. 343.237 (5), (8), (9), and (10) shall apply to any photograph obtained electronically by a law enforcement agency under this subsection. Any photograph obtained electronically by a law enforcement agency under this subsection may not be used for a photo lineup or photo array. For purposes of this paragraph, any photograph obtained electronically by a law enforcement agency under this subsection shall be considered a copy of a photograph obtained under s. 343.237 (3) or (4) with respect to s. 343.237 (5), (8), (9), and (10).

165.8287(3)(d) (d) The department of justice shall maintain a record, which may be electronic, of each request by a law enforcement agency for a photograph under this subsection and of the response to the request. Except as provided in s. 343.237 (9), the department of justice may not disclose any record or other information concerning or relating to the request to any person other than a court, district attorney, county corporation counsel, city, village, or town attorney, law enforcement agency, the applicant under s. 343.14 (3) or 343.50 (4), or, if the applicant is under 18 years of age, his or her parent or guardian. Records maintained under this paragraph shall be maintained for at least 12 months.

165.8287(3)(e) (e) The department of justice and the department of transportation shall ensure that, upon submission by law enforcement agencies of electronic requests meeting the requirements under this subsection, access to photographs under this subsection is promptly available to these requesting agencies.

165.8287 History History: 2009 a. 167.

165.83 165.83 Criminal identification, records and statistics.

165.83(1) (1) Definitions. As used in this section and s. 165.84:

165.83(1)(b) (b) “Law enforcement agency” means a governmental unit of one or more persons employed full time by the state or a political subdivision of the state for the purpose of preventing and detecting crime and enforcing state laws or local ordinances, employees of which unit are authorized to make arrests for crimes while acting within the scope of their authority.

165.83(1)(c) (c) “Offense” means any of the following:

165.83(1)(c)1. 1. An act that is committed by a person who has attained the age of 17 and that is a felony or a misdemeanor.

165.83(1)(c)2. 2. An act that is committed by a person who has attained the age of 10 but who has not attained the age of 17 and that would be a felony or misdemeanor if committed by an adult.

165.83(1)(c)3. 3. An act that is committed by any person and that is a violation of a city, county, village or town ordinance.

165.83(1)(d) (d) “Reservation lands” has the meaning given in s. 165.92 (1) (a).

165.83(1)(e) (e) “Tribal law enforcement agency” means any of the following:

165.83(1)(e)1. 1. An agency of a tribe that is established for the purpose of preventing and detecting crime on the reservation or trust lands of the tribe and enforcing the tribe’s laws or ordinances, that employs full time one or more persons who are granted law enforcement and arrest powers under s. 165.92 (2) (a), and that was created by a tribe that agrees that its law enforcement agency will perform the duties required of the agency under this section and s. 165.84.

165.83(1)(e)2. 2. The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, if the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission agrees to perform the duties required under this section and s. 165.84.

165.83(1)(f) (f) “Tribe” has the meaning given in s. 165.92 (1) (c).

165.83(1)(g) (g) “Trust lands” has the meaning given in s. 165.92 (1) (d).

165.83(2) (2) The department shall:

165.83(2)(a) (a) Obtain and file fingerprints, descriptions, photographs and any other available identifying data on persons who have been arrested or taken into custody in this state:

165.83(2)(a)1. 1. For an offense which is a felony or which would be a felony if committed by an adult.

165.83(2)(a)2. 2. For an offense which is a misdemeanor, which would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult or which is a violation of an ordinance, and the offense involves burglary tools, commercial gambling, dealing in gambling devices, contributing to the delinquency of a child, dealing in stolen property, controlled substances or controlled substance analogs under ch. 961, firearms, dangerous weapons, explosives, pandering, prostitution, sex offenses where children are victims, or worthless checks.

165.83(2)(a)3. 3. For an offense charged or alleged as disorderly conduct but which relates to an act connected with one or more of the offenses under subd. 2.

165.83(2)(a)4. 4. As a fugitive from justice.

165.83(2)(a)5. 5. For any other offense designated by the attorney general.

165.83(2)(b) (b) Accept for filing fingerprints and other identifying data, taken at the discretion of the law enforcement or tribal law enforcement agency involved, on persons arrested or taken into custody for offenses other than those listed in par. (a).

165.83(2)(c) (c) Obtain and file fingerprints and other available identifying data on unidentified human corpses found in this state.

165.83(2)(d) (d) Obtain and file information relating to identifiable stolen or lost property.

165.83(2)(e) (e) Obtain and file a copy or detailed description of each arrest warrant issued in this state for the offenses under par. (a) or s. 346.63 (1) or (5) but not served because the whereabouts of the person named on the warrant is unknown or because that person has left the state. All available identifying data shall be obtained with the copy of the warrant, including any information indicating that the person named on the warrant may be armed, dangerous or possessed of suicidal tendencies.

165.83(2)(f) (f) Collect information concerning the legal action taken in connection with offenses committed in this state from the inception of the complaint to the final discharge of the defendant and such other information as may be useful in the study of crime and the administration of justice. The department may determine any other information to be obtained regarding crime records.

165.83(2)(g) (g) Furnish all reporting officials with forms and instructions which specify in detail the nature of the information required under pars. (a) to (f) and any other matters which facilitate collection.

165.83(2)(h) (h) Cooperate with and assist all law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies in the state in the establishment of a state system of criminal identification and in obtaining fingerprints and other identifying data on all persons described in pars. (a), (b) and (c).

165.83(2)(i) (i) Offer assistance and, when practicable, instructions to all local and tribal law enforcement agencies in establishing efficient local and tribal bureaus of identification and records systems.

165.83(2)(j) (j) Compare the fingerprints and descriptions that are received from law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies with the fingerprints and descriptions already on file and, if the person arrested or taken into custody is a fugitive from justice or has a criminal record, immediately notify the law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies concerned and supply copies of the criminal record to these agencies.

165.83(2)(k) (k) Make available all statistical information obtained to the governor and the legislature.

165.83(2)(m) (m) Prepare and publish reports and releases, at least once a year, containing the statistical information gathered under this section and presenting an accurate picture of the operation of the agencies of criminal justice.

165.83(2)(n) (n) Make available upon request, to all local, state and tribal law enforcement agencies in this state, to all federal law enforcement and criminal identification agencies, and to state law enforcement and criminal identification agencies in other states, any information in the law enforcement files of the department which will aid these agencies in the performance of their official duties. For this purpose the department shall operate on a 24-hour a day basis, 7 days a week. The information may also be made available to any other agency of this state or political subdivision of this state, and to any other federal agency, upon assurance by the agency concerned that the information is to be used for official purposes only.

165.83(2)(p) (p) Cooperate with other agencies of this state, tribal law enforcement agencies and the national crime information center systems of the F.B.I. in developing and conducting an interstate, national and international system of criminal identification, records and statistics.

165.83 History History: 1971 c. 219; 1983 a. 27, 535; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 407; 1995 a. 448; 1997 a. 27; 2007 a. 27; 2009 a. 402.

165.83 Note NOTE: 1993 Wis. Act 407, which creates sub. (1) (d) to (g) and amends sub. (2), contains extensive explanatory notes.

165.83 Annotation Pursuant to sub. (2), identification records should be made by local law enforcement agencies of juveniles arrested or taken into custody for confidential reporting to the Department of Justice. 62 Atty. Gen. 45.

165.84 165.84 Cooperation in criminal identification, records and statistics.

165.84(1) (1) All persons in charge of law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies shall obtain, or cause to be obtained, the fingerprints in duplicate, according to the fingerprint system of identification established by the director of the F.B.I., full face, profile and full length photographs, and other available identifying data, of each person arrested or taken into custody for an offense of a type designated in s. 165.83 (2) (a), of all persons arrested or taken into custody as fugitives from justice, and fingerprints in duplicate and other identifying data of all unidentified human corpses in their jurisdictions, but photographs need not be taken if it is known that photographs of the type listed, taken within the previous year, are on file at the department. Fingerprints and other identifying data of persons arrested or taken into custody for offenses other than those designated in s. 165.83 (2) (a) may be taken at the discretion of the law enforcement or tribal law enforcement agency concerned. Any person arrested or taken into custody and subsequently released without charge, or cleared of the offense through court proceedings, shall have any fingerprint record taken in connection therewith removed from the department’s records upon request.

165.84(2) (2) Fingerprints and other identifying data required to be taken under sub. (1) shall be forwarded to the department within 24 hours after taking for filing and classification, but the period of 24 hours may be extended to cover any intervening holiday or weekend. Photographs taken shall be forwarded at the discretion of the law enforcement or tribal law enforcement agency concerned, but, if not forwarded, the fingerprint record shall be marked “Photo available” and the photographs shall be forwarded subsequently if the department so requests.

165.84(3) (3) All persons in charge of law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies shall forward to the department copies or detailed descriptions of the arrest warrants and the identifying data described in s. 165.83 (2) (e) immediately upon determination of the fact that the warrant cannot be served for the reasons stated. If the warrant is subsequently served or withdrawn, the law enforcement or tribal law enforcement agency concerned must immediately notify the department of the service or withdrawal. In any case, the law enforcement or tribal law enforcement agency concerned must annually, no later than January 31 of each year, confirm to the department all arrest warrants of this type which continue to be outstanding.

165.84(4) (4) All persons in charge of state penal and correctional institutions shall obtain fingerprints, according to the fingerprint system of identification established by the director of the F.B.I., and full face and profile photographs of all persons received on commitment to these institutions. The prints and photographs so taken shall be forwarded to the department, together with any other identifying data requested, within 10 days after the arrival at the institution of the person committed. Full length photographs in release dress shall be taken immediately prior to the release of these persons from these institutions. Immediately after release, these photographs shall be forwarded to the department.

165.84(5) (5) All persons in charge of law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies, all clerks of court, all municipal judges where they have no clerks, all persons in charge of state and county penal and correctional institutions, and all persons in charge of state and county probation, extended supervision and parole offices, shall supply the department with the information described in s. 165.83 (2) (f) on the basis of the forms and instructions to be supplied by the department under s. 165.83 (2) (g).

165.84(6) (6) All persons in charge of law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies in this state shall furnish the department with any other identifying data required in accordance with guidelines established by the department. All law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies and penal and correctional institutions in this state having criminal identification files shall cooperate in providing to the department copies of such items in these files as will aid in establishing the nucleus of the state criminal identification file.

165.84(7) (7) 

165.84(7)(ab) (ab) In this subsection, “violent crime” means any of the following:

165.84(7)(ab)1. 1. A felony violation of s. 940.01, 940.05, 940.198 (2), 940.21, 940.225 (1), (2), or (3), 940.235, 940.30, 940.302 (2), 940.305, 940.31, 940.32 (2), (2e), or (2m), 940.43, 940.45, 941.20, 941.21, 941.327, 943.02, 943.06, 943.10, 943.23 (2), 943.231 (1), 943.32, 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03 (2) (a) or (c) or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.07, 948.08, 948.085, 948.095, or 948.30 (2).

165.84(7)(ab)2. 2. A felony violation of s. 940.02, 940.03, 940.06, 940.07, 940.08, 940.09 (1c), 940.10, 940.19 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.195 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.20, 940.201 (2), 940.203 (2), 940.204, 940.205 (2), 940.207 (2), 940.208, 940.23, 941.30, or 948.03 (3) or (5) (a) 4.

165.84(7)(ab)3. 3. A felony if a penalty enhancer specified in s. 939.621 could be imposed.

165.84(7)(ab)4. 4. The solicitation, conspiracy, or attempt, under s. 939.30, 939.31, or 939.32, to commit a violation under subd. 1.

165.84(7)(ah) (ah) Subject to rules promulgated by the department of justice under s. 165.76 (4), all persons in charge of law enforcement and tribal law enforcement agencies shall obtain, when the individual’s fingerprints or other identifying data are obtained, a biological specimen for deoxyribonucleic acid analysis from each individual arrested for a violent crime and each individual taken into custody for a juvenile offense that would be a violent crime if committed by an adult in this state. The law enforcement agency shall submit the biological specimen to the crime laboratories in a manner specified in the rules under s. 165.76 (4).

165.84(7)(am) (am) After receiving an individual’s specimen submitted under par. (ah), the crime laboratories shall do one of the following:

165.84(7)(am)1m. 1m. If, within the time limit under subd. 2m., the court notifies the crime laboratories under par. (bm) that any of the following applies, analyze the deoxyribonucleic acid in the specimen and include the individual’s deoxyribonucleic acid profile in the data bank under s. 165.77 (3):

165.84(7)(am)1m.a. a. The individual was arrested, or the juvenile was taken into custody, under a warrant.

165.84(7)(am)1m.b. b. The court has made a finding that there is probable cause that the individual committed a violent crime or that the juvenile committed an offense that would be a violent crime if committed by an adult in this state.

165.84(7)(am)1m.c. c. The individual failed to appear at the initial appearance or preliminary examination or the person waived the preliminary examination.

165.84(7)(am)1m.d. d. The individual failed to appear for a delinquency proceeding under ch. 938.

165.84(7)(am)2m. 2m. If, one year after the date the biological sample was submitted under par. (ah), the court has not notified the crime laboratories under par. (bm) that subd. 1m. a., b., c., or d. applies to the individual, destroy the biological sample.

165.84(7)(bm) (bm) The court shall notify the crime laboratories if par. (am) 1m. a., b., c., or d. applies to an individual who has been arrested.

165.84(7)(c) (c)

165.84(7)(c)1. 1. No biological specimen obtained under par. (ah) may be subject to analysis except by the crime laboratories as provided under s. 165.77.

165.84(7)(c)2. 2. Biological specimens obtained under this section may be used only as provided under s. 165.77.

165.84 History History: 1977 c. 305 s. 64; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 407; 1997 a. 283; 2013 a. 20, 214; 2015 a. 366; 2021 a. 76, 209, 242; 2023 a. 10.

165.84 Annotation The Department of Justice has no statutory authority to administratively append unrelated charges to arrest records so as to prevent expungement under sub. (1) of arrests that do not result in a criminal charge. Hall v. Department of Justice, 2020 WI App 12, 391 Wis. 2d 378, 941 N.W.2d 825, 18-2274.

165.845 165.845 Collection and reporting of crime and criminal justice data.