Sheriff’s Office FAQs

Beginning August 1, 2021, the William’s County Sheriff’s Office will no longer be releasing accident reports due to new state legislation; they must be requested via the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT).

The Williams County Sheriff’s Office is a participating agency in NDTip, a service that enables citizens to submit anonymous tips about crimes, suspicious activity, or non-emergency traffic concerns. Citizens can submit tips for activity anywhere within the County. Tips will be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency if they are for locations outside of the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction.

NDTip removes all identifying information about the sender before the tip reaches the Sheriff’s Office. There is no way to identify the sender. NDTip is not a substitute for calling 911; if this is an emergency, or you are witnessing a crime in progress, please dial 9-1-1 immediately.

To submit a tip, please visit the Williams County Sheriff’s Office’s NDTip webpage.

To file a non-emergency report with the Sheriff’s Office, please call 701-577-7700. In the event of an emergency, please call 9-1-1.

Call the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency phone line at 701-577-7700.

For information about how to obtain a concealed weapons permit, including testing locations, please visit the ND Attorney General’s website.

For information about the law regarding dogs as a public nuisance and how to file a complaint, please visit the ND Courts website.

The Williams County Sheriff’s Office offers fingerprinting every Wednesday evening from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Williams County Law Enforcement Center (223 E Broadway); individuals are fingerprinted on a first come, first served basis. A fee of $10 is charged; it can be paid with cash or check made out to the Williams County Sheriff’s Office. Please be sure to read the directions provided for having your fingerprints taken prior to arriving. The Sheriff’s Office does not provide manilla envelopes for prints that are required to be sealed; please bring your own.

Fingerprinting is not offered if the Law Enforcement Center is closed for a holiday. Williams County buildings are closed for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Check the holiday calendar to verify if the building is open before arriving.

The Northwest Human Service Center offers fingerprinting by appointment for NDHHS employees and childcare workers only. Individuals must bring their completed paperwork with them. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 701-774-4600, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

To post bond for someone being held in the Williams County Correctional Center, you must post bond with the court that made the charges (e.g. Northwest District Judicial Court or Municipal Court).

NW District Judicial Court

If the individual is being held on charges from the NW District Judicial Court, and you wish to pay with a credit card, bond can be posted with the Clerk of District Court between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday – Friday. Their office is located on the first floor of the Williams County Courthouse (205 E Broadway). If you wish to pay with cash or a surety bond, bond can be paid at the Williams County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office is located on the 3^rd floor of the Williams County Law Enforcement Center (223 E Broadway). Bond can be posted after hours, on weekends, and on holidays at the Correctional Center. Please enter through the Public Access door located on the northwest side of the Law Enforcement Center (223 E Broadway).

Bond can also be posted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online using a credit card at JailATM.com or by using cash or a credit card at the kiosk located in the main entryway of the Law Enforcement Center (E Broadway entrance).

City of Williston Municipal Court

If the individual is being held on charges from the City of Williston Municipal Court, you can post bond between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday – Friday, at the Municipal Clerk of Court’s office located on the first floor of the Williams County Courthouse (205 E Broadway). After hours, weekends and holidays bond must be posted at the Williston Police Department, which is located on the second floor of the Williams County Law Enforcement Center (223 E Broadway). They can be reached at 701-577-1212.

Ray or Tioga Police Departments

To post bond for an inmate being held for the Ray or Tioga Police Departments, please contact them directly for more information.

Per ND Century Code 29-08-28, when posting bond for another person, the money becomes the property of the defendant and will be applied to any fines resulting from the disposition of their case. If the defendant does not appear in court, the bond will be forfeited. Any money refunded will be given to the defendant.

Information about how to contact an inmate via mail, phone, or visitation can be found by following this link.