Plymouth Police Records Lookup
Plymouth police records are kept by the Plymouth Police Department at 20 Long Pond Road. The town sits in Plymouth County on the South Shore, about 40 miles south of Boston. If you need an incident report, crash report, or arrest record from Plymouth, the records division can help. The department processes public records requests through its records unit, and most reports are available to the public under state law. This page walks you through how to search for, request, and get Plymouth police records from the department and other sources.
Plymouth Overview
Plymouth Police Department Records
The Plymouth Police Department is at 20 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360. The records division phone number is (508) 830-4218. Call that line to ask about a report or check the status of a request you have sent in. The records unit handles all incident reports, arrest logs, crash reports, and other police documents for the town.
Plymouth is one of the largest towns in Massachusetts by land area. The police department serves a spread out community with a mix of year-round and seasonal residents. That means the volume of reports can vary a lot by time of year, and summer months tend to see more calls for service. The records division stays busy, so give them a few days to pull your files.
The Plymouth Police Department Records Division page has more details on how to make a request and what forms you may need to fill out. You can also find general department info and contact numbers there.
The town also has a public records portal. You can submit formal requests through the Plymouth Public Records Request page on the town website. This portal covers all town departments, not just the police. It tracks your request and sends updates by email.
The Plymouth County system supports record lookups and public records requests for the area.
Search Plymouth Police Records
Start by calling the records division at (508) 830-4218. Tell them the date of the incident, the type of report you want, and any names or case numbers you have. They can check if the report exists and let you know how to get a copy. For simple requests like a single incident report, a phone call is often the fastest way.
For a formal request, use the town's public records portal or write to the Plymouth Police Department directly. Put "Public Records Request" in your subject line. State law says the department has 10 business days to respond. That does not mean your records will be ready in 10 days. It means they have to tell you whether the records exist and what it will cost, or give a reason for any delay.
Court records from Plymouth cases show up on MassCourts. You can search by name or case number. The Plymouth District Court handles most local criminal and civil matters. MassCourts shows docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. It does not show the police reports that led to charges, though. Those come from the police department itself.
Crash reports are on BuyCrash.com. Reports cost about $20 each. This is the statewide system for motor vehicle accident reports in Massachusetts. You search by date and location or by the names of the people in the crash.
The state police records page shows how requests work at the state level, which follows the same public records law as local departments.
Plymouth Records Request Process
You can request Plymouth police records in a few ways. The easiest is to call (508) 830-4218 and ask. For a written request, email the records division or use the town portal at plymouth-ma.gov. You can also mail a letter to the Plymouth Police Department, 20 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360. Mark it "Attention: Records Division."
In your request, include the date of the incident, the names of people involved, and the report number if you know it. Be specific. A vague request like "all records about me" will take longer to process and may cost more because of the search time involved. If you can narrow it down to a date range or a specific event, you will get your records faster.
The department follows M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10 for public records. They must respond within 10 business days. Some records may take longer if the request is large or the files need to be reviewed for exempt material. The records officer will tell you the expected timeline and any fees before they start working on it.
The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office also holds case files tied to Plymouth arrests. Their records access officer is Karen Palumbo. You can reach her at PlymouthDA.PublicRecords@mass.gov or call (508) 584-8120. The DA's office is at 166 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301. If you want the prosecution side of a case, that is where to go. The Plymouth County DA public records page has more info on how to submit a request to their office.
What Plymouth Police Records Include
Plymouth police records cover a range of documents. Incident reports are the most common. These document crimes, complaints, and calls for service. Each report has a case number, the date and time of the event, the location, names of people involved, and a summary of what happened. Officers write these reports after responding to a call or taking a complaint at the station.
Arrest records show who was booked, what charges were filed, and when the arrest took place. These are public unless the case involves a juvenile or the record has been sealed by a court. Crash reports document motor vehicle accidents with details about the vehicles, drivers, and conditions at the time.
The department also keeps 911 call logs, dispatch records, and daily activity logs. These show the volume and type of calls the department handles. Some of this data is available without a formal request. The daily log, sometimes called the police blotter, is generally public under state law.
Not every record is open to the public. Records tied to active investigations can be withheld. Internal affairs files have limited access. Juvenile records are sealed. And some personal information may be redacted from reports before they are released. The department will explain any exemptions that apply to your request.
Plymouth Police Records Fees
Plymouth follows the state fee schedule under 950 CMR 32.08. Copies cost $0.05 per page. The first two hours of search time are free. After that, the town can charge $25 per hour for the time it takes to find and review your records. Most single-report requests cost nothing or just a few cents.
Crash reports through BuyCrash cost about $20 each. That fee goes to the vendor, not to the town. CORI background checks through the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services cost $25 per search. Those are statewide criminal history checks, not local police reports.
If your request will cost more than $5, the records officer should tell you before they start. You can adjust your request to bring the cost down. For example, ask for records from a shorter date range or only request specific report numbers. There is no fee to inspect records in person if the department allows that for the type of record you want.
CORI and Background Checks
CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. It is a statewide system, not a local Plymouth one. The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services runs it. A CORI check costs $25 and shows criminal history across Massachusetts. You can request your own CORI for free through the iCORI system online.
CORI is different from a local police record. A police report tells you what happened during one incident. CORI shows a person's criminal history across the whole state, including convictions, pending cases, and some dismissed charges. Employers and landlords often use CORI for background checks with the subject's written consent.
If you need a Plymouth-specific record, contact the police department. If you want a full criminal history for someone (or yourself), go through DCJIS instead.
Appeals for Plymouth Records
If the Plymouth Police Department denies your request, you have the right to appeal. File a petition with the Supervisor of Records under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A. The supervisor will review the denial and issue a decision within 10 business days. You do not need a lawyer for this step.
If the Supervisor of Records rules against you, the next step is Superior Court. You can file a civil action to compel the release of the records. This is rare for routine requests, but it is an option if you believe the denial was wrong.
Exemptions under M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7(26) list the types of records that can be withheld. These include investigatory materials, personal safety information, and certain law enforcement records. The department must cite a specific exemption when they deny a request. A blanket "no" is not enough under the law.
Plymouth County Sheriff Records
The Plymouth County Sheriff's Department is at 52 Obery Street, Plymouth, MA 02360. The phone number is (508) 747-8400. The sheriff handles the county jail and correctional facilities. If someone was held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility after a Plymouth arrest, the sheriff's office has records related to their time in custody.
Sheriff records include booking information, inmate records, and release dates. These are separate from the police department records. You would contact the sheriff for jail-related documents and the police department for the initial arrest and incident reports.
The sheriff's website has contact info and details about services and programs at the county facility.
Plymouth County Police Records
Plymouth is the county seat of Plymouth County. The county covers a large part of the South Shore and includes several towns and cities. For broader county-level police records and resources, check the Plymouth County page.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Plymouth with police records pages on this site.