Dukes County Police Records Search

Dukes County police records cover Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands off the southern coast of Massachusetts. The county includes the towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah. Each town on the island has its own police department that keeps incident reports and arrest logs. The Massachusetts State Police also has a presence here and provides backup to local departments. Searching for Dukes County police records means contacting the right town department or state agency. This page explains where to look and how to make a request.

Dukes County Sheriff's Office

The Dukes County Sheriff's Office is at 9 Beach Street in Tisbury. Phone: (508) 627-5171. The sheriff handles the county correctional facility and keeps booking records for people arrested on Martha's Vineyard. Custody logs and inmate data are available through this office.

When someone is arrested in Dukes County and held at the county facility, the sheriff creates a booking record. It shows the person's name, charges, bail amount, and the date of intake. These are public records. The sheriff also assists local police departments with warrant service and transport. Write to the sheriff's office to request a copy of a booking or custody record. Include the person's full name and the date of arrest if you know it.

Because Dukes County is an island community, the sheriff's office plays a larger coordination role than in many mainland counties. They work closely with the State Police and local departments across all the Vineyard towns.

How to Search Dukes County Police Records

Contact the police department in the town where the incident took place. Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Tisbury each have their own departments. Smaller towns like West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah have more limited police services.

Massachusetts public records law under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10 gives you the right to request police records from any government agency. Send a written request to the records access officer at the department. Be specific about what you need. Include names, dates, and case numbers when possible. The agency has 10 business days to respond. Copies cost $0.05 per page under 950 CMR 32.08, and the first two hours of search time are free.

The State Police records request page is important for Dukes County because troopers respond to many calls on the island. If State Police handled the incident, your request goes through their central records unit, not the local barracks.

Use this state page to submit a records request to the Massachusetts State Police for incidents they handled on Martha's Vineyard.

Dukes County Court Records

Criminal cases in Dukes County go through the Edgartown District Court. This court handles misdemeanors and most criminal matters on Martha's Vineyard. More serious felonies may be transferred to a Superior Court on the mainland.

Use MassCourts to search Dukes County court records online. The system lets you look up cases by name or case number. It shows docket entries, charges, hearing dates, and case status. The actual police reports and full documents are not on the site. For copies of those, you need to contact the court clerk. Paper copies at the courthouse cost $0.50 per page.

Note: Court scheduling on Martha's Vineyard can be affected by ferry schedules and weather, which sometimes delays proceedings.

Police on Martha's Vineyard

Policing on Martha's Vineyard is split between several small departments and the State Police. Edgartown PD, Oak Bluffs PD, and Tisbury PD are the most active. Each covers its own town limits. West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah have smaller forces with fewer officers.

During the summer, the island population surges from around 20,000 to over 100,000. Police activity goes up a lot during these months. More calls, more incidents, and more reports get filed between June and September. If you are looking for a Dukes County police record from the summer season, there may be a bigger backlog at the department. Plan for slightly longer wait times during peak months. The local departments sometimes bring on seasonal officers to handle the extra work, but records processing can still slow down.

Massachusetts State Police provides backup across the island and handles some highway patrols and calls in the smaller towns. If your incident was handled by a trooper, the record goes through the State Police system, not the local department.

Dukes County Records Request Process

Write your request clearly. Name the record, the date, and the people involved. Send it to the records access officer at the police department or state agency that has the file.

If an agency denies your request, you can appeal to the Supervisor of Records under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A. The Supervisor reviews the denial and issues a written decision within 10 business days. If that does not resolve it, you can go to Superior Court. Courts can order the release of records and may award attorney fees under the 2016 public records reform. Records exempt from disclosure include active investigation files and categories listed in M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7(26).

CORI for Dukes County

Criminal history records from Dukes County are part of the statewide CORI system. The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services runs it from Chelsea. Check your own record through iCORI online for $25. M.G.L. Chapter 6, Sections 167-178 set the rules for access.

Personal checks show the most detail. You need a government ID to sign up. Results are fast for online requests. The DCJIS phone number is (617) 660-4600. A single CORI check covers all Massachusetts counties, so Dukes County cases show up with records from the rest of the state.

For crash reports on the island, BuyCrash may have reports from local departments. You can also use the RMV crash report page for State Police accident reports.

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county accessible by ferry from the mainland and from Nantucket.