Access Norfolk County Police Records
Norfolk County police records are held by local police departments across the county, not by a single central office. This is an important point. The Norfolk County Sheriff's Office is not an arresting authority, so police reports come from the individual city and town departments in the county. Whether you need an incident report from Quincy, an arrest record from Brookline, or court filings from Dedham, you will need to contact the right agency. This page explains where Norfolk County police records are kept and how to get copies of them.
Norfolk County Overview
Norfolk County Sheriff's Office Records
The Norfolk County Sheriff's Office is at 200 West Street in Dedham. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 149, Dedham, MA 02026. Phone: (781) 329-3705. The sheriff manages the county correctional facility and keeps records of inmates and bookings. You can email records requests to records_request@norfolksheriffma.org.
One thing to know about Norfolk County is that the sheriff's office is not an arresting authority. They do not make arrests or file police reports. Local police departments do that work. The sheriff holds jail records, inmate information, and booking logs for people who end up at the county facility. For actual police reports and incident records, you need to contact the local department in the town where the incident happened.
The Norfolk County Sheriff's public records page outlines how to submit a formal records request for information held by the sheriff's office.
Visit this page for the email address and steps to request booking logs and inmate records from the Norfolk County Sheriff.
Searching Norfolk County Police Records
Online searches for Norfolk County police records can start with a few different tools. The MassCourts portal provides free access to criminal case data from courts across the county. Search by name or case number. You will see charges, court dates, and case status for both district and superior court cases. It does not show the actual police report, but it tells you what charges were filed and how the case turned out.
For crash reports anywhere in Norfolk County, use BuyCrash. Select the police department that took the report and enter the crash date and a name or plate number. Reports are about $25 each.
Norfolk County Local Police Departments
Because the sheriff does not handle police reports, you will deal with local departments in Norfolk County. Two of the largest are in Quincy and Brookline.
The Quincy Police Department is the biggest force in Norfolk County. Their records access officer is Lieutenant Terence McDonnell. You can reach him at (617) 745-5744 or email tmcdonnell@quincyma.gov. Quincy PD keeps incident reports, arrest records, and crash reports for cases within the city. To get copies, send a written request with the date, location, and details of the incident.
The Brookline Police Records Division handles requests for police reports, accident reports, and CAD logs. Their website has details on how to submit a request and what information you need to include. Both departments follow the same state rules on fees and response times.
The Brookline Police Department records page provides specific information about their records division and how to request copies of police reports.
Brookline PD's records division handles report requests for incidents that occurred within the town limits.
Norfolk County Police Records and the Law
Massachusetts public records law applies to every police department in Norfolk County. Under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10, agencies must respond to records requests within 10 business days. The law covers incident reports, arrest logs, call records, and internal documents. M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7(26) defines what counts as public and lists 18 exemptions. For police records, the main exemption is (f), which protects investigatory materials that could harm active cases.
Fees are straightforward. Under 950 CMR 32.08, copies cost $0.05 per page. The first two hours of search time are free for municipal departments. After that, they can charge up to $25 per hour. If records are already in digital form, agencies should provide them electronically at no copy cost. Always ask for a fee estimate upfront so there are no surprises.
Note: Norfolk County departments must use the lowest-paid qualified employee to process your request, which helps keep costs down.
Norfolk County Court Records
Norfolk County Superior Court is at 650 High Street in Dedham. Call (781) 326-1600 for information. You can go to the courthouse and use public access terminals to look at case files. There is no charge to view records at the terminal. Copies from the clerk's office run $0.50 per page. Criminal cases heard here include felonies and serious misdemeanors from across Norfolk County.
District courts in Norfolk County handle lower-level criminal cases. Each town falls under a specific district court. You can find which court has jurisdiction using the MassCourts system. Court records show the full case history, from arraignment through sentencing. Docket entries list every motion, hearing, and decision. If a case has been sealed by a judge, it will not appear in public search results.
Getting Norfolk County Arrest Records
Arrest records in Norfolk County come from the agency that made the arrest. That is usually a local police department. Quincy PD, Brookline PD, Weymouth PD, and other town departments each keep their own arrest logs. The sheriff holds booking records for the county jail. The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services runs the statewide CORI system under M.G.L. Chapter 6, Sections 167-178. A personal CORI check costs $25 and shows convictions and pending cases across Massachusetts.
If your public records request is denied by any Norfolk County agency, you can appeal. File with the Supervisor of Records at the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A. The appeal is free. They will review your case and issue a decision within 10 business days. If the ruling still does not go your way, you can take the matter to Superior Court where the judge can order the records released.
Cities in Norfolk County
Norfolk County includes several communities with their own police departments. These cities and towns have dedicated pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
Records from neighboring counties can be found on these pages.