Nassau County Police Records

Nassau County police records are primarily managed by the Nassau County Police Department, one of the few county-level police departments in New York. Unlike most counties that rely on a sheriff for patrol, Nassau County has a full police department based in Mineola that provides primary law enforcement to much of the county. With about 1.4 million residents on Long Island, Nassau County is one of the most densely populated counties in the state. Police records are available through FOIL requests directed to the department or the County Attorney's Office.

Nassau County Police Department Records

The Nassau County Police Department is at 1490 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501. The non-emergency number is 516-573-7000. This is not a sheriff's office. Nassau County operates a full police department that handles patrol, detectives, highway patrol, and specialized units across most of the county.

The department covers areas outside of villages and cities that have their own police forces. Some incorporated villages in Nassau County maintain their own police departments. If the incident happened in one of those villages, you need to contact that village's police department for records. The Nassau County PD only holds records for incidents it responded to.

To get police records from the Nassau County PD, submit a written FOIL request. You can direct it to the Police Department's Records Section or to the Nassau County Attorney's Office, which coordinates FOIL responses for county agencies. Include the date, location, names, and type of report. Be specific. The department handles a high volume of records requests due to the large population it serves.

Fees follow state rules. Copies are $0.25 per page. The agency must respond within five business days. Denials must be in writing with reasons cited. You can appeal a denial within 30 days.

Filing a FOIL Request for Nassau County Police Records

New York's Freedom of Information Law, Article 6 of the Public Officers Law (Sections 84 through 90), gives everyone the right to access government records. This covers all records held by Nassau County agencies, including the Police Department, the Sheriff's Office (which handles civil process and the jail), and the District Attorney's Office.

Write your request and send it to the Records Access Officer at the appropriate agency. For police incident reports and arrest records, go to the Police Department. For jail or civil process records, contact the Nassau County Sheriff. For court-related records, try the County Clerk or the District Attorney's Office.

The law presumes records are open unless a listed exemption applies. Common exemptions for police records include interference with an active investigation, danger to someone's safety, and protection of confidential sources. Agencies must redact exempt portions and release the rest. If you get a denial, you have 30 days to appeal. The Committee on Open Government can issue opinions to help resolve disputes between requesters and agencies.

Nassau County Court Records

Nassau County is in the 10th Judicial District. Criminal cases go through Nassau County Court for felonies and the District Court for misdemeanors. Nassau County is one of the few counties in New York with a District Court, which handles smaller criminal matters and civil cases. The County Clerk maintains Supreme Court and County Court files.

Search pending criminal cases through WebCrims. Civil matters in Supreme Court can be found at eCourts WebCivil Supreme. District Court civil cases appear in WebCivil Local. Sealed cases and juvenile matters do not appear in any of these systems.

For records not available online, visit the Nassau County Clerk's Office in Mineola. The office handles land records, court filings, and certified copies. Staff can help with searches if you provide enough identifying information.

State Police Records Resources

The New York State Police may have records for incidents on state roads or areas not covered by local police. File a request through their online GovQA portal or by mail to their Albany headquarters. Reports cost $15.00 each.

Official criminal history records come from the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). These are not public records. Submit fingerprints to get your own record. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 2024, will automatically seal certain older conviction records over three years.

The Sex Offender Registry lists Level 2 and Level 3 offenders by name, address, or county. For Level 1 offender info, contact the Nassau County PD at 516-573-7000. The DOCCS Lookup covers state prison inmates and parolees. Motor vehicle crash reports are at the DMV Crash Report Portal ($7.00 search fee plus $15.00 per report).

Cities and Towns in Nassau County

Nassau County includes several large towns on Long Island. Many have populations well over 100,000. Each town may have its own public safety structure, though the Nassau County Police Department serves as the primary law enforcement for most areas.

Nearby Counties

Nassau County is on the western end of Long Island, bordered by Queens to the west and Suffolk to the east.