Paterson Jail Roster
The Paterson jail roster lists people arrested and booked through the Paterson Police Department who are held at the Passaic County Jail. Paterson is the third-largest city in New Jersey and the county seat of Passaic County. When someone is arrested in Paterson, officers process them at Police Headquarters before transferring them to the county jail at 77 Hamilton Street. The Passaic County jail roster contains booking records, charges, and custody status for all inmates held in the facility. Residents and family members can search these records to locate someone who was recently arrested in Paterson.
Paterson Jail Roster Quick Facts
Where Paterson Arrests Are Processed
All arrests in Paterson start at the Paterson Police Department headquarters. Officers bring people they arrest to this location for booking and initial processing. The headquarters sits at 1111 East 27th Street in Paterson. Staff there take fingerprints, photographs, and record the charges. This is the first step in creating a record on the Paterson jail roster.
After initial processing, most people arrested in Paterson are transferred to the Passaic County Jail. The county jail is located at 77 Hamilton Street in Paterson. It serves as the main holding facility for all of Passaic County, not just Paterson. Once someone arrives at the county jail, their record appears on the Passaic County inmate roster. The jail holds people awaiting court hearings, those serving short sentences, and people on holds from other agencies. Paterson generates a large share of the bookings at this facility because it is the most populated city in the county.
| Police HQ | 1111 East 27th Street, Paterson, NJ 07513 |
|---|---|
| Police Phone | (973) 321-1111 |
| County Jail | 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505 |
| Jail Phone | (973) 389-5900 |
| Website | Passaic County Inmate Information |
Note: The Paterson Police Department does not run its own long-term holding facility. All detained individuals go to the Passaic County Jail.
How to Search the Paterson Jail Roster
There are several ways to look up someone on the Paterson jail roster. The most direct method is to contact the Passaic County Jail, since that is where Paterson inmates are held. You can call the jail at (973) 389-5900 and ask staff to check if a specific person is in custody. Have the full name and date of birth ready when you call. This helps staff find the right record quickly.
The Passaic County Sheriff's Office provides inmate information through its corrections division. You can visit the county inmate information page to learn about current lookup options. The page lists the steps for locating someone held at the county jail after a Paterson arrest. Records on the jail roster include the person's name, booking date, charges, and bail amount when set. These records update as new bookings come in from Paterson and other Passaic County municipalities.
You can also visit the jail in person during business hours to ask about an inmate. Bring a valid photo ID. The lobby staff can tell you if someone is in custody and provide basic booking information from the jail roster. For older arrest records from Paterson that are no longer on the active jail roster, you may need to contact the Paterson Police Records Division.
Paterson Police Department Jail Roster Records
The Paterson Police Department is one of the largest municipal law enforcement agencies in New Jersey. It handles thousands of arrests each year across the city. Each arrest produces a record that flows into the jail roster system. The department operates out of its headquarters on East 27th Street, where officers process all bookings before county transfer.
The Records Division at Paterson Police handles requests for arrest records, incident reports, and other documentation. If you need a copy of an arrest record from the Paterson jail roster, you can submit a request through the Open Public Records Act. OPRA requests go to the Paterson Police Records Division. The division processes these requests and provides copies of records that are available to the public. Response times vary based on the volume of requests the division receives.
Paterson is a large city with a busy police force. The department patrols all six wards and responds to calls across the city around the clock. Officers assigned to patrol, investigations, and special units all generate arrest records that feed into the jail roster. The city's Records Division keeps copies of all these reports at police headquarters.
The Booking Process for the Paterson Jail Roster
When Paterson officers make an arrest, the booking process follows a set sequence. The officer transports the arrested person to police headquarters at 1111 East 27th Street. There, booking staff log the arrest into the system. They record the person's name, date of birth, address, and the charges. Fingerprints are taken and checked against state and federal databases. A booking photograph is also taken at this stage.
After the initial booking at Paterson Police headquarters, the next step depends on the charges. For less serious offenses, a person may be released on a summons with a court date. For more serious charges, the person is transferred to the Passaic County Jail at 77 Hamilton Street. Once there, the county jail staff complete their own intake process. They assign a housing unit and record the person on the county jail roster. The person then appears in the system as a current inmate.
New Jersey uses a Public Safety Assessment to help judges decide whether to release or detain someone after arrest. This system replaced the old cash bail process for most offenses. A judge reviews the assessment and decides if the person can be released or must stay in jail pending trial. People ordered to remain in custody stay on the Paterson area jail roster at the Passaic County facility until their case resolves or conditions change.
Note: The bail reform system in New Jersey means that many people arrested in Paterson are released within 48 hours of booking rather than held on cash bail.
State Records and the Paterson Jail Roster
The Paterson jail roster at the county level covers people awaiting trial or serving short sentences. For longer sentences, inmates transfer to the New Jersey Department of Corrections. The state DOC runs its own inmate search tool that covers all state prisons. If someone arrested in Paterson received a state prison sentence, their record moves from the county jail roster to the state system.
The state system and the Paterson jail roster serve different purposes. The county jail roster tracks people in local custody. The state system tracks people serving sentences of more than one year in state prison. A person arrested in Paterson might appear on the local jail roster first and then later in the state corrections database if convicted and sentenced to state time. Both systems are separate, so you may need to check each one when looking for someone who was arrested in Paterson.
Passaic County also works with federal agencies. People arrested in Paterson on federal charges go to federal holding facilities rather than the county jail. Those records would not appear on the Paterson jail roster or the county inmate list. Federal inmates are tracked through the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Getting Arrest Records from the Paterson Jail Roster
Arrest records from Paterson are public records under New Jersey law. The Open Public Records Act gives residents the right to request copies of government records, including arrest logs and booking information. To get records from the Paterson jail roster, you submit an OPRA request to the appropriate agency. For police arrest records, that means the Paterson Police Department. For jail records, you contact the Passaic County Sheriff's Office corrections division.
An OPRA request must describe the records you want with enough detail for staff to find them. Include the person's full name, approximate date of arrest, and any case numbers you have. You can submit the request by mail, email, or in person. The City of Paterson website has information on how to file OPRA requests with city departments. The agency has seven business days to respond, though they can request an extension for large or complex requests.
Some records from the Paterson jail roster may be restricted. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases. Active investigation files may also be withheld until the case closes. Records involving victims of certain crimes may have personal details redacted. If your request is denied, the agency must explain why and cite the specific legal basis for the denial.
Visiting Someone on the Paterson Jail Roster
If someone you know is on the jail roster after a Paterson arrest, you can visit them at the Passaic County Jail. The jail has set visiting hours and rules that all visitors must follow. You need a valid government-issued photo ID to enter. The jail screens all visitors and may deny entry for various reasons including outstanding warrants or prior incidents at the facility.
Steps to visit an inmate on the Paterson jail roster:
- Confirm the person is still in custody by calling (973) 389-5900
- Check current visiting hours on the Passaic County corrections page
- Bring valid photo identification
- Arrive early since visits are first-come, first-served
- Follow the dress code and leave prohibited items in your car
The Passaic County Jail also offers options for remote communication with inmates. Family members can deposit funds into an inmate's commissary account or set up phone and video communication through approved vendors. These services help people stay in touch with someone on the jail roster without traveling to the facility in person. Contact the jail at (973) 389-5900 for current details on all communication options.
Court Appearances After a Paterson Arrest
People on the Paterson jail roster who are held in custody must appear before a judge within a set time frame. The first court appearance happens at the Passaic County Superior Court. Paterson is the county seat, so the courthouse is also in the city. During this hearing, the judge reviews the charges, considers release conditions, and sets the next court date. The person's status on the jail roster may change based on what the judge decides.
If a judge orders someone released with conditions, the jail updates the roster to show the release. If the judge orders continued detention, the person stays on the jail roster at the Passaic County Jail. Court hearings continue as the case moves through the system. Each hearing can change the person's custody status. Cases that go to trial take longer, and the person may remain on the jail roster for months if not released pretrial.
After a case concludes, the jail roster record is updated one final time. If the person is sentenced to county jail time, they serve it at the Passaic County facility. If sentenced to state prison, they transfer out and their record moves to the state corrections system. If acquitted or given a non-custodial sentence, they are released from the jail roster entirely.
Passaic County Jail Roster
Paterson is in Passaic County, and all jail roster records for Paterson inmates are maintained at the county level. The Passaic County Jail holds inmates from Paterson and all other municipalities in the county. For more on the county jail system, inmate search options, and related records, visit the Passaic County jail roster page.