Ontario County Police Records

Ontario County police records are managed by the Sheriff's Office at the County Complex in Canandaigua. This Finger Lakes county has about 112,000 residents spread across towns and villages between Rochester and Syracuse. The Sheriff handles patrol, criminal investigations, jail operations, and civil process for areas outside municipal police jurisdictions. Police records can be obtained through a written FOIL request to the Sheriff's Records Division or through the online portal.

Ontario County Sheriff's Office Police Records

The Ontario County Sheriff's Office is at 3045 County Complex Drive, Canandaigua, NY 14424. The phone number is 585-396-4550. The office provides law enforcement for towns and villages that do not have their own police departments. It also runs the Ontario County Jail and handles civil process for the courts.

Police records include incident reports, accident reports, arrest records, booking information, and investigative files. The Sheriff's Office accepts FOIL requests both in writing and through an online portal. To submit by mail, send your request to the Records Access Officer at the County Complex address. For the online option, check the county website for the current portal link.

Give the date of the incident, the place, the names of people involved, and the type of report you want. Be specific. Vague requests lead to delays. The agency has five business days to respond. Copies cost $0.25 per page. If more than two hours of staff time is needed, the agency may charge an hourly rate.

FOIL Requests for Ontario County Police Records

The Freedom of Information Law gives you the right to access police records from any Ontario County agency. FOIL is in Article 6 of the NYS Public Officers Law, Sections 84 through 90. The law covers records in any form: paper, digital, photos, or electronic data.

You do not need to be a resident or provide a reason for your request. The law presumes records are open unless a listed exemption applies. Common police records exemptions include interference with active investigations, danger to someone's safety, and protection of confidential sources.

When an agency denies your request, it must put the reason in writing and cite the specific exemption. You have 30 days to file an appeal. The appeals officer has ten business days to decide. If the appeal also fails, you may file a lawsuit within four months. The Committee on Open Government issues advisory opinions that can help resolve disputes.

Ontario County Court Records

Ontario County is in the 7th Judicial District. Felony cases go to County Court in Canandaigua. Misdemeanors go to local town and village courts. The Ontario County Clerk maintains court records for Supreme Court and County Court proceedings, including indictments, plea agreements, and sentencing records.

Search pending criminal cases at WebCrims. For civil cases, use eCourts WebCivil Supreme. These systems cover most courts but may not include every case, especially from smaller town courts. Contact the court clerk directly for records not in the online systems.

Sealed records and juvenile matters do not appear in any online database. To get certified copies or records not available digitally, visit the County Clerk's office in Canandaigua.

State Level Police Records Resources

The New York State Police cover state highways in Ontario County. Their records are separate. File through the GovQA portal or by mail. Reports cost $15.00 each under Public Officers Law Section 66-a.

Official criminal history records come from the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). These are not public records. Submit fingerprints for your own record. Private record search firms pull from public court data, not DCJS.

The Sex Offender Registry lists Level 2 and 3 offenders by name, address, or county. For Level 1 offender details, call the Sheriff at 585-396-4550. The DOCCS Lookup covers state prison only. Crash reports are at the DMV Crash Report Portal ($7.00 search fee plus $15.00 per report). The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95.00 per name.

Nearby Counties

Ontario County is in the Finger Lakes region of western New York. Contact a neighboring county's law enforcement if the incident happened outside Ontario County's borders.