Access Clinton County Police Records

Clinton County police records are managed by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office, the Plattsburgh Police Department, and the Clinton County Clerk's Office at 137 Margaret Street in Plattsburgh. The sheriff's office covers approximately 1,187 square miles of jurisdiction, including 79 miles of shoreline and 34 miles along the international border with Canada. The Corrections Division operates the Clinton County Jail at 25 McCarthy Drive. This page covers the agencies, procedures, and resources for accessing police records in Clinton County.

Clinton County Sheriff's Office Police Records

The Clinton County Sheriff's Office has three primary components: the Civil Division, the Law Enforcement Division, and the Corrections Division. The Law Enforcement Division consists of thirty members covering about 1,187 square miles, including 79 miles of Lake Champlain shoreline and 34 miles on the international border with Canada. Their mission is to promote safety and quality of life in Clinton County through service, pride, and commitment to excellence.

Functions include service of civil documents, maintaining the sex offender registry, enforcing Federal, State, and local laws, and acting as a conservator of the peace. Members are assigned to narcotics task force investigations, which have led to hundreds of drug-related arrests and the seizure of millions of dollars in drugs and cash. During summer months, deputies patrol Lake Champlain, Chazy Lake, and Chateaugay Lake by boat, providing safety inspections and conducting search and rescue operations.

The sheriff's office is the lead agency of the Tri-County Special Response Team. Members of patrol receive CIT (Crisis Intervention Training) and work with Crisis Response Teams. They also offer LEMHRs (Law Enforcement Mental Health Referrals) to Clinton County Mental Health to help divert people in need of psychological assistance. FOIL requests for sheriff records should be submitted in writing. The sheriff must respond within five business days under Public Officers Law Section 89. Fees are $0.25 per page.

Clinton County Corrections Division

The Clinton County Jail is at 25 McCarthy Drive, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. The facility has a capacity of 300 inmates after a major construction and renovation project completed in July 2006. In 2016, the average daily inmate population was 210, with as many as 78 inmates per day boarded in from other governments. This boarding generated over $1.5 million to offset county expenses.

Bail can be paid online through the GovPayNet platform using a credit card. You need the defendant's name, date of birth, booking number (if unknown, call the booking office at 518-565-4351), court/judge information, and the cash bail amount. A non-refundable GovPayNet service fee is added to all transactions. Fees range from $20 for bails between $1 and $200, up to 8% for bails over $2,000.

Inmate packages must be mailed directly from businesses like Amazon, Walmart, or Barnes and Noble. The facility no longer accepts property at the lobby desk. All items must ship directly to: Inmate Name, Clinton County Jail, 25 McCarthy Drive, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Visiting hours are scheduled by housing pod: Monday for A pod, Tuesday for C pod, Thursday for D pod, and Friday for M&F Linear. Each session runs about an hour. Inmates get two visits per week.

Clinton County Clerk's Office Records

The Clinton County Clerk's Office is at the Clinton County Government Center, First Floor, 137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. The phone number is 518-565-4700. Email is countyclerk@clintoncountygov.com. Hours are 8 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday. No recordings or filings are accepted after 3:45 PM.

The clerk provides a recording and filing office for legal documents, assists the Supreme and County Courts by handling fees, fines, filings, and certifying court records, and keeps up-to-date real estate records. Copies cost $0.65 per page with a minimum charge of $1.30. Certified copies are $1.25 per page with a $5.00 minimum. PropertyCheck is a free service that helps protect residents from property and mortgage fraud by sending alerts about activity on their property records.

Pending criminal cases may appear on WebCrims. Civil cases can be searched through eCourts WebCivil Supreme. For records not in these systems, visit the clerk's office.

Plattsburgh Police Department Records

The Plattsburgh Police Department is at 45 Pine Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. The non-emergency number is 518-563-3411. The Records Division can be reached at records@plattsburghpd.com. FOIL requests can be submitted to the Records Access Officer at the Police Department or through the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, 41 City Hall Place, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, phone 518-563-7702.

The department responds within five business days. Fees are $0.25 per page. Payment can be made by cash, check, or money order. Plattsburgh PD coordinates with the Clinton County Sheriff and the State Police on regional law enforcement matters. Appeals of denied requests go to the City of Plattsburgh Clerk within 30 days.

Statewide Police Records Resources

The New York State Police cover areas of Clinton County and the Canadian border region. The fee is $15.00 per incident report. The DCJS maintains state criminal history records. The Sex Offender Registry lists Level 2 and 3 offenders online. The DOCCS lookup shows state prison inmates. The DMV Crash Report Sales Portal offers accident reports for $7.00 search plus $15.00 per report. The Committee on Open Government provides FOIL guidance.

How to File a FOIL Request in Clinton County

All police records requests in Clinton County follow the Freedom of Information Law process. Put your request in writing and send it to the Records Access Officer at the agency that has the records you need. For the sheriff, mail or deliver the request to the sheriff's office. For Plattsburgh PD, you can submit to the police department or through the City Clerk's Office. Include specific details: dates, locations, names of people involved, and the type of records you want.

The agency must respond within five business days under Public Officers Law Section 89. They can provide the records, deny with written reasons, or send an acknowledgment with a time estimate. Fees are $0.25 per page for standard copies. If more than two hours of staff time is needed, the agency can charge the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee capable of doing the work. Records that could interfere with active investigations, reveal confidential sources, or endanger someone's safety may be withheld under the FOIL exemptions listed in Section 87(2).

Nearby Counties

Clinton County is in the northeastern corner of New York, bordering Canada and Vermont. Incidents near borders may involve multiple jurisdictions.