Access Framingham Arrest Records
Framingham arrest records are public documents maintained by the Framingham Police Department and Middlesex County courts. This page explains where those records are held, how to request them, and what state law says about access, privacy, and sealing.
Framingham Overview
Framingham Police Department Records
The Framingham Police Department at 1 William Welch Way is where you start when looking for local arrest records. The department keeps daily arrest logs, incident reports, and booking records. Under MGL c. 41, § 98F, police departments are required by law to make daily logs public. Those logs include names, dates, charges, and status of the case.
Call (508) 872-1212 to reach the records division. You can also visit in person at 1 William Welch Way or check for an online request option at www.framinghamma.gov/departments/police. Some departments have added web forms in recent years. It is worth checking before you make the trip.
Under MGL c. 66, § 10, the agency must respond within 10 business days. Paper copies are $0.05 per page. Two hours of staff search time are free. After that, the rate is $25 per hour. If a request is denied, you can file an appeal with the Secretary of State's Public Records Division.
Massachusetts State Police Headquarters
Framingham is home to Massachusetts State Police headquarters at 470 Worcester Road, phone (508) 820-2300. This is notable for residents because State Police records are handled through a separate process from city police records.
If a case in Framingham involved State Police rather than the city department, you would submit your public records request to the State Police directly. That process is explained at www.mass.gov/public-records-for-the-massachusetts-state-police. The same 10-day response window and fee schedule apply under MGL c. 66, § 10.
The Commonwealth Fusion Center is also based in Framingham. It is a state and federal intelligence-sharing hub. It does not process routine public records requests, but its presence means more state-level law enforcement activity originates here than in most similarly sized cities.
Framingham District Court
The Framingham District Court handles arraignments, misdemeanor trials, and initial hearings for felony charges in this part of Middlesex County. Court records are public and searchable at masscourts.org. You can search by name, case number, or docket number to find criminal case data.
Felony cases that go to trial are handled at the Middlesex County Superior Court, 200 Trade Center, Woburn, phone (781) 939-2700. Court records include charging documents, hearing dates, motions, and outcomes. Both the district and superior court clerks can assist with in-person requests for copies.
CORI and Criminal History
Massachusetts tracks criminal history through the CORI system. Under MGL c. 6, § 167, CORI contains arrests, charges, and case outcomes for adults 18 and older. The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services manages this statewide database.
You can check your own CORI at www.mass.gov/icori. Log in, verify your identity, and request your report. Results usually come back quickly. This is the best way to see what records exist under your name in the state system before anyone else does a background check on you.
Under MGL c. 6, § 172, misdemeanor records stay visible in background checks for five years. Felony records remain for 10 years. Non-conviction records, such as an arrest that was dismissed, can often be sealed immediately depending on the case outcome.
Middlesex County Sheriff
The Middlesex County Sheriff's Department is at 12 Gill Street, Suite 4700, Woburn, MA 01801, phone (781) 960-2800. The department operates the Middlesex House of Correction in Billerica and Cambridge Jail. Both facilities hold pretrial detainees and people serving short sentences.
To locate someone arrested in Framingham and held in county custody, contact the sheriff's office directly. They can confirm housing location, booking date, and release status. For state prison inmates, the Massachusetts Department of Correction website has an inmate locator.
Middlesex County District Attorney
The Middlesex County District Attorney prosecutes cases that originate in Framingham. The office is at 15 Commonwealth Avenue, Woburn, phone (781) 897-8300, website www.middlesexda.com. Staff there handle felony and serious misdemeanor cases from across the county.
Case records, including indictments and charging documents, appear in the court docket at masscourts.org. You can search and view many documents without going in person. For certified copies, go to the court clerk's office. The clerk is the official source for copies of court documents.
Sealing and Expungement
A criminal record can be sealed under MGL c. 276, § 100A. Misdemeanors become eligible after a three-year waiting period. Felonies require a seven-year wait from the date of conviction or release. Once sealed, the record does not appear in standard public searches or typical employer background checks.
Non-conviction records are treated differently. Under MGL c. 276, § 100C, records from cases that did not end in a guilty finding can be sealed without any waiting period. Dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, and no-bill cases all qualify.
Expungement is a separate process that permanently destroys the record. MGL c. 276, §§ 100E through 100U govern who qualifies. Eligibility is narrow and generally applies to first-time, low-level offenses. The Framingham District Court clerk can provide forms. Legal aid groups serving Middlesex County may be able to assist at no charge.
Domestic Violence Records
Note: Under MGL c. 41, § 97D, police reports that involve domestic violence are not public records. These are withheld to protect victims. If you need access to such a report for a legal matter, work with an attorney about obtaining it through the court.
Abuse prevention orders and related filings may still be visible in court records. Some are accessible at the clerk's office. Sensitive personal details are often redacted. The Framingham District Court clerk can confirm what is available for a specific case.
Sex Offender Registry
The Sex Offender Registry Board manages the public list of registered sex offenders in Massachusetts. Search at www.mass.gov/sorb by name, city, or zip code. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders appear in the public search. Level 1 offenders are not listed publicly.
Additional Record Sources
For Middlesex County court data, Massachusetts Court Records for Middlesex is a third-party aggregator that pulls together public case information. State Police records go through the State Police public records page, which is especially relevant for Framingham given that headquarters is here. The state's CORI overview is at www.mass.gov.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have arrest records pages with local resources and contact information.
Middlesex County Records
Framingham is part of Middlesex County. County-level court records, sheriff records, and DA case files are covered on the county page.