Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered into a search tool is sent directly to the outside company operating that tool. The provider processes the request and supplies its results; we do not keep a local log of those search terms.
Messages and Contact Submissions
If you send us an email, we keep that message so we can reply. Your message stays within our team. We will not share it with anyone outside our organization unless a legal obligation requires it.
Data We Gather Automatically
Every time a page on this site loads, our servers pick up some technical details about the visit:
- The IP address assigned to your device
- Which browser you are using and its version
- Your device type and operating system
- The pages you visited and how long you stayed on each
- The site that sent you here, if any
- Timestamps for each page view
Cookies and Analytics
We use cookies on this site. These are small files stored on your device that let us see how visitors use the site - which pages get the most traffic and where people tend to drop off. Analytics services help us aggregate that traffic data. Your browser settings let you block cookies whenever you want. Some parts of the site may behave differently if you do.
What We Do With This Data
- Keeping the site up, running, and loading quickly
- Sending your search requests to the right partner service
- Figuring out which pages people find useful and which need work
- Tracking down and fixing technical issues
- Showing ads that may line up with your interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
No database of personal criminal records is hosted, assembled, or sold here. The published material identifies official Effingham County routes, including the Sheriff, Circuit Clerk, Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification, and state registry. Visitor information is not turned into a consumer report or a file about another person, and this site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Their privacy terms, retention periods, and sharing rules govern information entered there, and those practices are beyond our control. Read the provider's policy before submitting information.
Links to Other Websites
Throughout the site we link to sheriff's office pages, court portals, state agency sites, legal aid groups, and third-party search tools. Clicking any of those links takes you off our site. At that point, their privacy policy governs your visit. Read it before sharing any personal details.
Certain advertising partners may track your activity across sites to show targeted ads. That tracking runs on their systems, not ours.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal data. Some information may end up with:
- Search partners that handle queries you run on our site
- Analytics services we use to track traffic and performance
- Ad networks that place ads on our pages
- Law enforcement or government bodies when a valid legal order requires it
How We Protect Your Data
We follow standard security practices to safeguard the data we collect. But nothing connected to the internet is bulletproof. We do what we can to keep your information secure, though we cannot promise a breach will never happen.
Users Under 18
This site is meant for adults. We do not knowingly gather personal information from anyone under 18. If you think a minor has shared data with us, reach out and we'll delete it right away.
Your Data Rights
Depending on where you live, Illinois privacy and consumer-protection law (Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140) may give you additional rights over your data. At a minimum, you can:
- Ask for a copy of what we have on file about you
- Have us fix information that is wrong
- Request that we erase your data
- Opt out of certain kinds of data processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. A changed version will be posted here and will carry a new effective date.
Effective date: July 20, 2026