Cherry Hill Police Records
Cherry Hill police records are maintained by the Cherry Hill Township Police Department in Camden County, New Jersey. Cherry Hill is a large suburban township in southern New Jersey with a population of about 74,000. It sits just east of the city of Camden and across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Police records from Cherry Hill cover incident reports, arrest data, crash reports, and crime statistics. The township police department processes records requests through the clerk office. The public can access many types of police records through the state open records law and local procedures.
Requesting Cherry Hill Police Records
You can request police records from Cherry Hill through the Open Public Records Act. OPRA is the New Jersey law that grants the public access to government records. It covers all municipal agencies including police departments.
To make a request, fill out an OPRA form. The township has its own version on its website. You can also use the state model form. Include your name and contact info. Describe the records you want. Be precise. Give dates. Give names. Give case numbers if you know them.
The Cherry Hill Township website is the best starting point for forms and contacts.
Visit the Cherry Hill Township website for OPRA forms and police department details.
The site lists the clerk office and links to public forms. You can submit your request by mail, email, or in person at the municipal building on Mercer Street.
The custodian has seven business days to respond. They will either provide the records, deny the request with a reason, or ask for more time. If they deny your request, you can appeal to the Government Records Council. Visit the GRC complaints page to file an appeal at no cost.
Note: The more detail you put in your request, the faster the custodian can find the records. Vague requests often lead to delays or denials.
Cherry Hill Crime Statistics
Crime data for Cherry Hill is published by the New Jersey State Police in the annual Uniform Crime Reports. Cherry Hill data appears under the Camden County section. The reports cover all reported crimes in the township each year.
In 2019, Cherry Hill reported 1,945 total crimes. Of those, 1,717 were Part I offenses, which include both violent and property crimes. The remaining 228 were Part II offenses. Part I crimes cover murder, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Part II crimes include drug offenses, fraud, and vandalism.
Cherry Hill is a suburban community. Its crime profile reflects that. Property crimes make up the bulk of reported offenses. Violent crime rates are lower than in many urban areas of New Jersey. Larceny and theft are the most common Part I crimes in the township.
The full reports are on the state site.
View Cherry Hill crime data on the NJ State Police UCR page.
The UCR data lets residents and researchers track how crime changes over time in Cherry Hill and compare it to nearby towns like Voorhees, Haddonfield, and Pennsauken.
Types of Cherry Hill Police Records
The Cherry Hill police department keeps several types of records. Here is what the public can expect.
Incident reports are written after each call for service. They include the date, time, place, and a summary of events. They list the parties involved. Most are public records under OPRA.
Arrest records contain the name of the person arrested, the charge, and the date. The police blotter has basic arrest data. Blotter entries are public. Cherry Hill police post arrest details in press releases as well.
Crash reports are prepared after traffic accidents. They show driver names, vehicle details, and a description of the incident. Those involved in the crash can get copies from the police. Others can use OPRA.
Use of force records document instances when officers apply force during an encounter. New Jersey has expanded public access to some of these records. The details depend on the situation.
Internal affairs summaries are published each year. The summary shows the number of complaints and the outcomes. Full investigation files may have limits under state law.
Camden County Prosecutor and Cherry Hill
The Camden County Prosecutor works with Cherry Hill police on serious criminal cases. The prosecutor handles homicides, major drug cases, and other high-level crimes. When the prosecutor takes over a case, records move to the county level.
The prosecutor office is a separate resource for public records in Camden County.
Visit the Camden County Prosecutor website for case updates and contact information.
The prosecutor posts press releases about arrests, charges, and case outcomes. The website also has information about victim services and community programs. If a Cherry Hill case goes to the prosecutor, records about that case may be available from the county office rather than the township police.
Court records for Cherry Hill cases are at the Camden County Superior Court. You can search for case information on the NJ Courts portal by name or docket number.
Cherry Hill Public Records Resources
The Cherry Hill Public Library offers access to public records resources. The library has online databases that cover a range of topics. These include historical newspapers, census data, land deeds, and vital record indexes. While these are not police records, they can be useful for research that overlaps with public safety matters.
The library is a good place to start if you need background information. The staff can help you find the right database. Many of the online tools are free to use with a library card. Some can be accessed from home through the library website.
For police records, the library cannot process OPRA requests. Those go through the township clerk. But the library can help you understand what is available and how to search for it. They have computers and internet access if you need to file a request online.
Note: The library resources are best for historical research and background work. For current police records, go through the township clerk or the police department directly.
How to Access Cherry Hill Reports
There are several paths to get police records from Cherry Hill. Choose the one that fits your needs.
For a recent incident report, call or visit the Cherry Hill police department. Give the records clerk the date and case details. Many reports are ready within a few days. Some are available the same day.
For crash reports, contact the police department directly. Provide the date, location, and the names of those involved. You may need to show you were a party to the crash or have a valid reason for the request.
For other records, submit an OPRA request. Use the township form or the GRC model request form. Send it to the Cherry Hill clerk. The custodian will work with the police department to locate the records.
The state OPRA main page has a full guide to your rights as a requester. It covers what records are open and what exemptions exist under New Jersey law.
You can also search past GRC decisions at the GRC decision search page to see how similar requests from other towns were handled.
Camden County Police Records
Cherry Hill is part of Camden County in southern New Jersey. The county includes Camden city, Voorhees, Haddonfield, Gloucester Township, and many other communities. For county-wide police records, prosecutor updates, and court resources, visit the Camden County police records page.