Plainfield Arrest Records and Recent Bookings
Plainfield recent bookings are available through free public search tools that cover arrests made by the Plainfield Police Department. Known as "The Queen City," Plainfield sits in Union County with roughly 49,808 residents. The police department operates from 200 East Fourth Street under Director Lisa Burgess. When someone is arrested in Plainfield, they are transported to the Union County Jail at 15 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth for booking and processing. This page explains how to search Plainfield recent bookings and what to expect.
Plainfield Booking Quick Facts
Plainfield Recent Bookings Overview
When Plainfield Police arrest someone, the person is taken to the Union County Jail at 15 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07207. Staff at the facility collect the person's full name, date of birth, home address, height, weight, and other physical details. A mugshot photo and fingerprint set are recorded. Officers log the charges, the arresting agency, and the date and time of arrest. All of this data forms the booking record. Under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, the Open Public Records Act, most booking records in New Jersey are public and can be viewed by any person upon request.
The Plainfield Police Department is headquartered at 200 East Fourth Street, Plainfield, NJ 07060. Director Lisa Burgess leads the department and can be reached at lisa.burgess@plainfieldnj.gov. The main phone numbers are (908) 753-3225 and (908) 753-3360. The Records Division is managed by Betty Garvey at (908) 753-3556 or bgarvey@ppdnj.com. The fax number is (908) 753-3046. Mayor Adrian O. Mapp oversees city government from City Hall at 515 Watchung Avenue, reachable at (908) 753-3310.
Plainfield has seen positive trends in public safety. The city's crime rate sits 2% below the national average. Daily crimes per 100,000 residents stand at 7.39. Year-over-year crime has dropped by 8%. These numbers reflect the department's efforts to keep the community safe while also producing fewer bookings at the county level.
Note: Booking records from Plainfield arrests may take 24 to 48 hours to appear in online search tools after the arrest takes place.
Search Plainfield Recent Bookings Online
Several free tools allow you to look up people booked after a Plainfield arrest. The best starting point is the Union County inmate lookup tool. You can also use the statewide VINE notification system or the NJ DOC offender search for people who have moved to state prison.
The City of Plainfield website provides contact details, community safety updates, and information about how the police department handles arrests and booking procedures. This is the official page maintained by the city government.
The Plainfield city website shows department contacts and links to public safety resources for residents looking into a recent arrest.
From this page you can reach the Records Division, learn about community programs, and find phone numbers for non-emergency calls related to Plainfield bookings.
The Union County Inmate Search lets you look up people held at the Union County Jail by name. Results show the person's name, booking date, charges, and custody status. This tool is free and works on any device. If a person was arrested in Plainfield and sent to the county jail, they will appear once intake is complete.
The VINE system is a free notification service run by Appriss Safety. It covers county jails and state prisons across New Jersey, including the Union County Jail where Plainfield arrestees are held. You can search by the person's first and last name. VINE also lets you register for automatic alerts by phone, text, or email when a person's custody status changes. This service runs around the clock.
Plainfield Recent Bookings at the Union County Jail
The Union County Jail at 15 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth is the central holding facility for all arrests made within Union County, including those by the Plainfield Police Department. The facility has a capacity of roughly 1,100 inmates and processes about 23,600 bookings each year. It operates as a multi-custody institution, housing people at different security levels based on their charges and risk assessment.
The Union County Sheriff's Office manages the county jail and all inmate records for Plainfield arrests and other municipalities in the county.
From the Union County Sheriff page you can access the inmate lookup tool, find visitation rules, and learn about programs at the jail where Plainfield arrestees are held.
Visitation at the Union County Jail follows an alphabetical schedule. Inmates with last names starting with A through L receive visits on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Those with last names M through Z have visits on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Family members and friends should bring valid photo identification and arrive before the posted cutoff time.
Note: Always confirm visiting hours by calling the jail directly at 908-558-2600, as the schedule may change without advance notice.
Bail and Release After a Plainfield Booking
After a person is booked following a Plainfield arrest, a bail determination is made under the Criminal Justice Reform Act. New Jersey replaced the old cash bail system in 2017 with a risk-based approach. Judges use a Public Safety Assessment score to decide whether a person should be released on conditions or held in custody. Many people arrested in Plainfield leave on conditions such as check-ins, travel limits, or electronic monitoring.
Those who remain at the Union County Jail typically face serious charges or have been assessed as a high flight risk. For questions about a specific bail amount or court date connected to a Plainfield booking, contact the New Jersey Courts or search the eCourts system online. Court records show the charges filed, any bail conditions, and the next hearing date.
If you need to post bail for someone arrested in Plainfield, contact the Union County Jail at 908-558-2600 for current instructions on accepted payment methods and processing hours.
State-Level Search for Plainfield Arrests
If a person was arrested in Plainfield and later sentenced to state prison, their record transfers to the New Jersey Department of Corrections system. The original county booking record remains at Union County, but the state system tracks the person from transfer onward.
The NJ DOC Offender Search lets you look up people serving time in state correctional facilities across New Jersey, including those who were first booked through the Plainfield Police Department. You can search by name or SBI number. Results display the current facility, minimum and maximum sentence dates, and parole eligibility. This tool does not show the original Plainfield booking details. For that, you would need to go back to Union County records or file an OPRA request under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.
Note: The state-level search only covers people in NJDOC custody. Anyone still held at the county level after a Plainfield arrest will not appear in this tool. Use VINE or contact the Union County Jail for county-level searches.
OPRA Requests for Plainfield Recent Bookings
Booking records from Plainfield arrests are public under the Open Public Records Act. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 gives any person the right to request government records from a public agency. Both the Plainfield Police Department and the Union County Sheriff's Office are public agencies. Their booking logs fall under this law.
To file an OPRA request for Plainfield booking records, you can use the state OPRA portal or submit your request in writing to the records custodian. Contact Betty Garvey at (908) 753-3556 or bgarvey@ppdnj.com. Be as specific as possible. Include the full name of the person, an approximate date of arrest, and the type of record you need. The agency has seven business days to respond under state law.
If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal at no cost. Juvenile records are sealed by law under N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60. Medical notes and mental health evaluations are not shared. However, the core data in Plainfield recent bookings, including the person's name, charges, booking date, and arresting agency, is public in most cases.
Plainfield Recent Bookings and Court Process
After a booking connected to a Plainfield arrest, the case enters the court system. Minor offenses such as disorderly conduct or municipal violations are heard at the Plainfield Municipal Court. More serious charges, including indictable offenses, are handled by the Union County Superior Court in Elizabeth. Both courts generate records that connect back to the original booking at the county jail.
Court files show the full path of a case from the initial complaint through final disposition. They include the criminal complaint, bail decisions, plea agreements, trial records, and the sentencing outcome. You can search Union County court records through the eCourts system online. Basic case information is free to view. For full documents, you may need to visit the courthouse in person or submit a written request.
Expunged records will not appear in any public search. If a judge has sealed a case originating from a Plainfield arrest under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1, it is removed from all public systems in New Jersey and will no longer show up in booking searches.
Union County Booking Records
Plainfield is located in Union County, and all arrests within city limits are processed at the Union County Jail in Elizabeth. The county handles bookings for all municipalities in Union County, processing about 23,600 per year. For more information about the county jail, inmate services, visitation rules, and how to file OPRA requests for booking data, visit the full Union County recent bookings page.