Elmira Police Department: A New York State and Nationally Accredited Law Enforcement Agency


Records Bureau

Boxes in storage The Elmira Police Department Records Bureau is responsible for the maintenance of all reports made to the Elmira Police Department, the processing of warrants issued by the City and County Courts, the storage and safekeeping of all evidence and property, the completion of criminal background checks, and the processing of FOIL requests for copies of police reports and records.

>Click Here to email the Records Bureau

How to Obtain a Copy of a Police Report
Need a copy of a Police Report? If you or your property has been involved in a crime, you may need a copy of a police report for your insurance company or for civil court proceedings. To receive a copy of a police report, go to the Elmira Police Department Annex Building, located at 312 Lake Street on the corner of Church and Lake Streets in downtown Elmira and complete the top portion of the FOIL request form or complete and print the form online and bring it to the Annex Building. Tell the clerk that you are turning in a FOIL request for police records. The clerk will review the form for accuracy. The Records Bureau will determine your legal right to the requested records and contact you by phone within 5 business days. The clerk will tell you that your request is ready to be picked up or will explain to you why the requested records cannot be released.
»Download Police FOIL Request Form

PLEASE NOTE: Accident reports are different than Police Reports. See the Traffic Bureau page for directions on how to obtain an Accident Report (MV-104).

You can ONLY obtain a police report regarding YOU or YOUR PROPERTY.

You cannot obtain a police report

  • On your ex-wife or ex-husband
  • On your tenant
  • On your neighbors

You can obtain a police report

  • On police calls to your property. This is a listing of calls that contains only the date and does not include tenant names or any arrest information, if an arrest took place
  • On your wife or husband or your ex-wife or ex-husband from the period of time during which you were married.
  • On a crime in which your property was stolen, vandalized, or damaged

Property Recovery
If your property was stolen and recovered, you'll need to go to the Records Bureau to reclaim it The Elmira Police Department Records Bureau is only responsible for the storage and safekeeping of property. If your property was stolen and then recovered by the Elmira Police Department, the Records Bureau does not have the authority to release it back to you without approval from the District Attorney and/or the Detective Bureau. The District Attorney or the Detective Bureau may need your property for evidence in a case. The defendant in the case also has legal access to your property if it is evidence that is going to be used against him in court.

Once the District Attorney and/or the Detective Bureau have cleared your property for release, you should go to the Elmira Police Department Front Desk and use the phone on the wall to call the Records Bureau. Tell the clerk that you are here to recover property. You will need to bring identification and in some cases proof of ownership. If the claimant is a juvenile, the claimant will also need to be escorted by a parent or guardian. If the property being recovered is a weapon, the Deputy Chief of Operations must also review the case before the property can be released.

Criminal Background Checks
Background Checks can be performed on an individual with their consent to confirm that there are no criminal records on file with the Elmira Police Department. This is an excellent tool for landlords, employers, organizations, etc.

To request a background check, download the Police Background Check Form. Have the person consenting to a background check complete the top portion. Complete the middle section and return to the Elmira Police Department Records Bureau at City Hall or fax to (607) 737-5784.

When the background check is complete, you will be notified and you will have to pick up the results at the Elmira Police Department. You must bring current identification with you and the fee for the background check. The fee is $5.00.
>download the Police Background Check Form

Warrants
Warrants are processed by the Warrants Clerk. If you have information regarding an individual with a warrant issued from the Elmira Police Department, contact the Warrants Clerk at (607) 737-5642 or click here to send email.

The Elmira Police Department also makes warrant information available online. Warrants are posted online at the discretion of the Warrants Clerk and Police Department Supervisors. The information provided in these warrants should not be used to apprehend these individuals. If you have information regarding anyone in the online warrants system, contact the Warrants Clerk by phone or email. Some of these individuals may be armed and dangerous.
>view the online warrants system