Access Hampden County Recent Arrests

Hampden County recent arrests are tracked through the sheriff's department, local police departments, and the court system in western Massachusetts. Sheriff Nick Cocchi has led the Hampden County Sheriff's Department since 2017. The county processes a high volume of arrests each year, with an average daily inmate population of about 1,307 and roughly 26,140 bookings per year. That comes out to a weekly turnover rate of 55%. Springfield, the largest city in the county, drives much of that activity. This page explains how to search for recent arrests, find inmates, and access arrest records in Hampden County.

Hampden County Sheriff's Department

The Hampden County Sheriff's Department operates from 627 Randall Road in Ludlow. The main phone number is (413) 547-8000. Sheriff Nick Cocchi, elected in 2017, oversees the Hampden County Correctional Center (known as HC3 at Stony Brook), the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee, the Western Massachusetts Recovery and Wellness Center in Springfield, the Stonybrook Stabilization and Treatment Center, and a Pre-Release Center in Springfield.

The Hampden County Sheriff's Department website has information about facilities, programs, and how to search for inmates. The screenshot below shows the department's homepage.

The main facility in Ludlow is a medium-security correctional center that holds pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates. It offers educational programs, vocational training in fields like forestry, welding, graphic arts, and advanced manufacturing, plus substance abuse treatment. The Women's Correctional Center at 701 Center Street in Chicopee serves female inmates from Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire, Franklin, and Worcester counties.

Hampden County Inmate Search

To check if someone is in custody after a recent arrest in Hampden County, use the inmate search on the sheriff's department website. Go to hcsoma.org and navigate to the inmate search section. Enter the person's name, date of birth, or inmate ID number. Results show the full name, inmate ID, current facility, booking date, and expected release date.

You can also call (413) 858-0000 to check on someone's custody status.

Call (413) 858-0000 at any time for phone inquiries. This line is available 24 hours a day. Give the person's full name and date of birth. Staff can share basic custody information. Be ready to say who you are and your relationship to the inmate.

The VINELink system also tracks some Massachusetts inmates. You can search by name or offender ID and sign up for free custody change notifications. Call (866) 277-7477 for VINELink support.

Hampden County Arrest Records Access

Submit a public records request to the Hampden County Sheriff's Department to get arrest and inmate records. Under M.G.L. c. 66, Section 10, the department has 10 business days to respond. You can visit the Records Division during business hours, send a written request by mail, or call (413) 547-8000 for basic information.

Mail written requests to:

Hampden County Sheriff
Attn: Jail Records
629 Randall Road
Ludlow, MA 01056

Include the inmate's full name, any aliases, date of birth, the date range of incarceration, and the crime charged or convicted of. Fees may apply for copying and staff time. Medical and mental health information, disciplinary records, program participation details, social security numbers, security classifications, and victim information are all restricted under M.G.L. c. 4, Section 7(26).

Hampden County Courts and Arrest Cases

After a recent arrest in Hampden County, the case goes to one of the local courts. The Hampden County Superior Court at 50 State Street in Springfield handles serious felonies. Call (413) 735-0376 for records. The county has five district courts that process most criminal cases from arrests.

Springfield District Court is at 50 State Street. Chicopee District Court sits at 30 Church Street. Holyoke District Court is at 20 Ellison Street. Westfield District Court is at 224 Elm Street. Palmer District Court is at 1550 Main Street. Each court maintains its own case files. The MassCourts portal lets you search all of these courts online for free by name or case number.

For statewide criminal record checks, use the iCORI system run by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. It costs $25 per search. You need a Massachusetts ID to register. Results show Massachusetts convictions and pending cases only.

Sealing Hampden County Arrest Records

If you were arrested in Hampden County, Massachusetts law lets you petition to seal your record after a waiting period. Misdemeanors can be sealed 3 years after the case ends. Felonies require 7 years. These timelines come from M.G.L. c. 276, Section 100A, as amended by the 2018 Criminal Justice Reform Act. Cases that were dismissed or ended in a not guilty finding can be sealed without any wait period.

The 2023 Commonwealth v. J.F. ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court changed things for not guilty findings. They are now sealed automatically. You do not need to file a petition for those. For everything else, file with the court where your case was heard, such as Springfield District Court or Chicopee District Court, or through the Commissioner of Probation. Visit the state sealing portal for forms. The state expungement portal covers the separate process of destroying records entirely.

Expungement is only available for offenses committed before age 21. Marijuana possession convictions may also qualify under M.G.L. c. 276, Section 100K. In 2024, Governor Healey issued a one-time pardon for simple marijuana possession convictions from before March 13, 2024, and most of those records were updated automatically.

Hampden County Corrections Programs

The Stonybrook Stabilization and Treatment Center handles Section 35 involuntary commitment cases for substance use disorders. It more than doubled the number of treatment beds available in Western Massachusetts. The Western Massachusetts Recovery and Wellness Center at 155 Mill Street in Springfield, reachable at (413) 733-1431, provides addiction treatment for inmates and community members.

Career training programs at the Hampden County Correctional Center include forestry, welding, graphic arts, and advanced manufacturing. The Pre-Release Center at 95 Liberty Street in Springfield, at (413) 781-2050, prepares minimum-security inmates for release through work programs, education, and community reintegration. The department also runs a Marine Patrol Unit for waterways, a Mounted Patrol Unit for streets and parks, and an Emotional Support Division with therapy dogs.

Note: Local police handle most arrests in Hampden County, with Springfield Police at (413) 787-6302 and Chicopee Police at (413) 594-1700 being the busiest departments.

Cities in Hampden County

Hampden County covers western Massachusetts, with Springfield as the largest city and county seat. Local police in each city handle arrests within their limits.

Other communities in Hampden County include Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, West Springfield, Ludlow, and Palmer. Each has its own police department that handles local arrests.

Nearby Counties

Hampden County borders Hampshire and Worcester counties in Massachusetts. It also borders Hartford County in Connecticut, though that falls under a different state's court system.