Access Erie County Police Blotter

Erie County police blotter records come from the Sheriff's Office in Buffalo, the Buffalo Police Department, and municipal police agencies across the county. The Erie County Criminal History and Records Management System (CHARMS) centralizes records from multiple agencies. The Sheriff's Office at 10 Delaware Avenue publishes a daily inmate roster and processes FOIL requests through Records Access Officer Neil Held. Erie County is one of the most populous counties in New York, with Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Amherst, Tonawanda, and Hamburg among its major communities.

Erie County Sheriff's Office

The Erie County Sheriff's Office is at 10 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. Sheriff John Garcia leads the department. The public counter is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For general records questions, call (716) 858-7618.

The Sheriff's Office publishes a daily inmate roster in PDF format. The roster lists all current inmates by ICN number, name, date of birth, facility (Erie County Holding Center or Erie County Correctional Facility), and booking date. You can download the roster from the Sheriff's Office website without filing a formal request. It is updated each day.

Crash reports handled by Erie County Sheriff can be obtained through crashdocs.org or buycrash.com. To get a crash report, go to either site, select the state where the accident happened, select the agency that took the report, click "Find a report," and enter the required information. This online method is faster than a mail request for accident reports.

CHARMS: Erie County Records Management System

Erie County uses the Criminal History and Records Management System (CHARMS) as its central records database. CHARMS covers the Buffalo Police Department, the Erie County Sheriff's Office, and other municipal police departments in the county. All calls for service and incident reports from Buffalo Police are recorded and maintained through CHARMS.

This centralized system means records from multiple agencies feed into one database. That is useful if you are not sure which agency responded to an incident. It also means a FOIL request to the right agency can potentially pull up data from the shared system. Contact the individual agency (Sheriff or Buffalo PD) based on where the incident took place and which department responded.

The Erie County Clerk's Office at 92 Franklin Street in Buffalo maintains online public record search for court records. The Clerk's phone is (716) 858-8785 and hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can search court filings, judgments, and case indices through the Clerk's online portal.

How to Search the Erie County Police Blotter

Start with the daily inmate roster on the Sheriff's Office website. It is free, updated daily, and does not require any request. The roster shows who is in custody with booking date and charges.

For criminal court cases, use the New York State WebCrims system. It covers Erie County Court and local courts in Buffalo and surrounding areas. Search by name or docket number. WebCrims is free to use and shows pending and closed criminal cases.

Accident reports from sheriff or municipal agencies can be pulled from crashdocs.org or buycrash.com. These sites charge a small fee per report. You need the date, location, and agency to search for a specific crash report.

For incident reports and arrest records not available through online tools, contact the Sheriff's Office records division or the relevant municipal police department. Given the county's size and number of agencies, knowing which department responded to an incident is key to getting the right records. The CHARMS system covers most municipal agencies, but each agency processes its own FOIL requests.

The Erie County Clerk's online public record search is good for court filings and judgments. It covers case indices and conviction records for Erie County courts. Visit the Clerk's website or go to 92 Franklin Street in person to search records.

FOIL Requests in Erie County

New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, gives you the right to request records from all government agencies in Erie County including law enforcement. Police blotter records, incident reports, and arrest logs are generally available under FOIL unless an exemption applies.

To request records from the Erie County Sheriff's Office, send a written FOIL request to Records Access Officer Neil Held:

Note that Erie County has faced some documented challenges with FOIL request processing and transparency. If you submit a request, be specific and narrow in what you ask for. Follow up regularly on pending requests. If a request is denied, prepare to appeal the denial within 30 days. The appeal must be in writing and goes to the head of the agency or their designated officer.

For FOIL requests to the Buffalo Police Department, submit requests through the city's FOIL process since Buffalo is a separate jurisdiction from the county. Copy fees are $0.25 per page under Public Officers Law section 87. For guidance on FOIL rights and procedures, visit the New York State Committee on Open Government.

Erie County Records Portals

The screenshots below show key Erie County records portals used to access police blotter data, court records, and law enforcement information.

Additional Resources

Erie County has a large number of law enforcement agencies and public records resources. Here are the most useful ones for finding police blotter records.

The New York State Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name, county, or zip code. Look up registered offenders in Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Amherst, Tonawanda, Hamburg, and other Erie County communities. Risk level designations are shown in results.

NYS DCJS handles statewide criminal history record reviews. Call (518) 457-5837 or email RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov. New York residents pay $14.25. Out-of-state requestors pay $44.25. Fingerprints must be submitted through an authorized vendor as part of the process.

The New York State Police FOIL unit is at foilunit@troopers.ny.gov. Use form CF-11 for requests. New York State Police Troop A covers Western New York including areas of Erie County outside city and town jurisdictions.

The New York State Office of Court Administration runs a Criminal History Record Search for $95.00 per name. Mail results take 10 to 15 business days. Contact OCA at (212) 428-2810 or 25 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004.

Records retention rules require that arrest reports be kept for 5 to 10 years after a case closes. Felony fingerprint cards are permanent. Misdemeanor fingerprint cards are kept for 5 years. These rules apply to the Sheriff's Office, Buffalo PD, and all other agencies in Erie County.

Cities in Erie County

Erie County includes several large cities and towns. All criminal cases from the county go through Erie County Court in Buffalo. Each city has its own police department for incidents within city limits.

Nearby Counties

Erie County borders several counties in Western New York. Use the links below to find police blotter records for neighboring areas.