Union Township Jail Roster
The Union Township jail roster tracks people arrested by local police and booked into custody in Union County. Union Township is a community of roughly 59,000 residents in Union County, New Jersey. It is distinct from Union City, which is in Hudson County. When someone is arrested in Union Township, officers process them at police headquarters on Caldwell Avenue. Detainees are then transferred to the Union County Jail in Elizabeth. This page covers how to search the jail roster, what records contain, and how the arrest process works in Union Township.
Union Township Jail Roster Quick Facts
How the Union Township Jail Roster Works
Every arrest in Union Township starts at the Union Township Police Department, located at 981 Caldwell Avenue, Union, NJ 07083. The department can be reached at (908) 851-5000. Officers bring the arrested person to headquarters, where staff record the charges, take photographs, and collect fingerprints. This creates the first entry in the booking record that feeds into the Union Township jail roster.
After initial processing is complete, most individuals are transported to the Union County Jail at 1000 North Avenue East in Elizabeth, NJ 07201. That transfer is when a person formally enters the county jail roster. Corrections staff at the Union County facility assign a booking number, log all charges, and note bail conditions set by the court. The jail roster updates as new bookings come in and as inmates are released. Each record on the Union Township jail roster includes the person's name, the date they were booked, charges filed, and bail details.
Some arrests result in a short stay. A person may appear on the jail roster for only a few hours before posting bail or being released on conditions after a first appearance. Others remain in custody while their case moves through court in Union County. The length of time someone stays on the jail roster depends on what happened, prior history, and the outcome of the bail hearing.
Searching Union Township Arrest Records on the Jail Roster
The primary way to check the Union Township jail roster is through the Union County inmate search tool. This tool is free and available at any time. No account is needed. Enter a first name, last name, or booking number to see results. The search covers every person currently held at the Union County Jail, including those arrested in Union Township.
Each result on the jail roster shows important details about the person in custody. You will see the full name and date of birth. The record lists the booking number and the date the person was booked. It shows current charges and housing assignment within the facility. Bail or bond amounts appear when set by the court. Court dates may be included as well. This data comes from the Union County records system and links back to the original Union Township arrest.
You can also contact the Union County Jail by phone at (908) 527-4336. Give staff a name and date of birth, and they can confirm if that person is in custody. This is a good option when you need a quick answer and do not have access to the online jail roster.
For recent arrests that have not yet reached the county system, call the Union Township Police Department directly. Officers at headquarters can tell you if someone was just arrested and whether the transfer to the county jail has taken place.
Union Township Police Department and Jail Roster Records
The Union Township Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the township. Officers patrol the community around the clock, covering residential neighborhoods, commercial areas along Route 22 and Morris Avenue, and the township's parks. Arrests made during any shift are processed at headquarters on Caldwell Avenue and then entered into the county jail roster through the booking system at Union County. The department works with county and state agencies on cases that extend beyond township borders.
The image below shows the official Union Township website, where you can find police department information and local government services.
Several divisions within the department contribute to the Union Township jail roster. Patrol officers make the majority of arrests. The detective bureau investigates cases that lead to warrants. When those warrants are served, the person is booked and added to the jail roster. The Union Township website lists contact details for each unit. Traffic, narcotics, and community policing efforts all generate arrest records that eventually appear on the Union County jail roster.
Note: Union Township is in Union County. It should not be confused with Union City, which is a separate municipality in Hudson County with its own police department and jail roster records.
What Happens After an Arrest in Union Township
When Union Township police arrest someone, the process follows a clear path. The person is taken to police headquarters at 981 Caldwell Avenue. Officers record personal details, photograph the person, and take fingerprints. Charges are formally entered into the system. All of this data becomes part of the Union Township jail roster record for that individual.
After processing at Union Township police headquarters, the person is transported to the Union County Jail in Elizabeth. The county facility handles all pretrial detention for Union County. Corrections officers at the jail run their own intake, which includes a medical screening, assignment to a housing unit, and entry into the county jail roster. The full intake can take several hours depending on how busy the facility is at that time.
New Jersey uses a bail reform system. A judge reviews each case and decides whether the person should be released or held. The severity of charges, criminal history, and ties to the community all factor into that decision. Some people arrested in Union Township are released within hours. Others stay at the county jail until their case is resolved. The Union Township jail roster record remains on file regardless of the outcome.
Public Records Requests for Union Township Jail Roster Data
New Jersey's Open Public Records Act gives the public the right to request government records. This includes arrest records from the Union Township Police Department. An OPRA request is the formal way to obtain copies of police reports, booking records, and other documents connected to the Union Township jail roster. The township must respond within seven business days.
To file an OPRA request with Union Township, visit the Union Township OPRA page on the official website. Describe the record you want with enough detail for staff to locate it. For arrest records, that typically means providing a name, approximate date of arrest, and the type of record you need. The more specific you are, the faster staff can pull the right file from the jail roster or police records system.
Some records may be restricted under state law. Ongoing investigations, juvenile records, and certain sealed files are not available through OPRA. However, basic arrest information and booking records for adults are generally public in New Jersey. If a request is denied, the township must explain why and cite the specific legal exemption.
For records held by Union County rather than the township, you submit a separate OPRA request to the county government. Booking records, jail roster data, and custody information from the Union County Jail are county records and must be requested through the county's records custodian.
Union County Jail and Union Township Inmates
The Union County Jail is where people arrested in Union Township are held when detention is ordered. It sits at 1000 North Avenue East in Elizabeth, NJ 07201. The phone number is (908) 527-4336. The facility holds inmates from every municipality in Union County, and Union Township contributes a regular portion of the jail's population. The jail roster reflects this pattern, with Union Township addresses appearing consistently among the listed inmates.
| Facility | Union County Jail |
|---|---|
| Address | 1000 North Avenue East Elizabeth, NJ 07201 |
| Phone | (908) 527-4336 |
| Union Township Police HQ | 981 Caldwell Avenue Union, NJ 07083 |
| Police Phone | (908) 851-5000 |
Inmates booked through Union Township go through the same process as those from other Union County towns. They see a judge for a first appearance, and the court decides on conditions of release or continued detention. New Jersey's bail reform system uses a risk assessment tool to help judges determine who stays in custody. This means the Union Township jail roster changes often, as lower-risk individuals are released more quickly than they were before reform took effect.
Visiting someone arrested in Union Township who is being held at the county jail requires following the facility's visiting rules. The Union County Department of Corrections has information on visiting hours, approved items, and how to add money to an inmate's account. Bring a valid photo ID and plan to go through a security screening before entry.
Note: The Union County Jail in Elizabeth serves all 21 municipalities in Union County, so the jail roster includes inmates from far beyond Union Township.
New Jersey State Records and the Union Township Jail Roster
While the Union Township jail roster covers local and county-level custody, some individuals arrested in Union Township end up in the state prison system. This happens when someone is convicted of a serious crime and sentenced to state prison rather than county jail. The New Jersey Department of Corrections maintains its own inmate search tool for people serving state sentences. If you cannot find someone on the Union Township or Union County jail roster, they may have been transferred to a state facility after sentencing.
The image below shows the official New Jersey Department of Corrections website, which provides access to the state inmate database.
The state system is separate from the county jail roster. State inmates have been sentenced and are serving time, while most people on the Union Township jail roster are awaiting trial or serving short county sentences. You can search the state inmate database by name or identification number. For Union Township residents who received state prison sentences, this database is where their records will appear after they leave the Union County facility.
Victim Notification for Union Township Jail Roster Records
VINE is a free service that sends alerts when someone's custody status changes. It works for inmates at the Union County Jail and other facilities across New Jersey. If you are a victim of a crime that happened in Union Township, VINE can notify you when the person who was arrested is released, transferred, or has a change in their court schedule.
You can sign up by calling 1-877-846-3465. Provide the person's name or booking number from the jail roster. Choose how you want to be notified. Options include phone calls, emails, and text messages. VINE sends alerts around the clock and updates as soon as the facility reports a status change. This gives victims a direct connection to the Union Township jail roster without having to search manually each day. Registration takes just a few minutes and is available at any time.
Union County Jail Roster
Union Township is in Union County. All people arrested in Union Township who are held past initial processing go to the Union County Jail in Elizabeth. The county jail roster covers every municipality in the county, not just Union Township. For full details on the county facility, programs, visitation rules, and more search options, visit the Union County jail roster page.