Access Free Westchester County Arrest Records: Charge Lookup

Search free Westchester County arrest records quickly through various official sources.

Arrest records provide residents with a wide range of details, such as a physical description of the arrested individual, the nature of charges against them, the time and place of the arrest, the name of the agency that carried it out, and the court that issued the warrant. There are multiple state, county, and municipal-level official departments that grant interested individuals arrest records — both recent and past.

This resource provides searchers with helpful instructions on how to carry out a seamless search for arrest records in Westchester County, New York.

How To Acquire Recent Westchester County Arrest Records & Mugshots (Free)

The particular type of records that provide details of an arrestation are called arrest records.

As discussed earlier, these records can provide individuals with a wide variety of information ranging from the physical description of the arrestee to the details of their case and from mugshots to where they are currently being held. In addition to that, not only recent but old arrest records can also be searched through various official agencies.

In the county of Westchester, arrest records are considered as open records and anyone from the general public can access them. This is in accordance with the New York Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).¹ Passed in 1978, this is Article 6 of the New York State Public Officers Law and states that government records, which include arrest records, are open to be viewed and (in some cases) copied by the general public.²

The primary reason why arrest records are open to the general public in Westchester County is so they can help flag wanted individuals to keep the community safe. People with a long list of criminal activities and arrests, even if they have faced their cases and are now free, are still unfit for certain jobs. An arrest records search acts as a background check to flag such individuals.

However, it is important to keep in mind that being named in arrest records does not always mean that the named individual actually committed the crime, as there is always the possibility of false arrest.

Furthermore, it is also important to note that even though arrest records are generally open to the common citizens, there are still a few exceptions. For example, if the honorable court has specifically ordered to seal records of a certain case, any kind of details of the arrests that took place in it won’t be open to everyone.

To obtain arrest records in such a situation, special permission will have to be taken from the relevant court to allow the individual to access the sealed records. In addition to that, records of arrests involving juveniles (children below the age of 18) are also not open to the public for privacy and safety concerns.

Many different official agencies can provide interested residents with arrest records in Westchester County, New York. However, the primary official department that can provide citizens with arrest records in the county is the Westchester County Clerk’s Department.³

Anyone can obtain both certified and non-certified records for the department online, in person, or through mail. Unfortunately, the department does not provide records by phone.

For the ease of residents, the Westchester County Clerk’s Department has a designated online public portal that can help search a wide range of records, including arrest records. Searchers can search arrest records dating back to 1978 till the present through this online records search tool.

Once on this portal, residents will have to click on the “Legal Search” option to be taken to the court records search page.

Residents can search arrest records through the Westchester County Clerk’s online search tool using either the full name of the individual or the case index number and year. In addition to that, there is also an advanced search option that allows searchers to add various filters to narrow down their searches.

For example, residents can specify the type of cases they want records of by checking next to their mentions. In addition to that, searches can also be specified by choosing either plaintiff, defendant, or both.

Furthermore, a date range can also be added in the tool to limit the search to the cases that were filed in that range.

The results will provide complete details of the case including the documents presented in the court during the case’s proceedings.

Court orders and summons issued in the case, including arrest warrants, are also available. These warrants can provide further details about the arrest such as when and where it took place, the nature of crimes committed by the individual, and where they were held.

Residents can also choose to view photos of the official case files and documents by paying a fee of $20 from their credit/debit card. This will allow them to freely view photo documents for 24 hours. However, in case they want to view the documents for an entire year, the fee for that is $1200.

As another option, individuals can also choose to visit the Westchester County Clerk’s Department in person, located at:

Westchester County Clerk
Main Office 
Rm. 330, 110 Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard 
White Plains, New York 10601 

Phone: 914.995.3080
Fax: 914.995.4030

The clerk’s office is open Monday to Friday for records searches from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. (keep in mind that the department is closed during official holidays). Residents can visit it anytime and request arrest records.

Residents can also request arrest records by mail to the aforementioned address. However, if not provided, a $10 cheque payable to the “Westchester County Clerk” must be included for an index or file number search and a certified copy of the first legal record requested. To request additional records, there is a fee of $5.00, which also must be paid in cheque or money order.

For assistance of any sort or questions, residents can call the department at 914-995-3075 or mail the staff their query at [email protected]

As another option, for the most recent arrest records, residents can utilize the Westchester County Inmate Lookup.⁵

This free search tool provides details of inmates currently held in the jails of Westchester County Department of Corrections (WDOC). Jail inmates can be searched through this tool using their full names (including the first and last name), date of birth, and age.

The search results will provide details such as the individual’s Jail ID number, full name, date of birth, details of the charges against them, date when they were brought into custody, current custody status, the name of the court that issued the warrant and in which their case is being heard, and next court hearing date.

For additional details, the WDOC can be directly contacted at 914-231-1000.

Westchester County Department of Corrections
10 Woods Rd
Valhalla, NY 10595

To search arrest records in Yonkers City, the most populated city of Westchester County, residents can contact the records section of the local police department.⁶

Yonkers Police Department Records Section
104 South Broadway
Yonkers NY 10701

Phone: 914.377.7232
Fax: 914.377.7235

The records search of the Yonkers Police Department can provide residents with arrest records as well as police reports dating as far back as 1980. However, residents must keep in mind that there are certain fees associated with the records as well.

Citizens will have to visit the office in person, mail them, or call them using the aforementioned details to obtain said records. Details such as the name of the individual, date of birth, a time period or case number will have to be provided to the department so it can conduct a comprehensive search from its database.

Various third-party sources such as VINELink can also help residents search arrest records in Westchester County, New York. However, unless the source has been officially endorsed by a government agency, the details obtained through it should not be used in legal matters.

In addition to recent arrest records, individuals can also search for prior records through various sources; this will be discussed in the upcoming section.

How To Gain Insight on Criminal Charges & Former Arrests Made in Westchester County New York

Old arrest records dating as early as 1978 can be obtained from the Westchester County Clerk’s Department.³ The department’s designated online public portal can help be used to search these records online, free of cost.

Interested individuals can search arrest records through the Westchester County Clerk’s online search tool using either the case index number and year or the complete name of the subject. Residents can also specify the type of cases they want records of and add a date range to narrow down the search.

The results will provide total details of the case along with the documents presented in the court as well as court orders and summons issued, including arrest warrants. These warrants can provide further details about the arrest such as when and where it took place, the nature of crimes committed by the individual, and where they were held.

Photos of the official case files and documents can also be viewed by paying a fee of $20 through credit/debit card. This will allow citizens to freely view photo documents for 24 hours. The Westchester County Clerk’s Office can also be visited in person for old arrest records at:

Westchester County Clerk
Main Office 
Room Number 330, 110 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard 
White Plains, New York 10601 

Phone: 914.995.3080
Fax: 914.995.4030

The clerk’s office is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (note that the office is closed during weekends and other official holidays). Residents can visit it anytime and request arrest records.

Residents can also request older arrest records by sending mail to the department at the aforementioned address. Individuals must include a $10 cheque payable to the “Westchester County Clerk” for the records. To request additional records, there is a fee of $5.00 which also must be paid in cheque or money order.

To search old arrest records in Yonkers City residents can contact the records section of the city police department.⁶

Yonkers Police Department Records Section
104 South Broadway
Yonkers NY 10701

Phone Number: 914-377-7232
Fax Number: 914-377-7235

It is important to note that the department only has records of arrests that took place as early as 1980, all records before that have been destroyed. A description of the records along with primary details of the subject (such as full name, date of birth, etc.) will have to be provided to the staff so it can conduct a records search from its database.

Residents can conduct a Criminal History Records Search (CHRS) to search old arrest records in the State of New York.⁸ This records search provides all criminal records in which a particular person is named, including details of their arrests (if any).

Residents can either submit a CHRS request online or complete the CHRS application and send it to the department by mail at:^{9, 10}

Criminal History Record Search Unit
New York Office of Court Administration
Technology & Court Research Division 
25th Beaver St. 8th Floor – Room Number 830
New York, New York 10004

Email Address: [email protected]

Searchers must keep in mind that the department charges a fee of $95 per CHRS which must be paid through a credit/debit card or money order if the request is being sent through the mail.

Residents will have to provide the exact full name and date of birth of the individual for this search. In case of confusion, residents can check out the CHRS FAQs page or reach out to the staff at [email protected].¹¹

Being arrested can be a very stressful matter, especially for first-time offenders. Not just for the arrested person but for their family and friends as well.

The first priority, in case of an arrest, should be to get the person out of custody which can be done through bail. The bail procedure in Westchester County, New York will be discussed in the following section.

How Do I Post Bail for an Arrest Executed in Westchester County?

Bail, in simple words, is a security that the arrested person will attend all court hearings and cooperate in them. A bail amount is set by a magistrate which is paid by the person bailing the arrestee.

In case the bail individual attends all court hearings or charges are dropped or the case concludes, the amount becomes refundable. However, if the person flees or misses court hearings, the bail amount is fortified.

There are multiple ways to post bail in Westchester County, New York.¹² It can be posted in the form of cash or through credit card online, through phone call or by visiting the Westchester County Jail in person.

For in-person bail, the county jail is open 24/7, seven days a week.

Westchester County Jail
10 Woods Road
Valhalla, New York 10595

Phone: 914.231.1020

Any person above the age of 18 can visit the jail in person and post an arrested individual’s bail in full through cash or credit card. Other than that, bail can also be posted online through the GPS Payment System or by calling 877-392-2455. Make sure to obtain the arrestee’s jail ID number by calling the jail at 914-231-1020.

It is important to note that the Westchester County Jail does not accept bail bonds and they all must be posted through court, if it allows. A professional bail bondsman can help post bail in the form of a bond, however, they will take a percentage (up to 10%) of the total bail amount, which is non refundable.

This article explains how to search Westchester County arrest records free of charge through various official resources and agencies.