Search Rochester Police Blotter

Rochester police blotter records come from the Rochester Police Department at the Public Safety Building on Exchange Boulevard. The RPD serves about 210,500 residents across 37.1 square miles of Monroe County. You can get crime reports, accident records, arrest information, and criminal history checks through the department's Records Division, online portals, or by filing a FOIL request with the City of Rochester Law Department.

Monroe County Police Records

Rochester sits in Monroe County. The Monroe County Clerk handles court records and some county-level documents. The City of Rochester maintains its own records separate from Monroe County records. For county-wide resources, visit the Monroe County records page.

View Monroe County Police Records

Rochester Police Department

The Rochester Police Department was founded December 28, 1819, making it one of the oldest departments in the state. It has been New York State accredited since 1990 and was re-accredited in January 2020 under NYSLEAP, which requires meeting 133 stringent standards. The department is organized into three bureaus: Operations, Special Operations, and Administration. Four patrol sections cover the city: Lake, Genesee, Goodman, and Clinton.

Patrol section offices are spread around the city. The Central Section is at 30 North Clinton Avenue, the Genesee Section at 1099 Jay Street, and the Clinton Section at 630 North Clinton Avenue. If you need to report a non-emergency incident, call 3-1-1 rather than visiting a section office for records.

How to Access Rochester Police Blotter Records

Rochester gives you several options to access police blotter records. Your method depends on what you need and whether you are a victim, involved party, or a member of the public.

Crime reports go to the victim or the person who made the original report. If you are neither, you must file a FOIL request to get a crime report. Call (585) 428-7493 for the Records and Accidents line. You can also go in person to the Public Safety Building at 185 Exchange Boulevard.

Accident reports are available online through LexisNexis BuyCrash. Involved parties pay $0.25 per copied page. Anyone else who wants an accident report must file a FOIL request. For FOIL requests, go to cityofrochester.gov/FOIL or visit in person at City Hall or the accident records window at the Public Safety Building.

Crime mapping is available at maps.cityofrochester.gov/crimemapping. The system shows UCR Part I Crimes including homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Data goes back to 2011. Rapes are not shown to protect victim privacy. Data is updated daily but may have slight delays. If you find a crime on the map and want the report, take note of the report number and bring it to the Public Safety Building headquarters desk.

Open Data Portal: Raw crime data is downloadable at cityofrochester.gov/RPDOpenData in shapefile or GeoJSON format. This is a good resource for researchers, journalists, or anyone who wants to analyze crime trends. Not all police calls result in a written crime report, so the portal data does not capture every incident.

FOIL Requests in Rochester

The City of Rochester handles FOIL requests through the Law Department. The department keeps records only for City of Rochester government and police. If you want records from Monroe County, the State, or a suburban town, you must contact those agencies directly.

The city must respond to FOIL requests within five business days. It can grant your request, deny it with written reasons, or send an acknowledgment with an estimated date. If denied, you have 30 days to appeal.

Monroe County also handles FOIL requests for county-level records. The county notes that requests can take up to 20 days or longer. Monroe County commonly requested records include 911 records, RPD police reports, property records for city addresses, and motor vehicle accident reports. Visit monroecounty.gov/communications-foil for county FOIL requests.

Rochester Police Blotter Record Types

The RPD handles several types of records. Understanding which type you need will help you choose the right request process.

Criminal history checks cost $25. Payment accepted: cash, credit card, or money order. Results are mailed within 7 to 10 business days. This is a Rochester-only check; it does not reflect statewide criminal history.

Fingerprinting is available Monday through Friday, 1 PM to 3 PM. The fee is $25. Pistol permit fingerprinting costs $125. The department processes cards through standard procedures.

Arrest records contain booking information, charges, and bail status. Call (585) 428-6702 for the arrest information line. Non-victims seeking arrest records may need to file a FOIL request. Records fees apply per Public Officers Law § 87(1)(b)(iii) at $0.25 per page.

Court records for Rochester cases are at the Monroe County Clerk's Office at 39 West Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Phone: (585) 753-1600. The New York State Office of Court Administration handles statewide criminal history checks at a fee of $95 per name searched.

Professional Standards / Complaints: If you need to file a complaint or access complaint records, contact the Professional Standards Section at (585) 428-7131.

Rochester Police Records Resources

Rochester Police Blotter Resources

Nearby Cities

Other Monroe County communities also have police blotter records pages.

• Greece
• Irondequoit