Erie County Arrest Records
Erie County arrest records are held by several agencies in the Buffalo area, and the process for getting them depends on what kind of record you need and who made the arrest. The Erie County Sheriff's Office keeps booking data for people brought into the county jail, while the Buffalo Police Department handles its own arrest reports through a separate FOIL process. Court records from felony and misdemeanor cases sit with the Erie County Clerk. If you want to look up someone's case or pull a copy of an arrest report in Erie County, you can do it online in some cases, by mail, or in person at one of the offices listed here. This page covers all the main ways to get arrest records in Erie County, New York.
Erie County Overview
Erie County Sheriff's Office Records
The Erie County Sheriff's Office is at 10 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. Call (716) 858-7618. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This is where arrest records go for anyone booked into the Erie County Holding Center or the Erie County Correctional Facility. The Sheriff's Office handles patrol across the county, runs the jail, and keeps records tied to arrests made by its deputies.
To get an arrest record from the Sheriff, you file a FOIL request. Put it in writing. Include the full name of the person, the date of the arrest if you have it, and any case or booking numbers. FOIL stands for Freedom of Information Law, and it is set out in Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, sections 84 through 90. The Records Access Officer at the Sheriff's Office must respond within five business days. They can grant the request, deny it with a reason, or ask for more time.
The Erie County Holding Center is the main jail in downtown Buffalo. If you want to know whether someone is in custody or what charges they face, call the Holding Center. They can give you basic booking data over the phone during business hours.
Note: Copy fees for Erie County records are $0.25 per page under Public Officers Law section 87.
Buffalo Police Department Arrest Records
The Buffalo Police Department at 74 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, processes its own arrest reports. The general phone number is (716) 851-4444. Most arrests within the City of Buffalo are made by BPD officers, so if the arrest took place in the city, this is the office to contact. BPD runs its FOIL requests through the City of Buffalo's NextRequest portal.
Due to the high volume of requests, BPD asks that you allow 30 business days for a determination. The department charges $0.25 per page for copies of redacted records, as allowed by Public Officers Law section 87(1)(b). Payment must be made before the records are sent out. If your request is denied, you have 30 days to appeal in writing to Corporation Counsel, City of Buffalo Law Department, 1100 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202.
BPD will check if they hold the record you need. If the arrest was handled by the Sheriff or another agency, they will let you know. The acknowledgment letter follows New York State Public Officers Law, Section 89.
Erie County Court Records
The Erie County Clerk's Office is at 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202. Phone is (716) 858-8785. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Clerk keeps Supreme Court and County Court records, which include felony case files, indictments, and sentencing documents tied to arrests in Erie County.
Erie County is part of the 8th Judicial District. The Office of Court Administration runs a Criminal History Record Search for $95 per name. It is a name-based search. You need an exact match on name and date of birth. Sealed records will not come up. Results take one to two business days for hits. The Erie County Clerk also provides an online public record search that gives access to court records and land records. You can search from home for some case types.
For pending criminal cases, check WebCrims. Guest access is free. You need at least three letters of the last name and two letters of the first name. It only shows cases with upcoming court dates, not closed or sealed matters.
Erie County District Attorney
The Erie County District Attorney's Office is at 25 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. Phone is (716) 858-2461. The DA reviews arrests made across the county and decides what charges go forward. If an arrest led to prosecution, the DA's office can tell you the status of the case. They handle everything from drug charges to violent felonies.
Victim services are part of the DA's office. If you were a victim of a crime in Erie County, you can get help with the court process and referrals. The office also runs diversion programs and works with treatment courts for certain defendants. FOIL requests for DA records go to the office's Records Access Officer.
FOIL Requests in Erie County
Erie County has several agencies that accept FOIL requests. The Erie County Comptroller's Office handles FOIL for county-level records through Records Access Officer Jessica Schuster. Her office is at the Edward A. Rath County Office Building, 95 Franklin Street, Room 1100, Buffalo, NY 14202. Phone is (716) 858-8400 and fax is (716) 858-6149.
Each agency has its own Records Access Officer. The Sheriff, the DA, the Clerk, and the Buffalo Police Department all take FOIL requests on their own. Be specific in what you ask for. Give names, dates, case numbers, and any other details that help them find the right records. The agency has five business days to respond. They can provide the records, deny the request with a written reason, or say they need more time. Denials can be appealed. Under Public Officers Law section 89, the agency must explain any denial in writing.
State Resources for Erie County
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps official criminal history records based on fingerprints. You cannot get someone else's rap sheet through DCJS. To check your own record, submit fingerprints at an IdentoGO location. The fee is between $50 and $65, and results come by mail in 7 to 10 business days. DCJS records are not available through FOIL. Third-party background check sites do not have access to the official state database.
Under CPL section 160.50, arrests that end in dismissal or acquittal are sealed automatically. The Clean Slate Act, which took effect November 16, 2024, seals eligible misdemeanor convictions after 3 years and felony convictions after 8 years from sentence completion. Sex offenses and Class A felonies are not eligible for this.
The DOCCS Inmate Lookup tool lets you search for people in state prison. If someone arrested in Erie County was later sent to a state facility, use this tool. Search by last name or Department Identification Number. The Sex Offender Registry is free to search by name, county, or ZIP code for Level 2 and Level 3 offenders.
Sealing and Expungement in Erie County
New York offers several paths to seal arrest and conviction records. Under CPL section 160.50, arrests that end in dismissal, acquittal, or a non-criminal result are sealed with no application needed. The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act also wiped certain cannabis convictions. Those get treated as if they never happened.
For other convictions, CPL section 160.59 allows you to apply to seal up to two criminal convictions if at least 10 years have passed since your last sentence ended. You can have no more than one felony. Sex offenses, violent felonies, and Class A felonies do not qualify. The application goes to the court where the conviction took place. The NY Attorney General's office has details on who qualifies and how to file.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office website shown above provides details on law enforcement services and how to request arrest records for Erie County.
Nearby Counties
If you need arrest records from areas next to Erie County, these neighboring counties each have their own Sheriff's Office and court system:
Cities in Erie County
The following cities in Erie County have their own pages with local arrest record details: