Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent to the outside provider that operates that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its own results. We do not keep or log those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When a visitor sends an email or other direct message, we retain it as needed to respond. The message remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal duty.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers receive basic technical details each time a Dawson County Criminal History page loads:
- Page-view timestamps and visit duration
- Browser name and version
- Device category and operating system
- Viewed pages and the referring site, when present
- The device's assigned IP address
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They help measure aggregate use, such as popular pages and points where visits end. Analytics services assist with that measurement. A browser can block cookies, although some site functions may then work differently.
What We Do With This Data
- Diagnosing errors and other technical problems
- Operating, securing, and improving site performance
- Routing a search query to the selected outside provider
- Measuring which pages are useful to visitors
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Dawson County Criminal History does not maintain, compile, or sell a personal criminal-record database. It publishes general routing information for the Dawson County Sheriff, local courts, Texas DPS, and the Texas Public Sex Offender Registry. We are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor data is not assembled into consumer reports or third-party criminal profiles.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Information entered there is governed by the selected provider's privacy policy, retention terms, and sharing practices rather than this policy. Review those terms before sending a query because we do not control the provider's processing.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Dawson County government, courts, Texas agencies, other official resources, or outside search services. Once a visitor follows an external link, the destination site's own privacy rules govern. Read them before providing personal data.
Advertising companies may use their systems to track activity across websites for targeted advertising. We do not operate that cross-site tracking.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Limited data may be available to:
- Advertising networks that serve advertisements
- Analytics providers that measure traffic and performance
- Search providers that process a visitor's chosen query
- Government or law-enforcement bodies when valid legal process compels disclosure
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, standard safeguards are used for information we collect. No internet-connected system can be guaranteed secure, so we cannot promise that unauthorized access or a breach will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such data, we will remove it.
Your Data Rights
Rights can differ by residence and applicable law. In Texas, the Texas Public Information Act, Government Code Chapter 552, governs access to information held by public bodies, while Government Code Chapter 411 restricts dissemination of DPS criminal-history record information. Those laws do not turn this private site into a public records custodian. Subject to applicable law, a visitor may:
- Request access to personal data we hold
- Ask that inaccurate personal data be corrected
- Seek deletion where the law permits it
- Opt out of eligible forms of processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. A new version becomes available on this page with its updated effective date.
Effective date: August 9, 2026