Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search box is sent directly to the outside company operating that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its response. We do not keep a separate log of those search terms.
Messages and Contact Submissions
An email sent to us may be retained long enough to review and answer it. It is kept within our organization unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our systems receive routine technical information when a visitor loads a page:
- 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
Cookies are small files saved through a browser. They help measure which pages receive traffic and how visitors move through the website. Analytics providers may combine those measurements into totals. A browser can reject cookies, though some functions may then behave differently.
What We Do With This Data
- Operating the website and maintaining reliable page loads
- Routing a search to the provider selected by the visitor
- Measuring which information visitors use most
- Finding errors, outages, and other technical problems
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
We do not build, store, or sell a database of personal criminal records. Catawba County information is described only to identify official custodians, including the sheriff, Clerk of Superior Court, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection 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 history files.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Information submitted there is governed by that provider's privacy policy. Each provider decides how long to retain data and when to share it. Review those terms before entering a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Catawba County sheriff, North Carolina courts, state agencies, legal resources, or commercial tools. Once a visitor leaves this website, the destination's privacy rules apply. Review them before providing personal information.
Advertising providers may use their own systems to measure activity across websites and select ads. We do not control that separate tracking.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold by us. It may be available to:
- A search provider when a visitor chooses to submit a query
- Analytics vendors that measure traffic and performance
- Advertising networks serving content on the pages
- A government or law-enforcement body acting under a valid legal demand
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable security measures are used for data in our control. No internet service can guarantee perfect protection, so we cannot promise that a breach or unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone younger than 18. If such data is identified, we will take steps to remove it.
Your Data Rights
North Carolina's Identity Theft Protection Act, G.S. Chapter 75, Article 2A, governs defined personal-information safeguards and breach duties. Rights depend on the law and circumstances. Requests made to us may include:
- 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 privacy policy may be revised as practices or legal duties change. A revised version will be posted here with its effective date.
Effective date: August 1, 2026