Arrest Records
The New York Division of Criminal Justice Services (NYS DCJS) keeps arrest records for all the counties in the state. These records include data collated up to 2017. Arrest records for Albany County is on NYS DCJS and available for download. These records break down arrest rates for violent and property crimes from 2008 to 2017.
The NYS DCJS also provides a 10-year trend data of parolee and probationer arrests for Albany County. Juvenile arrest records for the county cover a five-year period between 2013 and 2017. However, the statewide juvenile arrest data provide Albany County figures for the months between January and June 2018.
Total Crime
Albany County recorded a total of 8,777 crimes in 2017 with 1,161 of them classified as violent crimes and 7,616 property crimes. Aggravated assault was the most common violent crime with 724 incidents. The year also recorded 313 cases of robbery, 116 rapes, and 8 murders. The most frequent property crime was larceny with 6,607 cases. Burglary was a distant second with 787 incidents while 222 cases of motor vehicle thefts were reported.
Overall, crime rate in Albany County fell by 7% over the period of 5 years between 2013 and 2017. A full breakdown of crime data shows a reduction in murder (11%), burglary (35%), larceny (6%), and motor vehicle theft (11%) rates. Rape (147%), robbery (7%), and aggravated assault (10%) experienced upward trends.
Most Dangerous Areas
The area of Albany City is the largest and most dangerous community in the county. The police department recorded 4,280 crimes in 2017. The town of Colonie comes second with 1,986 crimes in the same year.
Access to public records is available online, and search results often include information on criminal arrests, criminal court trials, and civil court proceedings.
Criminal Records
To access records offline, download a CHRS application form and send the completed form by mail to Criminal History Record Search, NYS Office of Court Administration, Office of Administrative Services, Criminal History Record Search, 25 Beaver Street (Room 840 - Front Desk), New York, NY 10004. Applications can also be hand-delivered to the address between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Note that accessing or requesting criminal history records attracts a fee of $65 paid by check or money order to the N.Y.S Office of Court Administration. This is in accordance with section CPLR § 8019(f) of the Judiciary Law. It stipulates that there are specific fees that a county clerk may charge for copying and certifying records.
Court Records
To search the official court record list of the County Court and State Supreme Court, visit the County Clerk Office located on the first floor (Room 128) of the County Courthouse. The building is at 16 Eagle Street, Albany City at the corner of Eagle and Columbia Streets in downtown Albany. The County Clerk’s office remains open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The Office telephone number is (514) 487-5100, the fax number is (514) 487-5099, and the email address is countyclerk@albanycounty.com. Searching for records at the Albany County Clerk Office attracts a fee of $5.
Sex Offenders
The state keeps a central sex offender registry through the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services. By law, this public directory only provides information about Level 2 and Level 3 offenders. To get a list of sex offenders in Albany County, select it in the drop-down list of New York counties. The search tool allows users to exclude offenders in police custody, in ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody, and in prison.
Inmate Records
Note that a FOIL request does not cover court records and deeds and mortgages. You may use the FOIL request to access inmate records available from New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The Department also has an inmate lookup and locator tool for finding individual inmates. It is also possible to send a completed FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) request form by email. Alternatively, submit the completed request form at this address: FOIL Unit, Office of Counsel, NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Building 2, 1220 Washington Ave, Albany, New York 12226-2050.
Public Records
There is an online search system for personal, property, and financial records filed in Albany County. This search tool provides access to scanned images of documents such as deeds and mortgages. Other accessible documents include court judgments, liens, tax warrants, power of attorney, and DBA files for registered companies. Using this search tool attracts a $5 fee payable to the Albany County Clerk.
Records accessible from the online search system are also available at the County Clerk office. Looking them up in person attracts no search fee. However, copy fees apply. The charge for making regular copies of any document is ¢65 per page with a minimum total charge of $1.25. Certified copies of documents attract a fee of $1.25 per page with a minimum total of $5. A certified document includes a signed statement of the County Clerk's office that the document has been compared with the original and is a true copy. It also bears a raised seal on the certification and the document. Certified copies are legally acceptable in place of the original document in legal matters.
Records held at the Albany County Clerk office do not need FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) requests to view. To file a Public Information request in Albany, visit the FOIL page on the county website to learn about the required information that must be included and applicable fees. File your request from the FOIL online access page.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Albany County?
Albany property records are generally public records. Interested members of the public may obtain Albany property records in compliance with the New York State Public Officers Law. Interested persons may also inspect or obtain copies of property records by submitting a request to the custodian’s office.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Albany County
The Office of the Albany County Clerk maintains records of all real property in Albany County. The County Clerk’s office acknowledges receipt and aids in the retrieval of any property records. The office also collects all revenue that accrues from the ownership and transfer of real property and related services. Interested persons may contact the County Clerk to obtain copies of property records. Visits may be made to the office in person on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Albany County Clerk
Albany County Court House, Room 128
16 Eagle Street
Albany, NY 12207-1077
Phone: (518) 487-5100
Fax: (518) 487-5099
countyclerk@albanycounty.com
How to Look Up Albany County Property Records
The office of the Albany County clerk maintains an online records search portal of property records within the county. Interested persons may access images of deeds and mortgages of properties from 1980 till the present. Users may search records as a guest or as a subscriber. Limited public searches can be conducted by providing some or all of the following information
- Name of parties
- Town
- Document group
- Document description
- Book
- Instrument number
- Case number
For unlimited viewing, to download images, or to print copies of records, users will be required to have a subscription plan. Out of state users will need to pay a monthly subscription fee of $3.00 and a $0.65 per page charge. Users that reside within the state will pay a monthly fee of $100 and a $0.25 per page charge. Users may also make Freedom of Information requests online using the Public Records Request Portal. In-person support is available at the Clerk’s office at:
Albany County Court House, Room 128
16 Eagle Street
Albany, NY 12207-1077
Phone: (518) 487-5100
Fax: (518) 487-5099
countyclerk@albanycounty.com
Location of Albany County Property Assessors
Albany
Trey Kingston
Department of Assessment
City Hall - Room 302
Albany, NY 12207
tkingston@albanyny.gov
Phone: (518) 434-5155
Fax: (518) 434-5159
Cohoes
Thomas E. Jacques
Cohoes City Hall
97 Mohawk St
Cohoes, NY 12047
tjacques@ci.cohoes.ny.us
Phone: (518) 233-2112
Fax: (518) 237-0072
Watervliet
Tina Dimitriadis
City Hall
15th Street and Broadway
Watervliet, NY 12189
tdimitriadis@watervliet.com
Phone: (518) 270-3800 x.105
Fax: (518) 270-3832
Fax: (518) 270-3838
Berne
Brian Crawford
Berne Board of Assessors
P.O. Box 102
Berne, NY 12023
assessclerk@yahoo.com
Phone: (518) 872-1448
Fax: (518) 872-9303
Christine P. Valachovic
P.O. Box 102
Berne, NY 12023
assessclerk@yahoo.com
Phone: (518) 872-1448
Melanie Bunzey
P.O. Box 102
Berne, NY 12023
assessclerk@yahoo.com
Phone: (518) 872-1448
Bethlehem
Laurie Lambertsen
Town of Bethlehem
445 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, NY 12054
llambert@townofbethlehem.org
Phone: (518) 439-4955 x.1101
Coeymans
Dawn DeRose
Town of Coeymans
18 Russell Avenue
Ravena, NY 12143
assessor@coeymans.org
Phone: (518) 756-6006 x.6
Fax: (518) 756-1991
Colonie
Ron Monfils
Town of Colonie
534 New Loudon Rd
Latham, NY 12110
monfilsr@colonie.org
Phone: (518) 783-2701
Fax: (518) 783-2784
Green Island
Maggie Alix
Town of Green Island
20 Clinton Street
Green Island, NY 12183
Village Office Phone: (518) 273-2201
Town Office Phone: (518) 273-0661
Fax: (518) 273-2235
Guilderland
Heather Weinhold
Town of Guilderland
P.O. Box 339
Guilderland, NY 12084-0339
weinhold@togny.org
Phone: (518) 356-1980 x.1026
Fax: (518) 356-3955
Knox
Justin Maxwell
Town of Knox
2192 Berne-Altamont Road
Knox, New York 12107
knoxassessor@knoxny.org
Phone: (518) 872-2551
New Scotland
Brad Canning
Town of New Scotland
2029 New Scotland Road
Slingerlands, NY 12159
bcanning@townofnewscotland.com
Phone: (518) 439-9020
Fax: (518) 439-9038
Rensselaerville
Peter Hotaling
Rensselaerville Town Hall
87 Barger Road
Medusa, NY 12120
photaling@rensselaerville.com
Phone: (518) 239-4225
Fax: (518) 239-6339
Westerlo
Melanie Bunzey
Westerlo Town Hall
P.O. Box 148
Westerlo, NY 12193
assessor@townofwesterlony.com
Phone: (518) 797-3111
Fax: (518) 797-5122
