Allegany County Police Records

Police records in Allegany County are held by the Allegany County Sheriff's Office, the Village of Belmont Police Department, and the Wellsville Police Department. This rural western New York county has a small population spread across a large area. The sheriff's office at 4884 State Route 19S in Belmont is the primary law enforcement agency. FOIL requests can be sent by mail or made in person. The Allegany County Clerk's Office at 7 Court Street in Belmont maintains court records tied to police cases. This page explains how to get police records from each agency in Allegany County.

Allegany County Sheriff's Office Police Records

The Allegany County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. It is located at 4884 State Route 19S, Belmont, NY 14813. The main phone number is 585-268-9200. The office handles patrol, investigations, and civil process for the entire county. All law enforcement records from the sheriff, including incident reports, accident reports, arrest records, and investigation files, are kept at this location.

To request police records, submit a written FOIL request to the Allegany County Sheriff's Office at the address above. Under New York's Freedom of Information Law, found in Article 6, Sections 84 through 90 of the Public Officers Law, the public has the right to access government records with certain limits. Your request should include as much detail as you can provide. Give dates, names, locations, and any case or report numbers you have. The more specific you are, the faster staff can locate the right files.

The sheriff must respond within five business days. They can provide the records, deny the request with written reasons, or send a note saying they need more time. Fees for copies are $0.25 per page for standard size. The office may waive fees for small requests. For large requests that need more than two hours of staff time, they can charge the hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee who can do the work, as allowed under Public Officers Law Section 87(1).

The Corrections Division runs the Allegany County Jail at the same address. Jail records, booking data, and inmate information are kept by corrections staff. For jail records inquiries, contact the facility directly at 585-268-9200.

Allegany County Clerk's Office Records

The Allegany County Clerk's Office is at 7 Court Street, Belmont, NY 14813. The phone number is 585-268-9270. The clerk serves as the repository for county records, including Supreme Court and County Court files. Criminal court records can be looked at in person during business hours, which are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The County Clerk also issues pistol permits, processes passport applications, and keeps business records. FOIL requests for clerk records should go in writing to the Records Access Officer at the address above. The office maintains a list of the types of records they hold. Some court files may be sealed by a judge or restricted under state law. In those cases, the clerk cannot provide copies and will tell you in writing why access was denied.

For cases that show up in the statewide court database, you can check WebCrims for pending criminal matters or eCourts WebCivil Supreme for civil cases. Not all Allegany County cases appear in these systems, especially older ones filed before electronic records began. For those, visit the clerk's office in person.

Local Police Departments in Allegany County

The Village of Belmont Police Department is located at 1 Schuyler Street, Belmont, NY 14813. This small department handles law enforcement within the village limits. Police records from Belmont PD, such as incident reports and accident reports, are subject to FOIL requests sent to the Village Clerk at the same address. The Belmont Police work closely with the county sheriff on matters that go beyond village lines.

The Wellsville Police Department serves the Village of Wellsville, the largest community in Allegany County. Records requests should go to the Village Clerk's Office or through the department's FOIL process. A FOIL request form is on the village website. The form needs specific details about what records you want and your contact information. Fees are $0.25 per page. The department coordinates with the sheriff and the New York State Police on regional law enforcement matters.

For areas of Allegany County not covered by a village police department, the sheriff's office and the New York State Police provide patrol coverage. If you are not sure which agency responded to an incident, contact the sheriff's office first. They can tell you which agency handled the call and where to send your records request.

Statewide Police Records Resources

The New York State Police handle incidents on state highways and in areas without local police coverage in Allegany County. Their Central Record Bureau at 1220 Washington Avenue, Building 22, Albany, NY 12226-2252 takes all records requests. The fee is $15.00 per incident report under Public Officers Law Section 66-a. You can use their GovQA online form or mail a written request.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) keeps the only official state criminal history records. These are not public records and cannot be released through FOIL. You must submit fingerprints to get your own rap sheet. Contact the Record Review Unit at 518-457-9847 for details. The Sex Offender Registry run by DCJS lists Level 2 and Level 3 offenders online. For Level 1 offender data, contact the Allegany County Sheriff.

Motor vehicle accident reports from any police agency in New York can be ordered through the DMV Crash Report Sales Portal. Reports appear 14 to 30 days after an electronically filed accident. The cost is $7.00 for the search plus $15.00 per report online. The DOCCS Incarcerated/Parolee Lookup covers people in state prison or on parole but does not include county jail inmates.

Appeals for Denied Allegany County Police Records

If a FOIL request is denied, you have 30 days to file an appeal. For the sheriff's office, send the appeal to the Allegany County Attorney's Office. Include a copy of your original request and the denial letter. The appeals officer has ten business days to respond. If the appeal also fails, you can bring a lawsuit within four months.

The Committee on Open Government offers advisory opinions on FOIL matters. While not legally binding, their opinions carry weight with agencies and courts. You can contact them for help if you believe a denial was wrong.

Nearby Counties

Allegany County sits in the western part of New York. If an incident occurred near a county border, the responding agency may belong to a neighboring county.