Crime Statistics
The New York Division of Criminal Justice Services collates and publishes statistical index crime data as part of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program. 2018 reports showed a 12.1% decline in crime rate in Rensselaer county when compared to 2017 data. The total index offenses reportedly slid from 3,517 incidents in 2017 to 3,092 in 2018, which was mostly accounted for by the decline in property crimes. Specifically, burglary and larceny reduced by nearly 50% and 10% respectively. Motor vehicle theft also recorded a slight decline, going from 134 reported incidents in 2017 to 130 incidents in 2018. Similarly, violent crimes dropped by 13.39% with aggravated assault recording a net total of 216 reported incidents while robbery and rape each declined by 14% and 10% respectively.
Criminal Records
The Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office is the county's primary law enforcement agency and is tasked with generating and maintaining crime-related records of the county. However, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the statewide criminal record repository and is responsible for issuing criminal records and conducting background checks on state residents. Thus, requests for Rensselaer county criminal records may be directed to the office.
How to Get Criminal Records
In compliance with state laws, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services restricts access to criminal history information to employers and licensing agencies. Individuals may only request their own records known as a Personal Record Review, and persons requesting access to records other than their own are required to have the statutory authority or present legal authorization.
To request a personal record review, the requesting party/subject is required to contact an approved fingerprinting vendor and schedule an appointment. On the scheduled date the requestor will be required to provide one of any of the approved forms of identification and make a payment of $63.50 to the vendor. Subsequent to submission, the DCJS will process the request and send the personal record review via US mail within 7 to 10 days. Persons with no record will be issued a ‘No Record’ response.
Employers, licensing agencies and persons authorized by a subpoena may request criminal records of individuals by completing the Request for Access to Criminal History Record Information form. The completed form should be sent via mail, email or delivered in-person to:
Office of Legal Services
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
RE: Criminal History Record Information Access Inquiry
Alfred E. Smith Building
80 South Swan St.
Albany, NY 12210
Note: Email requests should state “Criminal History Record Information Access Inquiry” in the subject line
How to Find Sex Offender Information
The Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office maintains a registry of registered sex offenders resident within county limits. Interested persons may view offender whereabouts and retrieve information about their conduct and compliance status on the Rensselaer County Sex Offender Registry. Interested persons may search the registry by location, the offender's name and addresses, and proximity to stated locations. County residents may also stay updated about offenders by subscribing to receive Email Alerts from the Sheriff's office.
Where and How to Get Inmate and jail information
Information relating to inmates and the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility can be obtained from the County Sheriffs Bureau of Corrections Division. To inquire about inmate location, primary charges, bond/bail conditions as well as visitation schedules and inmate commissary funding, interested persons may query the Corrections Division at:
4000 Main Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 266-1900
Information regarding inmates may also be obtained using the New York State Inmate Lookup Tool. Inmates can be searched by name, birth year, department ID or their New York State ID number.
Court Records
Where and How to Get Court Records
Records of court cases heard in Rensselaer County are maintained by the office of the Supreme County Court Chief Clerk. The office provides copies of non-confidential records to interested members of the public on request. However, to access a record, the requesting party is required to provide relevant information about the record, such as the name of the plaintiff/defendant, the case file number and the date of filing. Requests can be made via mail or in-person to:
Rensselaer County Courthouse
80 Second Street
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 285-5025
Fax: (518) 285-5077
Location of Courts in Rensselaer County
Listed below are the addresses and contact information of courthouses in Rensselaer County, New York:
Rensselaer County Supreme Court
80 Second Street,
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 285-5025
Fax: (518) 285-5077
Rensselaer County Court
80 Second Street,
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 285-5025
Fax: (518) 285-5077
Rensselaer County Family Court
1504 Fifth Avenue,
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 453-5515
Fax: (518) 285-8504
Rensselaer County Surrogate's Court
80 Second Street,
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 285-6100
Fax: (518) 272-5452
Rensselaer City Court
62 Washington Street,
Rensselaer, NY 12144
Phone: (518) 453-4680
Fax: (518) 453-8996
Troy City Court
51 State Street,
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 453-5900
Fax: (212) 618-5846
Berlin Town Court
Town Hall
17563 NY 22,
P.O. Box 488,
Berlin, NY 12022
Phone: (518) 658-2020 ext. 3
Brunswick Town Court
336 Town Office Road,
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 279-3461
East Greenbush Justice Court
225 Columbia Turnpike,
Rensselaer, NY 12144
Phone: (518) 477-5412
Fax: (518) 477-6539
Grafton Town Court
P.O. Box 1,
Grafton, NY 12082
Phone: (518) 279-4385
Fax: (518) 279-3594
Hoosick Falls Village Court
24 Main Street,
Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
Phone: (518) 686-4399
Hoosick Town Court
80 Church Street,
Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
Phone: (518) 686-3335
Fax: (518) 686-4745
Nassau Town Court
29 Church Street,
P.O. Box 587,
Nassau, NY 12123
Phone: (518) 766-2343 ext. 4
Fax: (518) 766-2348
Nassau Village Court
40 Malden Street,
P.O. Box 452,
Nassau, NY 12123
Phone: (518) 766-3044 ext. 1
Fax: (518) 931-4238
North Greenbush Town Justice Court
2 Douglas Street,
Wynantskill, NY 12198
Phone: (518) 283-2789
Fax: (518) 286-2336
Petersburgh Town Court
65 Main Street,
P.O. Box 514,
Petersburgh, NY 12138
Phone: (518) 658-3777 ext. 15
Fax: (518) 658-3778
Pittstown Town Court
97 Tomhannock Road,
Valley Falls, NY 12185
Phone: (518) 753-4222
Fax: (518) 753-6160
Poestenkill Town Court
38 Davis Drive,
P.O. Box 164,
Poestenkill, NY 12140
Phone: (518) 283-5100
Fax: (518) 283-8821
Sand Lake Town Court
8428 NY 66,
P.O. Box 273,
Sand Lake, NY 12153
Phone: (518) 674-2026 ext. 123
Fax: (518) 674-5066
Schaghticoke Town Court
290 Northline Drive,
Melrose, NY 12121
Phone: (518) 753-6915
Fax: (518) 753-4374
Schodack Justice Court
265 Schuurman Road,
Castleton, NY 12033
Phone: (518) 477-9390
Fax: (518) 477-2546
Stephentown Town Court
26 Grange Hall Road,
Stephentown, NY 12168
Phone: (518) 733-5636 ext. 5
Fax: (518) 733-9057
Where and How to Get Property Records
The Rensselaer County Clerk’s office records and maintains records pertaining to land and real property, including mortgages, deeds, and liens. Interested persons can obtain copies of these records by making in-person requests to the office or sending a written request to the County Clerk via mail. The requestor is required to provide (in person or in writing) the name of the owner, the location of the property, and the approximate year of its purchase. Mail requests must also include a “not to exceed $5” cheque made payable to the Rensselaer County Clerk. Requests should be made to:
Rensselaer County Clerk Record Department
105 Third Street
Troy, NY 12180
Vital Records
Rensselaer county vital records are generally not maintained or issued at the county level but can be accessed in the town or city clerk's office where the event occurred. Similarly, vital records can be retrieved from the New York State Department of Health, which serves as the primary custodian of birth, death, marriage and divorce records of all New York state indigenes and residents.
Where and How to Get Divorce Records
Records of divorces granted by Rensselaer county courts are managed and disseminated by the Vital Records Certification Unit of the New York State Department of Health. The Certification Unit provides copies of divorce certificates filed with the Health Department. Copies of divorce certificates can only be accessed by either of the divorcees named on the certificate or persons who have the authorization of a New York State Court Order.
To request divorce records, interested and eligible persons may complete the Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate and submit the application form along with the fees and ID requirements indicated on the form to:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Note: Divorce decrees are generally maintained by the issuing court and may be found in the office of the town clerk where the divorce was granted.
Where and How to Get Marriage Records
The Vital Records Unit of the state Department of Health processes requests for records of marriages licensed in Rensselaer county. Access to records is limited to the spouses named on the record, persons who can prove judicial purpose or interest and persons authorized by an in-state issued court order. Marriage records can be requested by downloading and completing an Application for a Marriage Certificate form. The application must be accompanied by the fees stated on the form and sent to:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Where and How to Get Birth and Death Records
Requests for Rensselaer county birth and death records are processed by the Vital Records Certification Unit of the State Department of Health. In compliance with state laws, New York State birth and death records can only be issued to:
- The person named on the certificate
- The parent or legal guardian of the registrant or decedent
- Persons with legal authorization
- Individuals with a verifiable need or lawful claim
Requests for these records may be made using an Application for a Copy of a Birth Certificate or an Application for a Copy of a Death Certificate. Completed forms can be sent along with the stated fees and ID requirements to:
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.
