PUTNAM COUNTY PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Putnam County Public Records?

Putnam County operates under the New York Freedom of Information Law, which defines Putnam County public records as any physical or digital document that a public body creates, maintains, uses, or duplicates for official duties. Putnam County public records come in various forms, including written reports, maps, memoranda, cards, photographs, audiotapes, and designs, among others. According to the New York FOI law, every Putnam County public agency must release a record when a public member requests it unless the law exempts it from public view. Examples of exempted documents include, but are not limited to:

• Records containing information that could threaten an individual's right to privacy;
• Records that federal or another state statute exempts from public view;
• Records containing information that could interfere with bidding, union negotiations, or contract awards if published;
• Records comprising trade secrets and fiscal or commercial data
• Law enforcement records which, if revealed, would:
  • Interfere with court processes and criminal inquiries;
  • Deny a person of impartial adjudication or a fair trial;
  • Provide information on a confidential source in connection with a criminal investigation;
  • Disclose criminal investigative procedures that are confidential;
• Records containing information that could put the life or safety of any individual in danger;
• Examination questions and answers or tools used to score or determine a test result;
• Technical or administrative data that may compromise a public body's computer security;
• Any recorded images created under N.Y. Veh. & Traf. § 1111-a.

Putnam County Crime Statistics

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) reports crime statistics for Putnam County. It collects this data from police departments and sheriff offices across the county. In 2018, it recorded 502 crimes in Putnam County: 54 were violent crimes, while 448 were property crimes. There were 15 rapes, five robberies, 34 aggravated assaults, and no murders among the violent crimes. In contrast, there were 50 burglaries, 384 larceny-theft cases, and 14 motor vehicle thefts reported among property crimes.

Compared to the crime statistics in 2014, these figures show that five out of the seven crimes reported in Putnam County decreased. Violent crime categories that declined were robberies (-62.5%) and aggravated assault (-15%). Rape increased by 400%, but there was only 1 case of murder reported during those five years. Property crimes such as larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and burglary dropped by (-30.7%), (-6.67%), and (-68.9%), respectively.

Are Putnam County Criminal Records Public?

Under New York’s Freedom of Information Law, Putnam County criminal records are confidential and publicly inaccessible. The DCJS maintains criminal history records for every county in the State. Putnam County residents who have criminal records may obtain them by requesting a suppressed or unsuppressed Personal Record Review from the DCJS. Only individuals named on the criminal record can access their criminal history records from the DCJS. Whereas any member of the public may request a record search at the New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA)

Applicants will need to schedule an appointment to submit fingerprints. At the fingerprinting location, applicants must submit their photo identification. Minors without a form of identification may submit the New York Photo ID Waiver for Minors with their request. A parent/legal guardian must sign the application at the time and location of fingerprinting.

Requests for criminal history records cost $63.50. This fee is payable by check, money order, or credit card. Processing time for each request is 7 to 10 business days.

The DJCS also provides an application packet for people who cannot pay this fee. This packet is obtainable by email with a request. Applicants must provide a full, current mailing address to access the Record Review Fee Waiver Application Packet.

Mail the application and fingerprint card to the address below. Include a photocopy of a valid public assistance benefits card or notarized financial statement:

Records Review Unit,
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services,
80 South Swan Street, 5th Floor,
Albany, NY 12210

Approved applications take 7 to 10 days to process. Requesters may contact the Record Review Unit by email or phone, (518) 457-9847 or (518) 485-7675 for further inquiries.

Individuals and corporations can conduct uncertified criminal history record searches (CHRS) through OCA, but there are exceptions to the information that requesters may get.

Applicants may make the search request by using the online service, the mail service, or in-person.

To request online, interested persons may use the Direct Access website. Applicants must have the correct full name and date of birth of the person named on the record for the search to be successful. New users are required to create an account according to their preferences. Each search request costs $95, payable by credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) or by use of a checking account (ACH). Staff process all requests within 24 hours (1 business day). Search results can stay on a user’s profile for up to 6 months.

To use the walk-in service, requesters may submit a completed Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) application form between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays at this address:

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

It costs $95 per request. This fee is payable by check or money order to the N.Y.S. Office of Court Administration. It is essential to have the exact name and date of birth of the person named on record for the agency to fulfill the request. Processing time is within one business day.

How to Obtain Putnam County Police Reports and Arrest Records

The New York State Police Department provides police records and arrest records for New York State counties on written request. Interested persons may apply by mail, email, or through the online service. For mail orders, applicants must attach a New York State Police FOIL form to the request and send it to the following address:

New York State Police
Attn: Central Record Bureau
1220 Washington Avenue, Building 22
Albany, NY 12226-2252

These request methods, however, apply only to individuals. Corporations, other representatives, and government agencies must submit their requests with an official letterhead. They must also correctly identify the record sought in each request.

Applications from government agencies must be sent by email, bear adequate authorization, and include the reason for the request (if it concerns a current investigation). It takes five days to process a request. The fees include:

• 25 cents per page (for records with 9x14 sizes);
• 25 cents per copy for additional pages (for pages not more than 9x14);
• $15 per accident reconstruction report;
• $15 per investigation report;
• $15 for certified copies;
• $3 per digital media;
• $25 for photograph(s);

Pay by check or money order. The applicable fee is payable to the Superintendent of State Police at the New York State Police office.

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Putnam County

The DCJS maintains a statewide database where public members can search for Level 2 and Level 3-sex offenders in New York. This information is available on a Public Registry of Sex Offenders. Anyone can perform a filtered search by entering an offender’s last name, county, or zip code. To obtain information on Level 1-sex offenders or uncategorized offenders, call (800) 262-3257 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m, Monday to Friday.

Apart from having the name of the sex offender, requesters must also have one of the following information about the offender:

• Date of Birth;
• A valid address;
• Driver’s license number;
• Social Security number.

How to Find Putnam County Inmate Records

Putnam County has one correctional facility run by the Sheriff’s Department, located at 3 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512. Its contact phone number is (845) 225-5255. Interested persons may contact the Sheriff’s Department to look up incarcerated individuals at the address below:

Putnam County Sheriff’s Department
3 County Center
Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: (845) 225-4300
Fax: (845) 225-4399

How Do I Visit an Inmate in Putnam County Jail?

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office allows inmates’ friends and family to visit them according to the following schedule:

Monday: 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday: 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Friday 9:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Each inmate may receive up to four thirty-minute visits per week. Visitors must schedule visits at least twenty-four hours before arriving at the facility and sign in and check in fifteen minutes before visitation begins. Visit cycles start every half-hour. Inmates may only make physical contact with visitors at the beginning and end of their visit - in a Correction Supervisor’s presence. Physical contact, in this case, includes handshakes, hugs, kisses, embraces, etc. Visitors must provide a valid government-issued ID to enter the facility. Minors must visit with adults and provide a valid birth certificate as identification. All visitors must successfully pass through a metal detector to enter the correctional facility. Everyone visiting the facility must dress comfortably but conservatively in fitting clothes and covered shoes. Visitors will not gain access to the facility if they wear any of the following items:

• Leggings/tights/jeggings;
• Mini skirts or tight shorts;
• See-through tops;
• Tank tops or sleeveless shirts;
• Clothes with lewd, violent, or provocative print;
• Clothes that closely resemble prison uniforms.

Putnam County Court Records

Putnam County has one Supreme and County Court, one Family Court, and one Surrogate Court. Find below Court addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and business hours (excluding holidays):

Putnam County Supreme Court
20 County Center,
Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: (845) 208-7830
Fax: (845) 208-7869

Putnam County Court
20 County Center,
Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: (845) 208-7830
Fax: (845) 208-7869

Putnam County Family Court
20 County Center,
Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: (845) 208-7805
Fax: (845) 228-9614

Putnam County Surrogate's Court
44 Gleneida Avenue,
Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: (845) 208-7860
Fax: (845) 431-1936

Brewster Village Court
50 Main Street,
Brewster, NY 10509
Phone: (845) 279-4020
Fax: (845) 278-7653

Carmel Justice Court
Town Hall
60 McAlpin Avenue,
Mahopac, NY 10541
Phone: (845) 628-1500
Fax: (845) 628-4550

Cold Spring Justice Court
87 Main Street,
Cold Spring, NY 10516
Phone: (845) 265-9070

Kent Justice Court
25 Sybil's Crossing,
Kent Lakes, NY 10512
Phone: (845) 225-1606
Fax: (845) 306-5280

Nelsonville Village Court
258 Main Street,
Nelsonville, NY 10516
Phone: (845) 265-2500

Patterson Justice Court
1144 Route 311,
P.O. Box 416,
Patterson, NY 12563
Phone: (845) 878-1080
Fax: (845) 878-1018

Philipstown Justice Court
238 Main Street,
P.O. Box 155,
Cold Spring, NY 10516
Phone: (845) 265-2951
Fax: (845) 265-3948

Putnam Valley Justice Court
265 Oscawana Lake Road,
Putnam Valley, NY 10579
Phone: (845) 526-3050
Fax: (845) 526-2930

Southeast Justice Court
1360 Route 22,
Brewster, NY 10509
Phone: (845) 279-8939
Fax: (845) 279-1612

Interested persons may request court records at the Clerk of Court’s office in the County Court that processed the case. To enable the Clerk of Court to locate the requested records, applicants must provide relevant and specific information about the document. The County Clerk’s office determines the fees and payment methods for each request, and interested persons must call the applicable phone number above to make inquiries.

Are Putnam County Court Records Public?

Per New York Jud. Law 255 to 255-B provisions, Putnam County court records are publicly available, although accessibility varies. According to the law, a judge may limit public access to a court record for confidentiality reasons. Examples of court records that the law may restrict access to include:

• Adoption records;
• Criminal court cases still under investigations;
• Exonerated defendants’ records;
• Juvenile criminal records;
• Marital agreements and civil commitments.

Even though a court may seal individual records from the public, 22 NYCRR § 216.1 still gives citizens - under certain conditions - the right to request Putnam court records.

How to Obtain Putnam County Civil Court Case Records

In Putnam County, the County Clerk is the Putnam County Supreme and County Courts’ administrator and provides copies of Putnam County civil court case records upon request. Interested persons may query the clerk’s office in-person, by telephone, or by mail. The clerk charges 65 cents per page for uncertified copies and $5 for every four pages for certified copies. The cost for framing and insuring certified documents is $5.20 per eight pages (additional pages cost $1.25 each).

Putnam County Clerk
Putnam County Historic Court House
40 Gleneida Ave,
Carmel Hamlet, NY 10512

How to Obtain Putnam County Criminal Court Records

The Putnam County Clerk serves as the Putnam County Supreme and County Courts’ administrator and makes copies of Putnam County criminal court records available to requesters. Individuals who wish to obtain these records may visit the clerk’s office, call, or send a written request.

Requesters must provide accurate information, including the defendant’s full name and birthdate. The clerk charges 65 cents per page for uncertified copies and $5 for every four pages for certified copies. The cost for framing and insuring certified documents is $5.20 per eight pages (additional pages cost $1.25 each).

Putnam County Clerk
Putnam County Historic Court House
40 Gleneida Ave,
Carmel Hamlet, NY 10512

What are Putnam County Vital Records?

Putnam County vital records refer to government agencies’ official documents used to store life events, such as birth records, death records, marriage certificates, and divorce records. Per the New York Consolidated Laws, Public Health Law, vital records are confidential and accessible only to the record holder(s), family members, and anyone with a court order from a New York Court.

The Putnam County Clerk's Office provides Putnam County vital records. Statewide, the New York State Department of Health grants access to Putnam County vital records.

How Do I Find Divorce Records in Putnam County?

Putnam County Divorce records are obtainable at the New York State Bureau of Vital Records. Requesters may apply for records in person or by mail. The Bureau of Vital Records provides divorce records from January 1, 1963, to date. Only eligible people can order divorce records. These include persons named on the document and persons mandated by a New York State Court order. To request any of the two by mail or in person, requesters may submit a completed Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate and a valid photo ID photocopy to this address:

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

Acceptable ID forms include one of the options below:

• Driver's license;
• Non-driver photo ID (state-issued);
• Passport;
• U.S. Military-issued photo ID.

Or two of the options below:

• Telephone or utility bill;
• Letter from a government agency (dated six months).

The cost for mail-in orders is $30, walk-in orders cost $45, and phone or online orders cost $45 per request and $8 vendor fee per transaction. Payment methods include:

• Walk-In Orders: Check, money order, or cash
• Mail Orders: Personal or certified check or money order addressed to the NYS Department of Health. Requesters who want to order from other countries are required to pay by check (drawn on a US bank) or money order (international)

Where and How to Get Public Putnam County Marriage Records

In New York, marriage certificates older than fifty years are in the public domain. Interested persons may obtain public Putnam County marriage records from the New York State Archives. It will provide indexes of public marriage records.

The New York State Archives
222 Madison Avenue
Albany, NY 12230

Where and How to Get Confidential Putnam County Marriage Records

Putnam County marriage certificates that have not exceeded 50 years since the initial issue are confidential and available only to the following persons:

• The bride, groom, or spouse on the record;
• The couple’s immediate family members;
• The couple’s legal representatives;
• Anyone with a judicial right to obtain the record.

Eligible persons may order copies of Putnam marriage certificates through the New York State Bureau of Vital Records’ online service. They may also order certificates by completing a marriage certificate request form and submitting it by mail. Requesters must attach proof of eligibility and a money order for $30 per certified copy requested.

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

Where and How to Get Putnam County Birth Records

The New York State Department of Health issues certified copies of Putnam County birth certificates to eligible persons, including:

• The person on the record (older than 18 years);
• The record holder’s parents (who must be on the record);
• The record holder’s immediate family members;
• The record holder’s legal representatives;
• Anyone with a judicial right to obtain the record.

Eligible persons may order copies of Putnam birth certificates through the New York State Bureau of Vital Records’ online service. They may also order certificates by completing a birth certificate request form and submitting it by mail. Requesters must attach proof of eligibility and a money order for $30 per certified copy requested. Individuals may also submit requests in person for $45.

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

Where and How to Get Putnam County Death Records

The New York State Department of Health is responsible for maintaining Putnam County death certificates and providing certified copies to eligible persons, including:

• The deceased;
• The deceased’s parents;
• The deceased’s spouse;
• The deceased’s immediate family members;
• The deceased’s legal representatives;
• Anyone with a judicial right to obtain the record.

Eligible persons may order copies of Putnam death certificates through the New York State Bureau of Vital Records’ online service. They may also order certificates by completing a death certificate request form and submitting it by mail. Requesters must attach proof of eligibility and a money order for $30 per certified copy requested. Individuals may also submit requests in person for $45.

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.