Boston Recent Arrests
Boston recent arrests are tracked by the Boston Police Department and processed through the Suffolk County court system. The city has more than 650,000 residents and is served by 11 police districts. Each district logs arrests that feed into the central records system at BPD headquarters. You can search for recent arrest records through online court tools, the state CORI database, or by filing a public records request with the police department. Suffolk County courts handle arraignments and case proceedings for all Boston arrests.
Boston Overview
Boston Police Department Arrest Records
The Boston Police Department is the largest municipal police force in Massachusetts. BPD headquarters sits at 1 Schroeder Plaza in the Roxbury area. The department runs 11 district stations spread across the city, from Downtown and Charlestown all the way to Hyde Park. Each station handles arrests in its zone. All arrest data goes into a central records system that the public can access through formal requests.
Arrest logs and blotters are public records. You can get them. The BPD posts press releases and arrest info on its news site at police.boston.gov. That site has arrest announcements, most wanted lists, and public safety alerts. Crime data dashboards are also there.
| Department | Boston Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Schroeder Plaza Boston, MA 02120 |
| Emergency | 911 |
| Media Relations | MediaRelations@pd.boston |
| Crime Stoppers | 1-800-494-TIPS |
| Website | boston.gov - Police Department |
BPD has a Records Division at headquarters. You can visit in person to ask for arrest records or send a written request by mail. The department also takes requests through its website. Bring a valid photo ID if you go in person. Staff can look up cases by name, date, or report number and make copies from the file.
How to Find Boston Arrest Records
There are a few ways to look up recent arrests in Boston. The fastest option is to search online through the state court system. MassCourts lets you search by name or case number for free. It covers Suffolk County courts that process Boston arrests. You can see party names, charges, case status, and docket entries. Some records may have limits on what shows up, but it works well for basic lookups.
For your own criminal history, the iCORI system run by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services costs $25. It shows your full Massachusetts criminal record. The DCJIS oversees this database. You need to create an account and verify your identity to use it.
Under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10, arrest records are public. Agencies must respond to requests within 10 business days. The first hour of search time is free. Standard copy fees may apply after that. You can also ask for a fee waiver if your request serves the public interest.
The City of Boston Police page shows the department structure and its various bureaus for recent arrest information in Boston.
The page above shows the city's main portal for police services and records access.
Boston Courts and Arrest Proceedings
People arrested in Boston go through the Suffolk County court system. Two main courts handle these cases. The Suffolk County Superior Court at 3 Pemberton Square deals with serious felonies and cases with civil claims over $50,000. The phone number is (617) 788-8175. It's open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The MBTA Red, Green, and Orange Lines all stop near this courthouse at Park Street or Government Center stations.
The Boston Municipal Court handles lower-level criminal matters, civil claims up to $50,000, and housing cases. BMC has multiple divisions across the city. It also runs specialty courts including Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Homeless Court, and Veterans Treatment Court. These specialty sessions can change how a case moves through the system and may result in different outcomes than the standard track.
Federal crimes in Boston go to the U.S. District Court at the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Way. That court handles cases involving federal charges that are separate from the state arrest process.
Note: Court records for recent arrests in Boston can be searched at masscourts.org once a case has been filed.
Boston Public Records Requests
You can file a public records request with the Boston Police Department to get arrest records. The process is straightforward. Submit your request online through the BPD website, mail it to 1 Schroeder Plaza, or go in person to any district station during business hours. Be as specific as you can. Include names, dates, locations, and incident numbers if you have them.
Some records have restrictions. Under M.G.L. c. 41, Section 97D, domestic violence and sexual assault reports are confidential. Only victims, their attorneys, victim-witness advocates, and qualified counselors can access them. You need a notarized request or must show up in person with valid ID to get those records. Juvenile arrest records are also restricted, along with anything tied to an active investigation.
- Arrest logs and blotters are fully public
- Incident reports may have some redactions
- Press releases and crime stats are free to access online
- Certified copies cost more than plain copies
- Fee waivers exist for public interest requests
If BPD denies your request, you have the right to appeal to the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The appeal process is free. Most requests get filled without issue, but complex ones may take longer than the standard 10-day window.
Suffolk County Detention Facilities
After an arrest in Boston, people are typically held at the Suffolk County Jail on Nashua Street. The jail sits at 200 Nashua Street in downtown Boston. Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins runs the facility. It holds pre-trial detainees and some sentenced inmates. The South Bay House of Correction at 20 Bradston Street is a medium security facility for sentenced inmates.
You can look up inmates through VINELink. Search by name or booking number. The site shows custody status and which facility holds the person. It's free and you can sign up for alerts when someone's status changes. This works for both county and state inmates in Massachusetts.
State prison sentences over 2.5 years send people to places like MCI-Norfolk, MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole, or MCI-Shirley. The Suffolk County Sheriff's office at scsdma.org has more details on local jail operations and visiting hours.
Legal Help After a Boston Arrest
Several groups in Boston offer legal help to people who have been arrested or need to understand their records. Greater Boston Legal Services is the main legal aid group in the area. They serve all of Suffolk County and help people who qualify based on income. Call (617) 371-1234 to ask about services. Their site at gbls.org explains what they offer.
The Massachusetts Bar Association has a lawyer referral service. Call (617) 654-0400 to get matched with a criminal defense attorney. The first meeting costs $25 for 30 minutes. They also run a free Dial-A-Lawyer program on the first Wednesday of each month at (617) 338-0610. For general legal guides and self-help resources, masslegalhelp.org has step-by-step info on criminal records, sealing records, and more.
The state lets you seal your criminal record or expunge it in certain cases. These are separate processes with different rules. Sealing hides a record from most searches. Expungement destroys it entirely. Check the DCJIS site for details on which records qualify.
Suffolk County Recent Arrests
Boston is in Suffolk County. All Boston arrests go through the Suffolk County court system. The county also covers Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. For more on how Suffolk County handles arrest records, booking procedures, and court resources, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities with Arrest Records
Several cities near Boston also maintain their own arrest records through local police departments. Each city has its own process for records access and public requests. Here are nearby cities you can search.
Cambridge is just across the Charles River in Middlesex County. Quincy sits to the south in Norfolk County. Lynn is north on the shore in Essex County. Brockton is about 25 miles south in Plymouth County. Other nearby cities with arrest records pages include Somerville, Malden, Medford, Revere, Everett, and Brookline.