Lower courts and county courts in New York have jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for the county in which they are located. Judges review complaints and hear testimony regarding alleged crimes and issue warrants based upon probable cause. If the judge finds that the complaint or information submitted does not support probable cause, he will not issue a warrant.
Because active warrants are directed to county law enforcement officers for service, beginning a warrant search with the county sheriff’s office will likely reveal any outstanding warrants. It is also prudent to check with a city or town’s local police department to have arrest records for that specific town.
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Department does not have an online database for searching active arrest warrants. However, you can contact the Sheriff’s Office directly to inquire about warrants and how to request a warrant search. Also, the staff should be able to provide information about recent arrest records. The main office’s telephone number is 518-565-4300, and the office is located at 25 McCarthy Drive, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.
Plattsburgh City Court handles criminal matters for Plattsburgh within Clinton County. The staff is not permitted to perform Criminal History Searches, but you can request a statewide search through the New York State Office of Court Administration. If you want information regarding a specific case, contact the Clerk’s Office at 24 US Oval, Plattsburgh, NY 12903 or 518-563-7870. The court’s website has information regarding criminal procedures that may assist you in your warrant search in Clinton County.
Clinton County has numerous county courts in addition to the town and village courts. Each court has a specific geographic jurisdiction within the county, and judges for each court may issue arrest warrants for suspects within his authority. Therefore, searching for outstanding warrants or criminal records requires that you know which court issued the warrant. Otherwise, you are searching for a needle in a haystack. If you can determine the person’s residence or where the crime was committed, you may be able to narrow your search to the courts that have jurisdiction over that area of Clinton County.
How do you get information on Clinton County arrests and warrants over the phone? (2021-Update)
- To find out about recent arrests, active warrants, and police reports, call the Sheriff’s Office at 518-565-4300.
- To learn the procedure for accessing criminal case records, call the Court Clerk at 518-536-3840.
Clinton County crime rates
Through 2020, Clinton County Police handled over 1000 cases of property crimes and around 130 cases of violent crimes. That put the annual crime average at 1140 incidents, which was almost at the same level as the crime average of 2019, which stood at 1170 complaints.
The 130 cases of violent crime included 59 cases of rape, 3 cases of robbery, and 65 cases of aggravated assault.
The 1000 cases of property crimes included 123 cases of burglary, 862 complaints against larceny-theft, and 26 cases filed against motor vehicle theft.
Between 2001 and 2008, approximately 4,383 crimes were committed in Clinton County, with a tiny percentage being violent (there was only one murder reported). An average of one crime occurred in Clinton County every 13 hours during those years, with almost half of those crimes happening less than one mile from the victim’s home.