Access Erie County Police Records

Erie County police records come from multiple agencies, including the Erie County Sheriff's Office and the Buffalo Police Department. As the most populous county in western New York, Erie County has a large law enforcement footprint with several town and village police departments alongside the sheriff. This page explains how to request police records from the sheriff's office, the separate process for Buffalo PD, and statewide tools that cover Erie County cases.

Erie County Sheriff's Office Police Records

The Erie County Sheriff's Office is at 10 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. The phone number is 716-858-7618. This is a large operation with patrol, corrections, and civil divisions. The sheriff handles law enforcement in unincorporated areas of Erie County and assists smaller municipalities. FOIL requests for sheriff's records go through the County Attorney's Office.

To request police records from the sheriff, put your request in writing. Include the incident date, location, names of those involved, and the type of record you need. Be specific. Broad requests take longer to process and may result in higher fees if they require extensive staff time. The County Attorney's Office reviews FOIL requests and coordinates with the sheriff's records staff to pull the right files.

Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page under the Public Officers Law. The agency must respond within five business days. That response can be an approval, a denial with written reasons, or a notice that they need more time. If denied, you have 30 days to file an appeal.

Buffalo Police Department Records

The Buffalo Police Department is a separate agency from the Erie County Sheriff. It handles law enforcement within the city limits of Buffalo. Their main office is at 74 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202. The non-emergency number is 716-851-4444. Buffalo PD has its own records division and processes its own FOIL requests.

To get police records from Buffalo PD, submit a FOIL request to the department. You can direct it through the City Clerk's Office or the Police Records division. Include as much detail as you can about the incident. The city has district stations across Buffalo, but all records requests go through the central office. Fees follow the same state standard of $0.25 per page. Response time is five business days by law.

Buffalo PD keeps incident reports, arrest reports, accident reports, and investigation files. For incidents that happened in the city, this is the agency to contact. For things that took place outside city limits but still in Erie County, the sheriff or another town police department would hold those records.

State-Level Police Records Resources

The New York State Police handle incidents on state highways and in areas without local coverage. For State Police reports in Erie County, use their GovQA online form or mail the Central Record Bureau at 1220 Washington Avenue, Building 22, Albany, NY 12226-2252. Each report is $15.00 under Public Officers Law Section 66-a.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services is the only source for official New York criminal history records. These are not public records and cannot be obtained through FOIL. You can only get your own criminal history by submitting fingerprints to DCJS. Contact them at 518-457-9847 or by mail at 80 South Swan St., 5th Floor, Albany, NY 12210.

Court records are available through the eCourts WebCivil Supreme system for civil cases and WebCrims for pending criminal cases. Both cover Erie County courts. The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95.00 per name and produces a certified statewide record. For older cases, visit the Erie County Clerk.

Other Police Records Databases for Erie County

The New York Sex Offender Registry lists registered offenders in Erie County. Level 2 and 3 offenders appear on the public website. For Level 1 info, contact the sheriff or Buffalo PD. Search by name, address, or county. The toll-free number is 1-800-262-3257.

The DOCCS Incarcerated/Parolee Lookup covers state prison inmates and parolees. It does not cover Erie County Holding Center inmates. For county jail information, call the sheriff at 716-858-7618. The DMV Crash Report Sales Portal has accident reports from police agencies statewide. Reports appear 14 to 60 days after filing. The search fee is $7.00 plus $15.00 per report.

Understanding FOIL for Erie County Police Records

The Freedom of Information Law is in Article 6, Sections 84 through 90 of the NYS Public Officers Law. It gives the public access to records held by all state and local agencies. FOIL covers the sheriff, city police, town police, and every other government body in Erie County. A "record" under FOIL is broad. It includes reports, memos, files, photos, maps, computer data, and more.

Not every police record can be released. Active investigation files may be withheld. Records that could reveal a confidential source, endanger someone, or interfere with a trial are also exempt. Agencies must explain which exemption applies when denying a request. They must release any non-exempt portions. Redacting is common practice.

Appeals of denials must be filed within 30 days. The appeals officer has ten business days to respond. If the appeal is denied, you can file a lawsuit within four months. The Committee on Open Government provides advisory opinions and guidance on FOIL disputes.

Nearby Counties

Erie County sits in western New York. Incidents near the county border may be handled by neighboring agencies. These counties surround Erie.

Cities and Towns in Erie County

Erie County has several cities and towns with their own police departments. Buffalo is by far the largest. Several suburban towns also have dedicated police forces that maintain their own records.