Cattaraugus County Police Blotter

The Cattaraugus County police blotter includes arrest logs, incident reports, and law enforcement records from the Sheriff's Office and local police agencies across the county. You can search for these records through the Sheriff's Office Records Division in Little Valley or submit a FOIL request by mail, phone, or in person.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office

The Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. The Sheriff's Office Records Division handles all requests for police blotter records, incident reports, arrest logs, and related documents. If you need records from an unincorporated area of the county, the Sheriff's Office is where you start.

The Records Division is also called the Finance and Records Division. It manages a wide range of tasks including accident reports, FOIL requests, warrant tracking, and crime statistics submitted to the FBI Uniform Crime Report program. The division prepares monthly and annual reports that are available to the public. Staff can help you identify which records exist and what steps to take to get them.

The Sheriff's Office website also posts a most wanted list with photos and charges, and an active warrant list with photos, charges, and last known addresses. You can check inmate custody status online as well. These are helpful tools if you need to verify whether someone is in custody or has an active warrant in Cattaraugus County.

How to Search Cattaraugus County Police Blotter Records

There are a few ways to search Cattaraugus County police blotter and arrest records. You can visit the Sheriff's Office in person, call the records request line, send a written request by mail, or fax your request. Each method works for blotter records, incident reports, and related documents.

To request records in person or by mail, go to the Records Division at 15 E. Chautauqua Street in Mayville. If you call, use (716) 753-4442. For fax requests, send to (716) 753-9771. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Plan ahead if you need documents for a legal matter or deadline.

When you make a request, include your full name and contact information. Describe the records you need as clearly as you can. Give the date range you are interested in. If you know the subject's name or date of birth, include it. A case or incident number helps too, if you have one. The more detail you give, the faster staff can find the right records.

For criminal court case records in Cattaraugus County, the New York State WebCrims system is a good starting point. It covers cases in the state court system. You can search by name or case number at nycourts.gov/apps/chrs. The Cattaraugus County Clerk's Office at 303 Court Street also keeps civil and criminal court records and offers online search for some document types.

FOIL Request Procedures in Cattaraugus County

New York's Freedom of Information Law gives the public access to government records, including police blotter records and arrest logs. The law is found in Public Officers Law Article 6, Sections 84 through 90. Under these rules, most arrest records and incident reports are open to the public. Some records are exempt, such as those tied to open investigations, juvenile cases, and sealed records.

To file a FOIL request with the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office, put your request in writing. Send it to the Records Access Officer at 15 E. Chautauqua Street, Mayville, NY 14757. You can also fax to (716) 753-9771 or call (716) 753-4442 to start the process. The agency must respond within five business days. If the records need more time to gather, the office will let you know and give you an estimated date.

Under Public Officers Law §89(3), if your request is denied in whole or in part, you have the right to appeal. Send your appeal in writing to the agency head. If that appeal is denied, you can seek review from the Committee on Open Government or file an Article 78 proceeding in court. More guidance on the appeals process is available at opengovernment.ny.gov.

Fees for copies are $0.25 per page for standard photocopies. Other formats cost the actual expense of reproduction. You can request a fee waiver if the cost would be a financial hardship, though waivers are granted at the agency's discretion.

Types of Police Blotter Records in Cattaraugus County

The Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office maintains many types of law enforcement records. Here is what the Records Division tracks and makes available through FOIL or direct request.

Incident reports document responses to calls for service. They cover everything from disturbances to thefts to serious crimes. Arrest records include booking information, charges, and court referral data. Traffic accident reports are kept separately and are available to parties involved in the crash or through a FOIL request. Warrant records show active arrest and bench warrants in the county.

The Records Division also handles navigation and snowmobile accident reports, which are common in the rural parts of the county. DSS Child Protection case records are kept here as well, though access is more restricted. Statistical reports for the FBI Uniform Crime Report are compiled monthly and are available for public review. These show crime trends across different areas of the county over time.

Municipal police departments in the county also have their own records. The Olean Police Department is the main city agency. Salamanca Police Department and Little Valley Village Police also keep separate records. Each department handles its own FOIL requests. If the incident you are looking for happened inside a city or village, contact that department directly rather than the Sheriff's Office.

Cattaraugus County Records Resources

Screenshots below show the Cattaraugus County official website and the Sheriff's Office, which are the primary sources for police blotter and records requests in the county.

Additional Resources

Several state-level resources can help you find police blotter records and related information in Cattaraugus County.

The New York State Police handle FOIL requests for Troop records through troopers.ny.gov/foil-requests. If the incident involved a State Trooper, start there. The NYS Department of Corrections runs an incarcerated lookup tool for anyone in state custody. The Sex Offender Registry is searchable online through the Division of Criminal Justice Services. The Committee on Open Government at opengovernment.ny.gov provides free guidance on FOIL rights and procedures.

For court-related records in Cattaraugus County, the New York State Unified Court System maintains WebCrims for criminal case lookups and eCourts for civil matters. Visit nycourts.gov to search by county, name, or case number. The Cattaraugus County Clerk at (716) 938-9111 can also help with court record searches.

Cities in Cattaraugus County

Cattaraugus County has no cities that meet the qualifying population threshold for a dedicated page. Major communities include Olean, Salamanca, and Little Valley. All law enforcement records for unincorporated areas go through the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office. For incidents inside Olean or Salamanca city limits, contact those city police departments directly.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cattaraugus County. If you need records from a neighboring area or are not sure which county covers a particular location, check with the county listed below.