Putnam County Arrest Records

A Putnam County arrest record is an official document that contains information surrounding the circumstances of an individual's arrest by law enforcement. The following reasons may necessitate an arrest.

• If there is evidence that an individual is committing or has committed a crime
• When an individual poses a public threat
• A violation of a court order
• Failure to appear in court.

The law enforcement agencies responsible for generating arrest records in Putnam County include

• The Putnam County Sheriff's Office
• Local Police Departments
• The New York State Police

The Putnam County Correctional Facility detains inmates awaiting trials, transfer, or short-term sentences. Those convicted for long-term incarceration may be transferred to state or federal prisons. Putnam County arrest records provide crucial information for the early stages of criminal trials within the county's courts. Hence, they are part of Putnam County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Putnam County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Putnam County. The New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) grants the public the right to access government records in the possession of custodian agencies. Nevertheless, the FOIL also restricts public access to some records. For instance, the public cannot scrutinize Putnam County arrest information relating to juveniles, sealed or expunged records, victim and witness information, or ongoing investigations.

To obtain exempted arrest records in Putnam County, a requester must be the owner of the record or possess legal authority.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

An arrest record contains information detailing an individual's apprehension by law enforcement. These information include

• The full name, aliases, date of birth, gender, physical description, and race of the owner of the record
• Location, date, and time of arrest
• Name of arresting officer and agency
• Mugshot and fingerprints
• Charges against the arrestee
• References to the statutes violated
• Bail and Bond information.

Putnam County Crime Rate

According to the New York Division of Criminal Justice data, larceny-theft and aggravated assault are the most common crimes in Putnam County. In 2022, larceny-theft and aggravated assault accounted for 445 of the 536 crime incidents reported by Putnam County law enforcement agencies.

Putnam County 2021 and 2020 data reports show that aggravated assault accounted for 55.2% and 70.3% of all violent crimes within the county. Also, 87.4% and 80.1% of property-related crimes in Putnam County in 2021 and 2020 were larceny theft.

Putnam County Arrest Statistics

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office arrest data report to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) indicates a decline in Putnam County arrests. In 2022, 67 adults and juveniles were taken into custody for various Offenses. This is a decrease from the 2020 (172), and 2019 (452) arrest reports.

The table below shows the number of arrests by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office for 2019, 2020, and 2022.

Data Source: FBI Crime Explorer.

Find Putnam County Arrest Records

There are several options for obtaining Putnam County arrest records. To access Putnam County arrest records:

• Log in to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office Police Reports FOIL Request webpage. Scroll down, fill out the online form, and submit.
• Download an Application for Public Access to Records Form from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. Print a FOIL Request Portal
  • Complete the form, and fax or mail it to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office at:
    The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
    3 County Center
    Carmel,
    NY 10512
    ATTN: Records Access Officer
    Fax: (845) 228-0747
• Visit the New York State's Open FOIL NY webpage:
  • Select the Division of Criminal Justice Services from the Agency options
  • Fill out the online request form and submit
• Submit a request to access Putnam County arrest records by mail, fax, or email to:

Records Access Officer

Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

Harriman State Campus

1220 Washington Avenue
Albany,
New York 12226-2050
Email: FOIL@doccs.ny.gov
Fax: (518) 453-8474

Free Arrest Record Search in Putnam County

Requesters can access Putnam County arrest records for free through several online and offline government resources. To obtain Putnam County arrest records for free:

• Log in to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office Police Reports FOIL Request website. Fill and submit the online form to obtain Putnam County arrest records
• Fill out and submit a Putnam County FOIL Online Application for Public Access to Records Form
• Search for Putnam County arrest records through third-party websites. Some private databases may provide information on Putnam County arrest records for free.

Get Putnam County Criminal Records

Putnam County criminal records are a compilation of individuals’ criminal histories within Putnam County. These documents detail the arrests, charges, convictions, sentences, and incarceration of persons within the legal and justice systems. To obtain Putnam County rap sheets

• Log in to the New York State Office of Court Administration Record Search webpage
  • Download the Criminal History Records Search (CHRS) application form
  • Complete the form and Submit it through the OCA Online Direct Access. Alternatively, enclose a self-addressed envelope and a check/money for $95.00 to cover the order fee
  • Mail the request to:
    The NYS Office of Court Administration
    Division of Technology and Court Research
    Criminal History Record Search Unit
    25 Beaver Street
    (Room 830 – Front Counter)
    New York,
    NY 10004
    Email: CHRS@nycourts.gov
• Visit the Putnam County Sheriff's Office Police Report FOIL Request page. Fill out the online form and submit.
• Search for Putnam County criminal histories using third-party online resources.
• Log in to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Incarcerated Lookup Portal and search for inmate records using name, date of birth, or department identity number as search criteria.

Putnam County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest and criminal records are law enforcement documents. Nevertheless, there are some differences between both documents as outlined below.

An arrest record focuses on an individual's arrest and detention by law enforcement. In contrast, a criminal record documents an individual’s criminal activities and interaction with the judicial system.

In addition, arrest records are pre-trial documents and do not confirm guilt or innocence. On the other hand, a criminal record may show legal evidence that an individual is guilty of a charge.

Arrest records that do not lead to convictions are easy to seal. Compared to criminal convictions relating to certain crimes, which can remain permanent in a person's record.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Per New York law, arrest information may remain permanently on a record unless the record owner petitions the court to seal it. To seal arrest information, the owner of the record must meet the eligibility requirements.

Expunge Putnam County Arrest Records

According to Section 160.50 of the New York Criminal Procedure Law, an individual must meet the eligibility criteria to seal a Putnam County criminal record. However, not all records are sealed in Putnam County. A record owner may apply for the sealing of a Putnam County arrest record if:

• The applicant has been crime-free for ten years since conviction or incarceration
• The petitioner does not have more than two misdemeanor convictions or a felony and misdemeanor convictions
• There is no pending criminal case
• The petitioner has not previously sealed a record.

In Putnam County, those eligible for sealing arrest records should do the following:

• Gather supporting documents that will help the application.
• Log in to the New York State Unified Court System webpage for a Criminal Certificate of Disposition Request Form. Complete the form and submit it in person or by mail to the court clerk where the case was heard to obtain the Criminal Certificate of Disposition.
• Complete and notarize the Sealing Application Form
• Serve a copy of the Sealing application to the Putnam County District Attorney's Office and confirm its status.
• Make personal copies of all documents.
• File the original copies of all documents, including supporting documents, with the court the case is processed.
• If the court approves the application, it will sign a Seal Order and instruct the relevant agencies to seal the record.

Putnam County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are legal documents that authorize law enforcement to take individuals into custody. A Putnam County judge/magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if law enforcement provides evidence that an individual has committed a crime, flouts court orders, or poses a public threat.

A valid arrest warrant contains information such as:

• Name, aliases, physical description, date of birth, and last known address of the subject
• Charges and the statute allegedly violated
• Date, time, and location of the offense
• The name and signature of the issuing judge/magistrate
• The date of issuance
• Name and location of the issuing court
• Instructions on how to execute the arrest
• Instructions on how law enforcement should return the warrant after apprehending this subject
• The jurisdiction where the arrest warrant is valid.

Putnam County Arrest Warrant Search

To find an active arrest warrant in Putnam County:

• Visit, call, fax, or send a mail to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office at:
  The Putnam County Sheriff's Office
  3 County Center
  Carmel,
  NY 10512
  Phone: (845) 225-4300
  Fax: (845) 808-4399
• Log in to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office and Print a FOIL Request portal. Complete the request form and submit it through mail or fax to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
• Contact Putnam County Local Police Departments for information on active arrest warrants.
• Log in to the Putnam County FOIL Request Form webpage, complete and submit the online application for public access to Putnam arrest warrants.

Do Putnam County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Putnam County arrest warrants do not expire; they remain active until the person named on the warrant dies, gets arrested by law enforcement agencies, or a court revokes the order.