Niagara County Arrest Records Search
Arrest records in Niagara County are held by the Sheriff's Office in Lockport, the County Clerk, and the local court system. The Niagara County Sheriff at 5526 Niagara Street Extension handles booking data, incident reports, and criminal records for the areas the department patrols. Niagara County sits in the western part of the state along the Canadian border and is part of the 8th Judicial District. Whether you need to look up a recent arrest, check on a court case, or request records through FOIL, this page covers every option available to you and what each office can provide.
Niagara County Overview
Niagara County Sheriff's Office Records
The Niagara County Sheriff's Office is at 5526 Niagara Street Extension, Lockport, NY 14094. Phone is (716) 438-3393. The Sheriff handles arrest records, incident reports, and booking information for areas under county patrol. The office serves a population of over 212,000 across the county.
To get copies of arrest records, submit a FOIL request in writing. FOIL is the Freedom of Information Law, found in Public Officers Law sections 84 through 90. Include the full name of the person, the date of arrest if you know it, and any case or report numbers. Send the request to the Records Access Officer at the Sheriff's Office. They must respond within five business days.
The Sheriff's Office also handles the county correctional facility. For inmate information, call the jail directly. They can tell you about custody status, charges, and bail. Standard copy fees for records are $0.25 per page under state law.
Court Records in Niagara County
The Niagara County Clerk is at 175 Hawley Street, Lockport, NY 14094. Phone is (716) 439-7022. The Clerk's office maintains records from Supreme Court and County Court, including felony arrest records that went through the court system. Office hours are Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
Niagara County is in the 8th Judicial District. Criminal cases move through the courthouse from arraignment to sentencing. You can search records in person at the Clerk's office or submit a written request by mail. Bring a photo ID for in-person visits. Court records go back years and cover the full range of criminal cases heard in the county.
The Office of Court Administration runs a Criminal History Record Search statewide at $95 per name. It requires an exact match on name and date of birth. Sealed records do not appear. Results take one to two business days.
Check WebCrims for pending criminal cases in Niagara County. Guest access is free. You need at least three letters of the last name and two of the first. Only active cases show up.
Niagara County District Attorney
The Niagara County District Attorney's Office reviews all arrests made in the county and decides what charges to pursue. The DA works with the Sheriff's Office, local police departments, and state police on case preparation. If you need to know the status of a case after an arrest, the DA's office is a key contact point.
Victim services are available through the DA. The office participates in treatment courts and community outreach programs. FOIL requests for DA records are accepted in writing during regular office hours.
State Resources for Niagara County Records
The Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps the official fingerprint-based state criminal history database. To get your own rap sheet, submit fingerprints at an IdentoGO location. The fee is $50 to $65. Results come by mail in 7 to 10 business days. DCJS records are not available through FOIL or from third-party background check websites.
Under CPL section 160.50, dismissed cases are sealed automatically. The Clean Slate Act 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 sealing.
The DOCCS Inmate Lookup covers people in state prison. If someone arrested in Niagara County was later sent to a state facility, search there. The Sex Offender Registry is free to search by name, county, or ZIP code for Level 2 and 3 offenders.
FOIL Requests in Niagara County
Freedom of Information Law gives the public a right to request government records. File with the Sheriff, County Clerk, or DA. Each has its own Records Access Officer. Write down exactly what you need with names, dates, and case numbers.
The agency has five business days to respond. They can release the records, deny the request with a written reason, or ask for more time. Copy fees are $0.25 per page. Exempt records include sealed cases, ongoing investigations, and material that would cause an unwarranted invasion of privacy. Under Public Officers Law section 89, all denials must come with a written explanation.
Sealing and Expungement in Niagara County
Arrests ending in dismissal or acquittal are sealed automatically under CPL section 160.50. Cannabis convictions removed by the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act are treated as if they never took place.
Under CPL section 160.59, you can apply to seal up to two criminal convictions if 10 years have passed since the last sentence ended. Only one can be a felony. Sex offenses, violent felonies, and Class A felonies do not qualify. File the application at the court where the conviction happened. The NY Attorney General's office has information on eligibility and the filing process.
The Niagara County Sheriff's website shown above provides information on how to request records and contact the office for arrest record inquiries.
Nearby Counties
These neighboring counties maintain their own law enforcement and court systems for arrest records:
State Arrest Record Search Tools
The Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps the official state rap sheet for every person with a criminal history in New York. You need to submit fingerprints through an IdentoGO location to get your own record. The fee is $50 to $65. Results come by mail in 7 to 10 business days. DCJS records cannot be obtained through FOIL.
The Criminal History Record Search from the Office of Court Administration costs $95 per search. It uses an exact match on name and date of birth. Results include open cases and convictions from all 62 counties but not sealed records. The search can be done online through Direct Access or by mail. For pending cases with future court dates, WebCrims is free and open to the public as a guest.
Under CPL Section 160.50, arrests that end in dismissal or acquittal are sealed automatically. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 2024, will seal eligible convictions over time. Misdemeanors seal after three years from sentencing. Felonies seal after eight years from completion of sentence. Sex offenses and Class A felonies are not eligible for sealing. Marijuana convictions under Penal Law Sections 221.05 through 221.40 are expunged under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.