Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside provider operating that tool. The provider processes the request and supplies its response. Covington County Criminal History does not retain or log those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
An email message may be kept as long as needed to prepare and retain a response. It remains within the site team unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the servers may collect routine technical information about the visit:
- Page-view dates and times
- The device's assigned IP address
- Browser name and version
- Operating system and device category
- Pages viewed and the time spent on them
- The referring website, when supplied
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They help measure page traffic, navigation patterns, and where visits end. Analytics providers can combine those observations into aggregate reports. A browser can reject cookies through its settings, though blocking them may change how some features work.
What We Do With This Data
- Route a submitted query to the selected search provider
- Maintain site operation, speed, and reliability
- Diagnose errors and other technical problems
- Measure which pages are useful or need revision
- Display advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Covington County Criminal History does not keep, assemble, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general routing information for the Covington County Sheriff's Office, Circuit Clerk, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and Alabama Sex Offender Registry. Visitor information is not turned into a file about another person or a consumer report. The 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 policies, retention periods, and sharing rules apply to information entered there. This policy does not control those providers, so their terms should be reviewed before a query is submitted.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Covington County government, Alabama courts, ALEA, other public agencies, or third-party tools. Once a visitor leaves this site, the destination's privacy policy governs. It should be read before personal information is supplied.
Advertising providers may use their own systems to follow activity across websites and select targeted ads.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal information is not sold. It may still be available to limited categories of recipients:
- Analytics providers measuring traffic and performance
- Search providers receiving a query through their tool
- Advertising networks serving content on the pages
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, standard safeguards are used for collected data. No internet-connected service can guarantee perfect security, however, and the site cannot promise that unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone younger than 18. Information identified as coming from a minor will be deleted when the site is notified.
Your Data Rights
Applicable law may provide rights concerning personal data. Alabama's Open Records Act, Ala. Code §§ 36-12-40 and 36-12-41, concerns public writings held by government custodians, while Ala. Code §§ 41-9-590 through 41-9-645 govern state criminal-history access and correction. Those laws do not make this private site a government record custodian. A visitor may still:
- Request access to personal information held about them
- Ask that inaccurate personal information be corrected
- Request deletion where the law permits it
- Opt out of eligible forms of processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as practices or legal duties change. A replacement becomes available on this page with its new effective date.
Effective date: July 14, 2026