To arrest in Erie County, NY, the police need an arrest warrant against the suspect, which can only be procured from the local criminal court. The procedure entails requesting the sitting judge to issue the warrant after filing a sworn statement, which contains details on the crime committed and the evidence against the individual whose name the arrest warrant is being sought.
If the request is accepted, the judge signs the warrant, which essentially makes it an active warrant that gives law enforcement officers the authority to take the person against whom the arrest warrant has been issued into custody. Unlike search and bench warrants, which are only valid for a set duration, in Erie County, New York active arrest warrants have indefinite validity and stay in effect until an arrest is made.
Erie County, NY active warrants become outstanding warrants if they are not served. This usually happens when the suspect is absconding or unaware of the warrant in his/her name. In most criminal cases, law enforcement agencies do not reveal Erie County’s outstanding arrest warrants to prevent the suspects from leaving the county/state.
To find out if a person you know has an arrest warrant against him/her in Erie County, seek details from the Erie County Sherriff’s Department, located at 10 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14202-3999.
Another option for Erie County, NY arrest warrants search is the county jail located on 40 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202.
Can you get any information about Erie County warrants and arrests over the phone? (2023)
- For information on recent arrests, call the Erie County Holding Center at (716) 858-7638.
- For bond-related details, inmate records and services, and visitation, dial the phone number of Erie County Correctional Facility- (716)937-9101.
- To report a crime, call the Sheriff’s non-emergency dispatch line- (716) 858-2903
- To request an arrest report, information on active warrants, and an incident/accident report, call (716) 858-7618.
- For requesting a local criminal background check, call (716) 858-6566.
- For information and complaints about domestic violence, call (716) 858-7999.
- For victim’s assistance and information, call the Victim/Witness Services Bureau at (716) 858-4640.
- Call the Chief Clerk’s Office at (716) 845-9301 to learn more about requesting criminal court records.
Crime Statistics for Erie County, New York
The Erie County Sheriff’s Department dealt with 4% more criminal complaints in 2020 than the prior year. In comparison to the annual average of 20,900 cases in 2019, nearly 21,700 cases were reported in 2020. Over 18,000 of these complaints were for property offenses, while more than 3600 were for violent crimes.
Crime rates in Erie County steadily increased over the decade ending in 2008. The annual violent crime rate in 1998 stood at 3,900 incidents; by 2008, it had risen by almost 20% to over 4,500 incidents. Out of the 301,694 crimes reported during the ten-year period, an estimated 44,000 were committed within Erie County
The annual crime rate peaks at just over 30,100 per annum; of the total number of crimes reported in Erie County, New York, each year, a whopping 199,000 are thefts, over 2,400 involve sexual assault, and just 540 are homicide-related.