Richmond County Arrest Records
Richmond County arrest records cover Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City. The NYPD handles all arrests on Staten Island. Unlike most New York counties, Richmond County does not have a traditional county sheriff managing arrests. Instead, the NYPD's borough command processes all arrest reports and booking records. To search for arrest records in Richmond County, you can file a FOIL request with the NYPD, check court records through the County Clerk, or use the Criminal History Record Search from the state court system.
Richmond County Overview
NYPD Arrest Records for Richmond County
The NYPD is the primary law enforcement agency for all of Staten Island. All arrest records for Richmond County go through the NYPD's Records Access Division at One Police Plaza, Room 110C, New York, NY 10038. You can call (646) 610-5296 for questions. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
To get arrest records, submit a FOIL request through the NYC OpenRecords portal or by email at foil@nypd.org. You can also mail your request to the address above. Include the person's full name, the date and place of arrest, your mailing address, and a copy of a government-issued photo ID. Be as specific as you can about what records you need. The NYPD must respond within five business days under Public Officers Law Section 89(3). Fees are $0.25 per page for copies.
Recent arrests may not be in the system right away. Reports take time to finalize as officers complete their paperwork. Give it a few days after an arrest before you submit a request.
Note: FOIL requests for NYPD records must go through the NYC OpenRecords portal or the Records Access Division, not local precincts.
Richmond County Criminal Court
The Richmond County Criminal Court is at 26 Central Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10301. Call (718) 390-8400 for general info. Central Booking can be reached at (718) 876-8493. The court handles misdemeanors and initial felony proceedings for Staten Island. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Arraignments happen as scheduled at the court. Weekend arraignments for Staten Island are handled through the Brooklyn Arraignment Office at (718) 643-5675 Ext. 67. After arraignment, cases may move to Supreme Court for trial if the charges are felonies. The Criminal Court keeps records of all cases heard there. You can search pending cases through WebCrims for free.
The Richmond County Clerk's Office is at 130 Stuyvesant Place, 2nd Floor, Staten Island, NY 10301. The clerk maintains court records and can issue certificates of disposition. Contact the clerk's office for copies of court documents tied to arrest cases.
Richmond County District Attorney
The Richmond County District Attorney's Office is at 130 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY 10301. The main phone is (718) 876-6300. The DA prosecutes criminal cases on Staten Island. The office accepts FOIL requests by email at FOILRequests@RCDA.NYC.GOV or by mail to the Records Access Officer at the address above.
Fees for DA records run $0.25 per page for standard copies. Audio recordings cost $5.00 each, and video recordings cost $15.00 each. The DA's office handles felony prosecutions, select misdemeanors, and works with the NYPD on investigations. Victim services are available through the office for people affected by crime on Staten Island.
Arrest Record Laws in Richmond County
Arrest records in Richmond County follow the same state laws as the rest of New York. FOIL, set out in Public Officers Law Sections 84 through 90, gives you the right to request records from government agencies. But some records are exempt. Open investigation files can be held back. Records that would risk someone's safety or invade privacy may also be denied.
Under CPL Section 160.50, arrests that end in dismissal or acquittal are sealed automatically. The 2019 amendment to FOIL created a presumption against releasing booking photos unless there is a law enforcement purpose. In 2020, the repeal of Civil Rights Law Section 50-a opened police disciplinary records to the public. This means NYPD misconduct records, use of force reports, and civilian complaints can now be requested through FOIL.
The Clean Slate Act, effective November 16, 2024, will seal eligible conviction records over time. Misdemeanors seal after three years. Felonies seal after eight years from completion of sentence. The Attorney General's office has details on eligibility for sealing under CPL Section 160.59.
NYC Inmate and Arrest Lookup
The NYC Department of Correction runs an inmate lookup tool for people held in city jails. If someone was arrested on Staten Island and is in DOC custody, you can search for them online. The DOC Information Center at (718) 546-1500 is available 24 hours a day. People arrested within the past 72 hours may still be in police custody and not yet in the DOC system.
Docket numbers for Staten Island cases use the borough code "RI." If someone has been transferred to state prison, use the DOCCS Inmate Lookup to find them. The statewide Sex Offender Registry is free and searchable by name or location.
State-Level Arrest Record Resources
The Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps the official state rap sheet. You need to submit fingerprints through IdentoGO 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 Office of Court Administration's CHRS search costs $95 and covers all 62 counties. It is name-based and uses exact match. For a broader look at the court system, the CourtHelp site explains what a rap sheet contains and how to fix errors.
Nearby Counties
Richmond County is one of the five NYC boroughs. The other borough counties also use the NYPD for law enforcement.