Find Suffolk County Mugshots at No Cost (NY)

Start a Suffolk County mugshot search today to see records and booking photos of offenders in the area.

Mugshots and other offender details can be accessed for free by anyone – from the loved ones of the victims and offenders to the general public. This is thanks to the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).

This article assists searchers in locating photos of offenders in Suffolk County, New York through official local and state agencies.

How To Retrieve Mugshots Without Fees

There are usually many ways a person can view offender photos, but it is still best to refer to the tools and resources offered by official custodians.

The main agency you can turn to when searching for mugshots at the county level is the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, while local police departments can be tapped at the city-level.¹

On the other hand, you can conduct a statewide search through the New York State Department of Corrections & Community Supervision (DOCCS) and the Division of Criminal Justice Services’ Sex Offender Registry. Most of these custodians offer an online resource, but you could also request copies of records by calling or visiting in person.

The next section highlights how you can locate mugshots at the county level.

How To Locate Mugshots for Free in Suffolk County

Mugshots of offenders can be found through the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. An online database or jail roster to search for arrestees directly is not available, but offender photos can still be viewed through the press releases. The sheriff’s office also has compiled articles about arrests so it is more convenient.²

The press releases have varying content. Some contain information about one individual only while others are about multiple arrests.

If you are looking for a particular person, it would be helpful if you know the day or week the arrest took place. This can narrow down the number of articles you would have to browse. In most cases, the articles display the offenders’ names, ages, and the reasons surrounding the arrest in addition to their mugshots.

On the other hand, you can also request inmate records from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office by completing the public records request form and sending it to the address below:^{3, 4}

Attn: Freedom of Information Officer
Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office
100 Center Drive
Riverhead, New York 11901

For police reports, you may call the Suffolk County Police Department, a law enforcement agency independent from the sheriff’s office, at 631.862.6000 or 631.852.6015.⁵ You can complete an application for public access of records and submit it at the following address:

Suffolk County Police Department
Central Records
30 Yaphank Ave.
Yaphank, New York 11980

The office is available from 9:00 A.M. to 3:45 P.M.; Mondays through Fridays.

Moreso, it may also be helpful to refer to third-party services like VINELink to view mugshots. You can also check out the overview of obtaining criminal records in New York for more insights about finding mugshots in other counties in the state.

Inmate Support Programs (Visits, Funds, Contact Methods & More)

Correctional facilities offer services with the aim of helping inmates connect with their loved ones, reduce the likelihood of reoffending, and make it easier to soon reenter society.

The various Suffolk County Correctional Facilities offer various services, as outlined below.⁶

Visitation: Inmates can be visited by a maximum of two adult visitors who have an appointment. You can call 631.852.1893 for reservations.

Inmate Mail, Money, Phone & Commissary: All mail should be sent to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility. The sheriff’s office also has partnered with LIAM Safe for a more convenient method of sending photos and letters. For phone services, the facility uses a third-party service provider, Securus.

On the other hand, sending packages, commissary, and money should follow the regulations set by the correctional facility. The only types of funds accepted are cash and money orders.

Post Bail: You can post bail in Suffolk County through various payment options, either at the Riverhead or Yaphank Correctional Facilities.

Riverhead Correctional Facility
100 Center Dr. S
Riverhead, New York 11901

​Yaphank Correctional Facility
200 Glover Dr
Yaphank, New York 11980

For additional questions about the services, you may reach out to the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office at 631.852.2200.

Obtain Mugshots from Municipal Police Departments Within Suffolk County NY

Arrest reports are usually recorded by the local police department responsible. With police photographs often shown with such reports, anyone can get them by visiting the relevant agencies.

Suffolk County has an independent police department, and the previous section explains how to get copies of the police reports. Furthermore, the Suffolk County Police Department has precincts people can visit. You can view the public records lookup process in Suffolk County for more information about the department districts.

(Note: Information about other types of criminal records, background checks, vital records, and property tax records can also be found in the aforementioned resource.)

On top of that, some of the municipalities in the county also have their own local police departments.⁷ These departments don’t have online resources showing mugshots of the offenders they’ve arrested, but public records – including arrest reports – can still be requested.

Details about other law enforcement agencies can also be found by searching ‘[name of town/municipality] New York police department’ or something similar online.

For a broader lookup, the next section focuses on locating federal and state prison mugshots.

How To Look Up New York State & Federal Prison Mugshots

Usually, criminal information shown in state agencies also contains mugshots; these photos are taken when the state prison inmate is put in custody.

In New York, mugshots can be accessed through the Department of Corrections & Community Supervision’s (DOCCS) Office of Special Investigations (OSI). The OSI’s most wanted individuals are posted online with their photos, name, crime committed, and description.⁸

You can also view mugshots of inmates in the state through the Division of Criminal Justice Services’ Sex Offender Registry, where you can search by last name, county, or zip code.

On the other hand, you can get federal inmate information from the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) inmate lookup tool. Inmate details are shown after entering at least a name or BOP number. However, this tool does not show mugshots.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) let the public access all the aforementioned information, including other criminal records.^{10, 11} However, this comes with an exception for expunged or sealed records, juvenile data, and information about offenders in an ongoing investigation.

It also does not mean that the records retrieved may be used to discriminate or harm the concerned individuals—whether for personal or professional use, as overseen by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Keep these laws in mind as you conduct a Suffolk County mugshot search and utilize the resources mentioned.