Franklin County Police Records

Franklin County police records are held by local departments throughout this rural part of western Massachusetts. Greenfield is the county seat and has the most active police force in the area. The county has 26 towns spread across a large geographic area with a small overall population. Many towns rely on part-time police or Massachusetts State Police for coverage. Searching for police records in Franklin County starts with figuring out which agency responded to the incident. This page covers the main sources and the steps to get what you need.

Franklin County Sheriff's Office

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is at 160 Elm Street in Greenfield. Phone: (413) 774-4014. The sheriff runs the county jail and holds booking records for people arrested in Franklin County. Custody logs and inmate information are also available through this office.

Booking records show the person's name, charges, bail amount, and the date they were brought in. These are public records under Massachusetts law. The sheriff also handles warrant service and civil process across all 26 Franklin County towns. To request a custody record, write to the sheriff's office with the person's name and any arrest date details you have. You can also call to ask about current inmates.

The Massachusetts public records law guide is a helpful resource when putting together your request.

This guide from the Secretary of State's office explains your rights and the rules agencies must follow when you ask for records.

Searching Franklin County Police Records

Start with the agency that wrote the report. Greenfield PD handles Greenfield incidents. Montague PD covers Montague and Turners Falls. For smaller towns without full-time police, the Massachusetts State Police often responds to calls.

Under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10, everyone has the right to access public records from government agencies in Massachusetts. Police incident reports and arrest logs are generally public. Write to the records access officer at the agency that made the record. The agency has 10 business days to respond. Copies cost $0.05 per page under 950 CMR 32.08. The first two hours of staff time are free. You do not need to say why you want the record.

Franklin County court records are on MassCourts. The Franklin Superior Court is at 101 Munson Street in Greenfield. Call (413) 775-7400 for court questions. The Greenfield District Court handles smaller criminal cases. MassCourts lets you search by name or case number and see docket entries and case status, but the actual police reports and documents are only available at the courthouse.

Note: Franklin County has many towns where State Police respond to calls because there is no full-time local department.

State Police in Franklin County

Massachusetts State Police plays a big role in Franklin County. Many of the smaller towns do not have their own full-time police department. State troopers from the local barracks handle calls in these areas. If the incident you are looking for was in a small Franklin County town, there is a good chance State Police wrote the report.

Request State Police records through the State Police public records page. The process is the same as for local departments. Write a request, be specific about the incident, and send it to their records unit. State Police also patrol Route 2 and Interstate 91, which are major roads through Franklin County. Crash reports from these highways would go through State Police rather than a local department.

Franklin County Records Request Process

Put your request in writing. Be clear about what you need. Include names, dates, and locations. The records access officer at the agency will process your request.

If an agency denies the request, appeal to the Supervisor of Records under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A. The Supervisor reviews the case and issues a decision within 10 business days. If you disagree with that decision, you can go to Superior Court. Courts can award attorney fees to successful requesters under the 2016 public records reform. Exemptions under M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7(26) cover active investigations, certain personal data, and other sensitive categories.

For crash reports in Franklin County, check BuyCrash or the RMV crash report page. Many local departments and State Police use these systems. Search by report number, date, or name.

Criminal History and CORI

Franklin County criminal history data is part of the statewide CORI system run by DCJIS. Check your own record online through iCORI for $25. You need a government-issued photo ID. M.G.L. Chapter 6, Sections 167-178 set the rules for access levels.

Personal CORI requests show the most detail about your own record. Public access is limited to certain conviction data. The DCJIS office is at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200 in Chelsea. Call (617) 660-4600 for help. A single CORI check covers the whole state, so Franklin County cases appear alongside any records from other Massachusetts counties.

Note: Sealed records, juvenile cases, and non-criminal traffic matters do not appear on CORI reports.

Franklin County Town Police

Greenfield has the most active police department in Franklin County. Montague, Deerfield, Sunderland, and Orange also have their own departments. The remaining towns rely on a mix of local officers and State Police coverage. When you need a record from Franklin County, contact the department in the town where the incident happened.

Some smaller Franklin County towns like Colrain, Heath, Monroe, Rowe, and Shutesbury have very limited police services. Calls in these areas often go to State Police. If you are not sure who handled an incident, call the Greenfield barracks of the State Police or the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and they can point you in the right direction.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County borders four other counties in western and central Massachusetts.