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  1. Chemung County Court
  2. Chemung County Arrest Records

Chemung County, New York Arrest Records

Chemung County arrest records are official documents created when a law-enforcement agency takes a person into custody on suspicion of committing a crime. These records serve the public-interest objectives of accountability and transparency in exercising enforcement authority, identify individuals held in custody, and provide information for use by courts and criminal justice agencies.

UnderNew York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) (Article 6 of the New York Public Officers Law), government records, including arrest and booking documents maintained by a police department or sheriff's office, are generally open to the public unless otherwise stated by law.

In addition to the state public records law, New York maintains a separate statutory and regulatory system for statewide criminal-history record information maintained by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). A criminal history record, or "rap sheet," may contain arrest events, charges, court dispositions, sentencing information, and other reportable criminal-justice data received from police departments, courts, prosecutors, and correctional agencies.

In Chemung County, arrest records may be maintained at the county level or by city or town police departments. The county's largest local law enforcement agencies include the Chemung County Sheriff's Office and the Elmira Police Department.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Chemung, New York?

Arrest records maintained by law-enforcement agencies in Chemung County are generally subject to public access under New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) unless an exemption applies. This means an agency may release the publicly available portions of an arrest record while redacting or withholding information covered by a statutory exemption.

In New York, Public Officers Law § 87(2) is the primary provision governing law enforcement disclosures. The section directs agencies to make records available for inspection and copying unless an exemption applies.

Under New York law, residents and non-residents of Chemung County may request to inspect public arrest information without showing identification. However, custodian law enforcement agencies may still require requesters to submit a written request (e.g., Chemung County Sheriff's Application for Access to Records) or provide record-identifying information, such as the arrested person's full name, approximate arrest date, or case or complaint number (if available).

What Do Public Chemung County Arrest Records Contain?

Under New York law, the commonly available components of a Chemung County arrest record include:

  • The arrested person's name and basic identifying details (e.g., weight, height, eye color, and hair color)
  • Age or date of birth, sometimes partially redacted
  • Arrest date, time, and general location
  • Arresting agency and officer's name
  • Alleged offense and statutory charge

Also, information seekers may access related booking details, such as custody status, custody status date, booking date and number, jail location, and reporting agency. Other details may include a description of the criminal charges, bail and bond information, and a description of the disposition (if applicable).

Nonetheless, Public Officers Law § 87(2) allows agencies to withhold or redact certain categories of information if revealing such details would jeopardize law enforcement investigations, invade privacy, or endanger public safety.

Certain types of information that custodian agencies may withhold, redact, or seal include:

  • Ongoing law enforcement investigation records
  • Victims' and witnesses' identifying information.
  • Juvenile records
  • Records protected by privacy laws
  • Court-sealed or expunged records
  • Social Security numbers, financial data, medical information, and other sensitive identifying information

Chemung County, New York Arrest Search

New York State Police Records: This option allows requesters to submit Freedom of Information Law requests to the State Police for records the agency created and maintains. Inquirers are typically expected to provide the person's name, approximate arrest date, incident location, and any known case or incident number. Investigative, sealed, private, and otherwise exempt information may be withheld.

DCJS Personal Record Review: Individuals may request a copy of their own criminal history records (popularly known as a rap sheet) from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The DCJS maintains the state's official fingerprint-based criminal history records.

New York State Correctional Search: Inquirers may use the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision incarcerated-person lookup to confirm the current or former custody status of an individual in a New York state prison facility. Searches often display an inmate's Department Identification Number (DIN), name, age and date of birth, race, custody status, holding/release facility, and release information.

FBI Identity History Summary: A person may request their own fingerprint-based national criminal-history record through theFBI Identity History Summary service. The summary may contain arrest information submitted to the FBI by federal, state, and local agencies. The FBI does not provide another person's arrest record to a private requester.

New York State Unified Court System WebCrims: For arrests that result in criminal proceedings, interested parties may use this search tool to access criminal case information with future appearance dates for select New York criminal courts.

Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER): In situations where a federal arrest results in a federal indictment and criminal proceedings in a US District Court, interested parties may register for a PACER account to locate federal case records, such as case filings and docket information. For federal cases connected to Chemung County, they may search for federal court case records in the US District Court for the Western District of New York.

Federal Bureau of Prisons: Users may use this search tool to find current and former federal prisoners. The database contains records of federal inmates from 1982 to the present.

Chemung County Inmate Locator

As of August 2026, the Chemung County Sheriff's Office does not offer the public an official online inmate roster. Instead, visitors may use the Sheriff's Correction webpage to access the VINE status notification service. Using an inmate's name or identification number, they may search the free New York VINE service for Chemung County custody information (if available). Users may view the person's current status and register for notifications about release, transfer, or other reported changes.

In situations where VINE does not provide a result, requesters may contact the Chemung County Sheriff's Office or the County Jail at:

Chemung County Sheriff's Office

203 William Street

Elmira, NY 14901

Phone: 607-737-2987

Fax: 607-737-2930

Chemung County Jail

211 William Street

Elmira, NY 14901

Phone: 607-737-2934

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Chemung County

Individuals seeking free Chemung County arrest information may obtain limited arrest information or request certain records without charge through the following official resources:

  • Elmira Police Department Daily Activity Logs: The department publishes free Daily Activity Logs. These logs (arranged by date rather than a combined, name-searchable arrest database) may identify recent calls, incidents, and arrests handled by Elmira police.
  • Elmira Police Department News Releases: Inquirers may find that recent significant arrests may appear on the Elmira Police Department page. News releases usually cover selected cases and should not be treated as a complete arrest list.
  • Chemung County Sheriff's Office FOIL Requests: Requesters may request records for free via email through the Sheriff's Records Division. Email-delivered records are typically free unless the request involves many pages or video content. A requester must submit the Sheriff'sFreedom of Information Request Form and describe the requested arrest or incident record sufficiently for staff to locate it.
  • Elmira Police FOIL Portal: Interested parties may request records maintained by the Elmira Police Department through the city's online public-records portal. They may access records without paying copying charges when the city delivers them electronically. However, the city may impose an authorized fee when physical copies, storage media, or extensive reproduction work are required.
  • New York VINE: The free New York VINE service may show whether a named person is currently in custody and permit users to register for custody-status notifications. A VINE result is an inmate-status record, not the underlying police arrest report.

Online logs and news releases often cover recent activity while excluding older, minor, sealed, or unpublicized arrests. VINE typically concerns reported custody information and does not provide a complete arrest history.

Information seekers typically do not have to submit a photo ID for a general FOIL request. Custodian agencies may, however, require them to provide identifying details (e.g., the person's full name, date of birth, approximate arrest date, incident location, or report number) to help distinguish between individuals with similar names or locate the correct record.

Chemung County Arrest Report

Arrest Record

An arrest record is the summary-level entry created when law enforcement takes someone into custody. This information is usually what the public sees in the county detention and booking system. It often documents who was booked, the booking date, basic personal identifiers, charges filed against the person, custody status, and bond information.

In essence, an arrest record is a snapshot of who, when, where, and the charge, useful for verifying a booking and finding the relevant court case.

Arrest Report

An arrest report is the narrative report prepared by the arresting officer. This report typically explains the circumstances leading to the arrest, the officer's observations, witnesses' statements, evidence collected, and the sequence of events during the incident. In New York, arrest reports are usually created as part of the investigative process and make up part of the broader law enforcement file.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Chemung County

Chemung County does not have a separate expungement program; it follows New York law for the sealing of criminal records.

Under New York State law, record sealing is the available practical option for removing eligible records from public access rather than physically erasing them from every government system (expungement).

Discussed below are the main record sealing options available:

Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) Section 160.59

CPL 160.59 is the primary record-sealing law that allows individuals with two or fewer convictions to petition to seal their record. This option applies to people with no more than two convictions (misdemeanor or non-violent felony convictions) that are at least 10 years old and no other convictions or new criminal charges within that time frame.

Petitioners with sex crimes, open criminal cases, violent felony offenses, or out-of-state or federal offenses are not eligible for this record-sealing option.

Conditional Sealing Law: CPL Section 160.58

This section (CPL section 160.58) applies to records of drug-related convictions and allows New York judges to conditionally seal records relating to certain drug-related crimes. Eligible parties include those who have successfully completed a substance-abuse-treatment program (e.g., Judicial Diversion Program or Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison program), fulfilled any other court-imposed sentence, and have no pending charges against them.

Eligible drug offenses include any Class B, C, D, or E controlled-substance (drug) or marijuana felony offense, controlled-substance (drug) or marijuana misdemeanor offenses, or other offenses committed due to an individual's substance abuse.

Unlike other sealing laws, conditional sealing under CPL section 160.58 means that a subsequent arrest for a misdemeanor or felony will result in the unsealing of already sealed cases.

Human Trafficking Victims

Individuals who were convicted of a crime as a result of being a victim of human trafficking may be able to apply to remove (vacate) their conviction under CPL section 440.10(1)(i).

Youthful Offenders

This record relief option allows a judge to grant Youth Offender status during sentencing to a person who committed a crime when they were at least 14 and under 19 years old. Youthful offender status means records connected to that conviction are automatically sealed.

To qualify for Youthful Offender status, the defendant must have been at least 14 and under 19 when the crime was committed, have no prior felony convictions, and never have been treated as a youthful offender. In addition, it must have been five years since the defendant was sentenced or released from incarceration, whichever was later, and the defendant must not have any new convictions.

How Do You Remove Chemung County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Removing a Chemung County arrest record depends on whether the underlying record qualifies for sealing under New York law. One cannot simply request a takedown of information from government sites (e.g., the Sheriff's website or court record portals) by submitting a general request. The best way to get the record removed is through a court-ordered sealing of the relevant criminal record.

New York does not use the conventional expungement like most states; interested parties must explore record sealing under the state's Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50. This option applies to individuals whose criminal charges resulted in a favorable outcome, such as a dismissal or acquittal. Older convictions may also qualify for sealing under CPL § 160.59.

If the court grants an order to seal the record, government websites, such as the Chemung County Sheriff's Office, municipal police departments, and courts, are expected to update their systems. This will remove the sealed records from public access.