Find Arrest Records in Norfolk County

Norfolk County arrest records are held by the local police department that made the arrest, not by the county sheriff. If you need a specific arrest report from Quincy, Brookline, Newton, Weymouth, or any other town in the county, contact the police department that handled the case. State-level systems including iCORI and MassCourts can also help you find arrest and court records tied to Norfolk County. This guide walks through each source and how to use it.

Where Arrest Records Come From

In Norfolk County, arrests are made by local police, the Massachusetts State Police, or in some cases federal agencies. Each department keeps its own records. When you need a specific arrest report, the right starting point is the department that made the arrest.

Under MGL c. 41, § 98F, police departments in Massachusetts must make their daily logs public. These logs list arrests and incidents by date. Many Norfolk County departments make their logs available on request, and some post them online. Domestic violence-related incident reports are not public. State law under MGL c. 41, § 97D keeps those records confidential.

All public records requests in Massachusetts are governed by MGL c. 66, § 10. Agencies have 10 days to respond. Paper copies cost $0.05 per page. Search time is free for the first two hours, then $25 per hour after that. Electronic copies are free when available in digital form.

Key Police Departments in Norfolk County

Norfolk County has 28 cities and towns, each with a local police department. Below are the departments most likely to have records for major arrests in the county.

Quincy Police Department is the largest in the county. They are at 1 Sea Street, Quincy, MA 02169, phone (617) 479-1212, online at www.quincyma.gov/departments/police. Brookline Police is at 350 Washington Street, Brookline, MA 02445, phone (617) 730-2222. Newton Police Department is at 1321 Washington Street, West Newton, MA 02465, phone (617) 796-2100, website at www.newtonma.gov/government/police.

Weymouth Police Department is at 540 Main Street, Weymouth, MA 02190, phone (781) 335-1212, online at www.weymouth.ma.us/departments/police. Dedham Police serves the county seat and is at 26 Bryant Street, Dedham, MA 02026, phone (781) 326-1212, website at www.dedham-ma.gov/police. Braintree Police is at 40 Redwood Avenue, Braintree, MA 02184, phone (781) 794-8600, website at www.braintreema.gov/police.

Other departments include Randolph Police at 41 South Main Street, Randolph, (781) 963-1212; Stoughton Police at 26 Rose Street, Stoughton, (781) 344-2424; Canton Police at 1492 Washington Street, Canton, (781) 828-1212; and Norwood Police at 137 Nahatan Street, Norwood, (781) 762-4900. To submit a records request, call the department you need, ask for the Records Access Officer, and follow their process. You can also write a formal public records request and mail it to the department's address.

Norfolk County Sheriff's Office

The Norfolk County Sheriff's Office operates the Norfolk County Correctional Center in Dedham. Their main role is running the jail, not making arrests in the field. If you are looking for inmate information or booking records from the correctional center, the sheriff's office is the right place to call.

The office is at 200 Village Grange, Dedham, MA 02026. Phone is (781) 329-3700. Their website is at www.norfolksheriff.com. They can provide records on individuals held at the county facility. For arrest reports from a specific incident in any Norfolk County town, contact the local police department that handled the case, not the sheriff.

iCORI and State-Level Records

The iCORI system at www.mass.gov/icori gives access to Criminal Offender Record Information for people arrested or charged in Massachusetts. This covers Norfolk County arrests as well as those from other counties.

Under MGL c. 6, § 167, CORI includes arrests, charges, and incarceration data for adults 18 and over. Access depends on how the case ended. Under MGL c. 6, § 172, records where no conviction resulted are available to authorized requesters right away. Misdemeanor conviction records require a 5-year wait. Felony conviction records require a 10-year wait.

Individuals can search their own CORI at no cost. Employers, landlords, and others with authorized access pay a fee per search and must register with DCJIS. The iCORI portal handles registration and payment. You can also find general information about CORI law at www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-criminal-records-cori.

Courts Serving Norfolk County

The Norfolk County Superior Court handles felony cases and major civil matters. It is at 650 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026, phone (781) 326-1600. Case records from Superior Court are part of the public court record and can be requested through the clerk's office.

District courts in Norfolk County include courts in Dedham, Quincy, Brookline, Newton, Wrentham, Stoughton, Canton, Natick, and Waltham. Each handles misdemeanor cases, civil matters, and lower-level felony arraignments. The MassCourts portal at masscourts.org allows online case searches for most of these courts. You can search by name or case number to find case information tied to an arrest.

The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office is at 45 Shawmut Road, Canton, MA 02021, phone (781) 830-4800, website at www.norfolkda.com. The DA handles criminal prosecutions across the county. Their case filings become part of the court record once charges are filed. Those records are generally public unless sealed by court order.

Sealing and Expungement in Norfolk County

Some arrest records can be sealed or removed from public access. If an arrest did not lead to a conviction, the record is automatically sealed under MGL c. 276, § 100C. You do not need to file a petition for that to happen.

For convictions, a person can petition to seal under MGL c. 276, § 100A. The waiting period is 3 years after the end of a misdemeanor sentence, or 7 years after the end of a felony sentence. Expungement under MGL c. 276, §§ 100E through 100U is a stronger option that destroys the record rather than sealing it. It is available in limited cases.

Once sealed, a record won't show up in most public searches. The clerk's office at the relevant Norfolk County court can explain the process and provide the petition forms.

Other Useful Sources

The Massachusetts State Police handle some incidents in Norfolk County, especially on state highways and in areas without local coverage. State Police records can be requested at www.mass.gov/public-records-for-the-massachusetts-state-police.

The Sex Offender Registry Board publishes a public database at www.mass.gov/sorb, which lists registered offenders by name or address. This is separate from arrest records but often useful for background checks. For state prison records, the Department of Correction maintains an inmate search at www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-correction. Third-party indexing sites like massachusettscourtrecords.us compile public record data but may not be complete or current. Always verify through official channels.

Cities in Norfolk County

Three cities in Norfolk County have dedicated arrest records pages. Other towns in the county are covered by the county-level resources on this page.

Nearby Counties

Norfolk County is surrounded by several other Massachusetts counties, each with its own court system and law enforcement.