Find Criminal Records in Tonawanda
Criminal records in the Town of Tonawanda are held by the town court, police department, and Erie County offices. Tonawanda sits in the 8th Judicial District. The Town Justice Court handles misdemeanors, violations, and traffic cases. Felony matters go to Erie County Court in Buffalo. One thing to know about Tonawanda is that the police records bureau has strict rules about criminal record access. The department states that criminal records are not available through the internet and are not a matter of public record in most cases.
Tonawanda Criminal Records Overview
Erie County Handles Tonawanda Cases
Tonawanda is part of Erie County. The Erie County Clerk at 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 keeps felony criminal records from County Court and Supreme Court. Call (716) 858-8866. The clerk has felony convictions only. Misdemeanor records stay with the town court that heard the case.
Copy fees at the Erie County Clerk start at $1.30 for the first two pages and $0.65 for each additional page. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first four pages. Manual name searches cost $10.00 per name for each two-year period. Digital searches are $5.00 for the same span. Mail requests need a check or money order payable to Erie County Clerk plus a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Tonawanda Town Court and Police
The Tonawanda Town Justice Court handles misdemeanors, violations, and traffic offenses. Court Clerk Amy Rentz serves as a Records Access Officer. The court is at 1835 Sheridan Drive, Buffalo, NY. Contact the court for case information and disposition requests.
The Tonawanda Town Clerk, Marguerite Greco, is at 2919 Delaware Avenue, Room 14, Kenmore, NY 14217. Call (716) 877-8800. The clerk serves as the other Records Access Officer for the town. FOIL requests can go to either the Town Clerk or the Justice Court Clerk, depending on what records you need.
The Tonawanda Police Department at 2919 Delaware Avenue, Kenmore, NY 14217 has a Records Bureau that handles criminal records, incident reports, and accident reports. Call (716) 877-6600. The department is clear about this point: "Criminal records are not available through the internet, nor are they a matter of public record. Very stringent rules are in effect even for police officers." This means you may have limited access to police-held criminal records.
The police department does offer fingerprinting services. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Fingerprints are used for licensing, adoption, and immigration purposes. They get sent to DCJS or the FBI depending on why you need them. Call (716) 877-6600 to set up an appointment.
How to Search Criminal Records
WebCrims shows active cases for free. It covers the 8th Judicial District, including Tonawanda. Search by name or case number. This is often the best option since local police records access is limited.
The eCourts portal covers more court records across Erie County. Search by name, case number, or attorney. Some older records may not be in the system.
The Criminal History Record Search costs $95. It searches every court in all 62 counties. The DCJS Record Review gives you your own fingerprint-based rap sheet. Since Tonawanda police records are restricted, the CHRS and DCJS tools may be your best options for a thorough search.
The Sex Offender Registry lets you search for registered offenders in the Tonawanda area by name or zip code at no cost.
Record Sealing
Dismissed cases seal automatically under CPL 160.50. Under CPL 160.59, up to two convictions can be sealed after 10 years. Only one can be a felony. Sex offenses and violent felonies do not qualify.
The Clean Slate Act, effective November 16, 2024, adds automatic sealing. Misdemeanors seal 3 years after sentencing or release. Felonies seal after 8 years. Certain serious offenses are excluded. DCJS runs this process for all New York counties.
Resources
- NYS Criminal History Record Search for statewide records
- WebCrims for free case lookups
- eCourts Portal for court records
- DCJS Record Review for fingerprint-based history
- Sex Offender Registry
- DOCCS for state prison records
- Committee on Open Government for FOIL guidance
Keep in mind that even though Tonawanda police restrict direct access to criminal records, court records at the county level remain public under Judiciary Law 255. The CHRS and eCourts tools search court records, not police records, so they work regardless of local police policy.
Tonawanda criminal records are held by the town court and Erie County offices.
Nearby Cities
Other Erie County cities with criminal records pages.