Explore Camden County Police Records
Camden County sits in southwestern New Jersey, directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. The county seat is the city of Camden. Camden County police records come from local departments, the county prosecutor, the county police force, and special agencies like the Rutgers Police. With a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas, law enforcement activity varies widely across the county. Public access to Camden County police records follows the rules set by New Jersey's Open Public Records Act.
Camden County Prosecutor Police Records
The Camden County Prosecutor's Office is located at the Governor James J. Florio Center, 200 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103. The main phone number is (856) 225-8400. This office handles serious criminal cases across Camden County and maintains extensive records tied to investigations and prosecutions.
William Staas, Assistant Prosecutor in the Civil Litigation Unit, handles OPRA matters for the office. The prosecutor has a dedicated OPRA resource page that explains how to submit requests for police records. This is a good starting point when you need records from the Camden County Prosecutor.
The screenshot below shows the Camden County Prosecutor's OPRA resource page for requesting police records.
Review the instructions on this page before submitting your request.
Criminal investigatory records held by the prosecutor are generally exempt from public disclosure under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1. Case files, witness statements, and evidence logs fall under this exemption. However, certain records like arrest reports and Use of Force Reports may still be accessible through OPRA in Camden County. Each request is reviewed on its own merits.
Camden County Archives and Records
Camden County maintains an Archives and Records division. Steffani Lon manages this division from the Courthouse, 11th Floor, 520 Market Street, Camden, NJ 08102. The phone number is 856-225-2131. This office stores older county records that may include historical police documents and case files from Camden County.
Archived records can take longer to retrieve than current files. If you need police records from years past in Camden County, contact the archives division first. They can tell you if the records exist and how to request them. Some older Camden County police records may have been transferred here from other offices as part of routine records management.
Camden County Police Department
The Camden County Police Department is a unique force in New Jersey. It replaced the former Camden City Police Department in 2013. This department now serves the city of Camden and provides police services under a county model. It generates a high volume of police records due to the urban nature of its patrol area.
Incident reports, arrest records, and call logs from the Camden County Police are available through OPRA. The department has a records custodian who processes requests. Given the size of the department and its caseload, response times may vary. Camden County Police handled thousands of calls each year, and their records reflect the full range of law enforcement activity in the city.
The prosecutor's main page below provides additional context about law enforcement operations in Camden County.
The prosecutor works closely with the Camden County Police on major investigations.
Note: The Camden County Police Department is separate from the Camden County Sheriff and the Camden County Prosecutor, even though all three serve the same county.
Rutgers Police Camden Division Records
The Rutgers Police Camden Division maintains its own set of police records. This division covers the Rutgers University campus in Camden. They retain original documents, and copies are available from 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. Contact Ashley Jensen at (856) 225-2930 for questions about campus police records.
The image below shows information about the Rutgers Police Camden Division and how to access their police records.
Campus incidents are documented in the same way as any other police report.
Rutgers Police records cover incidents on campus grounds in Camden County. These include thefts, assaults, and other crimes that occur on university property. The division follows state law on records access, so OPRA applies here as well. If an incident involved both campus police and the Camden County Police, records may exist at both agencies.
Records Rulings Affecting Camden County
GRC decisions help define public access to police records in Camden County. In John Paff v. Gloucester City (GRC 2009-102), the council addressed records from a municipality within Camden County. This case clarified the boundaries of the criminal investigatory records exemption under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 for local police departments.
These GRC rulings are binding on the agencies involved and provide guidance for future requests. When a Camden County agency denies your OPRA request, they must cite a specific legal basis. You can then check whether that basis has been upheld or challenged in prior GRC decisions. The GRC decisions database lets you search by agency name, which is useful when researching Camden County police record disputes.
Cherry Hill, one of the larger towns in Camden County, reported 1,945 crimes in 2019. Towns of this size generate large volumes of police records. Access to these records follows the same OPRA rules that apply across all of Camden County and the state of New Jersey.
How to Request Camden County Records
Filing for police records in Camden County requires a few steps. First, figure out which agency has the record. Think about where the incident took place and which department responded. Then, submit a written OPRA request to that agency's records custodian.
Your request should be specific. Include these details when you can:
- Type of record, such as incident report or arrest log
- Date or date range of the event
- Names of people involved
- Case or incident number
The agency has seven business days to respond under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5. If they need more time, they must tell you and give a new date. Camden County agencies charge standard copy rates set by state law. If your request is denied, the GRC complaint process is free and available to anyone.
State Resources for Camden County
The New Jersey UCR program tracks crime data for all counties, including Camden County. Annual reports show the number and type of offenses in each municipality. The New Jersey Courts website provides online case searches for criminal matters filed in Camden County Superior Court.
The image below shows the state OPRA page, which has instructions for requesting records from any New Jersey agency, including those in Camden County.
This page includes the official OPRA request form and contact information for the GRC.
Note: State-level records may supplement but do not replace local police records held by Camden County agencies.
Cities in Camden County
Camden County includes the city of Camden, Cherry Hill, Gloucester Township, and many other communities. Each municipality has its own police force that maintains separate records. Criminal cases from all Camden County towns are heard at the county Superior Court.
Other Camden County municipalities include Winslow Township, Voorhees, Haddonfield, Collingswood, Pennsauken, and Lindenwold. Contact each department for local police records.
Nearby Counties
Camden County borders several other counties in South Jersey. If an incident happened near a boundary, records may be in a neighboring county. Check the exact address to determine jurisdiction.