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Florham Park Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Florham Park, New Jersey?

Arrest records are public documents in Florham Park, New Jersey, pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. This legislation establishes that government records, including arrest information, shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination by citizens of New Jersey, with certain exceptions for confidential information. The law promotes transparency in governmental functions and accountability in law enforcement operations by providing citizens with access to arrest information maintained by public agencies.

The Florham Park Police Department maintains these records in accordance with state regulations. While most arrest information is publicly available, certain records may be redacted or restricted if they contain sensitive information related to ongoing investigations, juvenile matters, or other statutorily protected categories as outlined in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1.

How to Look Up Florham Park Arrest Records in 2025

Members of the public seeking arrest records in Florham Park have multiple avenues available to obtain this information. The Florham Park Police Department serves as the primary custodian of local arrest records and provides several methods for accessing these documents:

In-Person Requests: Citizens may visit the Records Bureau at the Florham Park Police Department headquarters to submit an OPRA request form during regular business hours.

Florham Park Police Department
111 Ridgedale Avenue
Florham Park, NJ 07932
(973) 410-5400
Official Police Department Website
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Online Requests: The Borough of Florham Park provides an electronic records request system through their official website. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5, the custodian must respond to OPRA requests within seven business days.
Municipal Court Records: Certain arrest information may be accessed through the Florham Park Municipal Court, which maintains records of cases processed through their system.

Florham Park Municipal Court
111 Ridgedale Avenue
Florham Park, NJ 07932
(973) 410-5374
Municipal Court Information
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Morris County Sheriff's Office: For arrests processed at the county level, records may be available through the Morris County Sheriff's Office.

Contents of a Florham Park Arrest Record

Standard arrest records maintained by the Florham Park Police Department typically contain the following categories of information, subject to applicable redactions under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1:

Demographic Information: Full legal name of the arrested individual, date of birth, gender, and address at time of arrest
Physical Description: Height, weight, eye color, hair color, and identifying marks or tattoos
Arrest Details: Date, time, and location of arrest; arresting officer's name and badge number; and the agency responsible for the arrest
Offense Information: Statutory citations of alleged violations, description of charges, and classification (disorderly persons offense, indictable offense, etc.)
Case Processing Data: Booking number, fingerprint identification number, and court docket number
Custody Status: Information regarding release on recognizance, bail amount, or detention status
Court Information: Initial appearance date, assigned court, and preliminary hearing schedules

Pursuant to New Jersey Court Rule 1:38-3, certain information may be redacted from public arrest records, including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and other personal identifiers that could facilitate identity theft or compromise privacy beyond the public interest in disclosure.

Expungement of Arrest Records in Florham Park

The State of New Jersey provides a legal mechanism for the expungement of certain arrest records under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1 et seq. Expungement is the legal process that removes arrests, charges, and convictions from a person's criminal record. When an expungement is granted by the court, the arrest record is isolated and extracted from public access.

Eligibility criteria for expungement in Florham Park include:

Arrests that did not lead to conviction
Dismissals following completion of a conditional discharge, conditional dismissal, or pretrial intervention program
Certain disorderly persons offenses after a waiting period of 5 years
Certain indictable offenses after a waiting period of 6 years
Early pathway expungements for certain offenses after 5 years if the court finds expungement is in the public interest

The expungement process requires filing a petition with the Superior Court in the county where the arrest or prosecution occurred. For Florham Park arrests, petitions are typically filed with:

Morris County Superior Court
Washington and Court Streets
P.O. Box 910
Morristown, NJ 07963-0910
(862) 397-5700

Upon receiving an expungement order from the court, the Florham Park Police Department Records Bureau is required to remove the expunged records from public access and maintain them separately from publicly accessible records. The department must respond to inquiries regarding expunged records as if they do not exist, except in limited circumstances specified by statute.

Legal Restrictions on Arrest Record Access

While arrest records are generally public in Florham Park, several statutory exemptions limit access to certain information. The New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA) establishes specific categories of records that are exempt from public disclosure:

Juvenile records are confidential pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60
Records pertaining to ongoing investigations are temporarily exempt under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3
Information that would compromise security measures or surveillance techniques if disclosed
Records protected by court order or by other state or federal statutes
Information that would violate a citizen's reasonable expectation of privacy

The Florham Park Municipal Court and Police Department are required to balance the public's right to access government records against privacy concerns and security considerations when responding to requests for arrest information.

Consequences of Public Arrest Records

Public arrest records in Florham Park can have significant implications for individuals, even in cases where charges were ultimately dismissed or the person was found not guilty. These consequences may include:

Employment barriers, as many employers conduct background checks
Housing application difficulties, as landlords frequently screen applicants
Professional licensing complications for regulated occupations
Educational opportunity limitations, particularly for programs requiring background clearance
Reputational damage within the community

The New Jersey Legislature has recognized these potential hardships and has expanded expungement eligibility in recent years through amendments to N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1 et seq. Additionally, the Florham Park Police Department maintains policies regarding the dissemination of arrest information that comply with state regulations while acknowledging the impact such disclosures may have on individuals.