Cayuga County Arrest Records

Arrests in Cayuga County are considered the first part of a criminal justice process. Per CPL/140.10 of the New York legislature, a person may be lawfully arrested if they are suspected of committing a crime and it can be demonstrated that there is reasonable suspicion that they committed the crime. Following the arrest, the individual will be escorted to the local police station or precinct, where they may be photographed and have their fingerprints taken.

Following an arrest, arrest records are established primarily to confirm that an arrest has been made and to gather details on the arrest and the person who was detained. Arrest records constitute vital parts of judicial and law enforcement records. For example, Cayuga County arrest records are also featured within Cayuga County court records when the case proceeds to a judicial proceeding.

Are Arrest Records Public in Cayuga County?

Yes. Arrest records are public in Cayuga County, as per New York's Freedom of Information law (FOIL). The FOIL provides the public with the right to access records maintained by government agencies, with certain exceptions. Under this law, arrest records are classified as criminal history records and are available to interested members of the public who request them from law enforcement. However, certain types of arrest records are exempt from public disclosure. Arrest records can be made exempt by a state statute or court order. Some arrest records that are exempt from public disclosure include:

• Arrest records that are part of an ongoing criminal investigation
• Records that contain information that is of no interest to members of the public
• Arrest records that might reveal private information about a criminal investigation or identify a confidential source
• Records that could reveal victims of sex crimes
• Any records which will constitute an unwanted invasion of privacy
• Juvenile arrest records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information can be found in a Cayuga County arrest record document:

• The name of the arrestee
• A mugshot of the arrestee
• A physical description of the individual (visible tattoos, height, hair color
• The date of birth, sex, and race of the subject of the arrest
• The date and time of the arrest
• The name of the agency that made the arrest
• Name of the arresting officer
• Related incidents
• Bond amount
• Possible release date

Cayuga County Arrest Statistics

The latest Arrest data collected from the New York Division of Criminal Justice Service shows that law enforcement made a total of 1241 arrests in Cayuga County in 2019. Felony arrests (411) made up 33% of the total arrests made in that year. There were 294 arrests for property theft in the same year. Aggravated assault (60) accounted for only 5% of the total arrests made in that year.

Find Cayuga County Arrest Records

Interested individuals can find Cayuga County arrest records at the offices of law enforcement agencies in the county. Inquirers may begin by querying the arresting agency that made the arrest. If uncertain about the arresting agency, call any police station within the Cayuga jurisdiction to inquire about any arrest using the arrestee's name as well as the date and time of the arrest. Individuals can also use the Cayuga County sheriff's online arrest logs to look up recent arrests. These logs list the arresting agency, among other information.

After locating the agency, individuals can visit the agency's location to request arrest records or make a request online. According to the law, arrest records can be obtained through Freedom of Information requests. These requests are received through the Records Office of police departments or the county sheriff's office. The County Records Access Officer reviews these requests and the arrest reports before sending them to the requestor. Online requests for arrest records can be made through the county clerk's office; however, the county clerk's office records only include cases that proceed to indictment or judicial hearing. Arrest records of persons who have had their charges dropped or dismissed can only be found within the police department. Requestors must provide the following information when requesting arrest records in person or online:

• The name of the person arrested
• The date and time of the arrest
• The name of the arresting officer(if known)

Requestors must also provide a valid means of identification to access Cayuga arrest records. If the arrestee was taken into custody by local law enforcement but imprisoned before their first court appearance, the inquirer may contact the county sheriff's office. Members of the Custody Division run the Cayuga County Jail, which the Cayuga County Sheriff oversees under legislative authority. The jail Authorities can be reached by phone at (315) 253-2911.

Free Arrest Record Search in Cayuga County

Members of the public may obtain free arrest records in Cayuga County by making a freedom of information request at any agency in the county. Staff at the offices will perform a search for free. However, inquirers may be charged a fee to obtain copies of the records. They may also search limited Cayuga County arrest record information for free using the New York Criminal History Record Search application (CHRS); this can be done using the name of an individual of interest.

Another option to search arrest records for free is to use third-party web resources. Third-party websites are privately owned databases that give members of the public access to government public records, including arrest records and other criminal records. These websites can easily be queried using an individual's name or sometimes arrest record number.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. A Cayuga County arrest record will stay on a person's criminal record indefinitely. However, while no expungement statute exists in New York, the Clean Slate Act automatically seals specific categories of arrest records after 3 years. This Act only applies to minor misdemeanors and infractions, which are less than 5% of crimes in Cayuga County. Even when sealed, arrest records for most crimes can still be accessed by employers of sensitive jobs and law enforcement in New York.

Expunge Cayuga County Arrest Records

Expungement is the process of completely removing a person's arrest history from every law enforcement database. There is no expungement statute in New York. However, New York statute allows for a procedure known as sealing, which keeps the record intact but may remove all associated fingerprint and palmprint cards, booking photos, and DNA samples from the Department of Criminal Justice System. Unlike records that have been expunged, sealed arrest records can still be accessed by employers, prosecutors, parole officers, and law enforcement agents.

The following categories of Cayuga arrest records are eligible for sealing:

• Arrest records for crimes committed by children.
• Arrest records that lead to cases being dismissed, acquittal, or charges being dropped.
• Arrest records for Non-violent offenses committed by youthful offenders.
• Minor traffic offenses like trespassing or disorderly conduct.
• Arrest records of individuals with only one felony and one misdemeanor or no more than two misdemeanors.
• Arrest records for certain minor Drug-related offenses that have completed a drug treatment program.

Eligible persons can apply for sealing of records by following these steps.

• Complete and apply for certification of disposition to the Cayuga district court. This application cost $10.
• Once the application has been certified and sent back, Candidates must fill out the "Notice of Motion and Affidavit in Support of Sealing. They need to sign this document in front of a public notary. The form must be submitted with evidence of rehabilitation, including letters of recommendation, employment and educational verifications, and proof of volunteer or philanthropic work.
• The next step is to serve the Cayuga District Attorney's Office with a copy of the Notice of Motion and the Affidavit in Support.
• After the documents are delivered to the district attorney's office, the person who mailed or delivered them must complete the Affidavit of Service and sign it before a notary public.
• The last step is to submit the original copies of the Certificate of Disposition, Affidavit of Service, Notice of Motion Affidavit in Support, and any other supporting documentation to the court.

Following the court's approval of a sealing application, the applicant will obtain a signed Seal Order. Then, to confirm that the record has been sealed, the applicant must fill out a Request for Seal Verification Form and mail it to the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and the arresting agency in Cayuga County, together with a copy of the signed Seal Order.

Cayuga County Arrest Warrants

Cayuga County arrest warrants are legal orders issued by the county court requesting that a person named in the document be apprehended and detained.

If the District Attorney's Office files a criminal complaint against someone, a county judge can issue an arrest warrant for that person. The issuance of Cayuga County arrest warrants also usually occurs when a judge has found probable cause to arrest, per CPL § 120.20(1) of the New York legislature. Individuals can discover active arrest warrants online on the Cayuga County Sheriff's webpage. Individuals can also visit any county police department and request a warrant search using the name of a person of interest. A Cayuga County arrest warrant usually contains the following details:

• The name of the arrested individual
• Photo of the suspect
• Gender, race, ethnicity
• The date of the arrest
• The warrant ID
• The name of the court that issued the warrant
• Name and signature of the issuing court official(judge, magistrate )
• Type of arrest warrant (bench warrant, extradition warrant)

Do Cayuga County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Cayuga County arrest warrants remain active until the person named in the warrant is arrested and makes a court appearance. The only type of Cayuga warrant with an expiration date is a search warrant. Arrest warrants also become inactive if the named suspect dies.