Sheriff’s Office

Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting services are offered at the Platte County Detention Facility.

Anyone in need of prints can call 402-563-4274 Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. to set up a time to obtain the prints.

A handgun permit is required to purchase, lease, rent, or receive transfer of a handgun in accordance with Nebraska State Statute 69-2403.

You may apply for a handgun certificate through the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. The cost to apply for a handgun certificate is $5.00.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office is located at 2610 14th Street, Columbus, Nebraska. You may apply in person between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Applications will be accepted for Platte County residents outside the city limits of Columbus. Once the application is filled out, it will take approximately three (3) business days to run a background check before the permit will be available. Certificates are valid for three (3) years throughout the state of Nebraska.

***The handgun permit issued by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office is NOT a concealed carry permit. To apply for a concealed carry handgun permit, contact the Nebraska State Patrol at 402-370-3456 or click here for more information.

Platte County has a Drug Collection Unit to provide our citizens a place to dispose of their unwanted or expired household prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and other unused medications.

Our drug collection receptacle is located in the lobby of the Platte County Sheriff’s Office at 2610 14th Street, Columbus, Nebraska.

Project Lifesaver is a 501(c)(3) community-based, public safety, nonprofit organization that provides law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers with a program designed to protect, and when necessary, quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering.

The organization was founded in 1999 in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The necessity of this program was determined through the correlation between cognitive conditions and the act of wandering. With the dramatic increase of cognitive conditions since the inception of the organization, the program has grown from a localized program to a program recognized internationally as a proven and effective method of “bringing loved ones home.”

Members of the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department trained together to learn the operation and advantage to using the Project Lifesaver system. The system is a proactive measure that will provide relief to the families and caregivers from the constant fear of not being able to quickly locate their loved ones should they wander from their homes.

If you have any questions or have a loved one you want to enroll in the program, please call us. If you live in Platte County but outside city limits, contact Sgt. Troy Higgins or Sgt. Roger Wemhoff at 402-564-3229.

If you live inside the Columbus city limits, contact the Columbus Police Department at 402-564-3201. If you live outside of Platte County, you will have to check with your local law enforcement to see if they offer the program. For more information on the program, check out projectlivesaver.org.

Any person subject to the Sex Offender Registration Act shall be required to update their registration status as set forth in Nebraska State Statute 29-4004, which includes updating their change of address within three (3) working days, updating their place of employment within three (3) working days, and noting any change in attending school or carrying on a vocation.

Registration updates and verifications will be done at the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. Registration updates can be completed during the day or evening hours. It is recommended that you call in advance to make sure an investigator or road patrol sergeant is available to complete verifications or updates.

**15-year registration verification will appear in their birth month.**

Nebraska Sex Offender Registry

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office offers a residential security check when Platte County residents, outside the city limits of Columbus, would like extra patrol when they are on vacation or away from home for an extended period. This service is offered free of charge. Deputies will make checks of the residence when time permits. To request a security check, contact the Platte County Sheriff’s Office at 402-564-3229.

Vehicle inspections are required for any salvaged titles and out of state titles before your vehicle can be registered in Platte County. Vehicle inspections are accomplished at Platte County Sheriff’s Office.

You will need to bring the vehicle and the out of state title or salvaged title to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office at 2610 14th Street, Columbus, Nebraska, to have the vehicle inspected.

The Sheriff’s Office will do a comparison check of the VIN on the vehicle and the VIN on the vehicle title. We will also examine the odometer and note the reading on the inspection.

Vehicle inspections are completed Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. The cost for a vehicle inspection is $10.00.

If you have any questions, you can contact us at 402-564-9077.