Somerville Busted Mugshots Search
Somerville busted mugshots are kept by the Somerville Police Department at 220 Washington Street. The city has about 81,000 residents and is packed into just over four square miles in Middlesex County, right next to Boston and Cambridge. The police Records Division holds all booking photos and arrest reports. Criminal cases from Somerville go through the Middlesex County court system. You can search for Somerville busted mugshots by contacting the police, using the state court portal, or running a CORI check through the state system.
Somerville Overview
Somerville Police Busted Mugshots
The Somerville Police Department is the main source for busted mugshots in the city. The Records Division at (617) 625-1600 ext. 7230 handles booking photo requests and arrest reports. You can also call the main line at (617) 625-1212 or visit the station at 220 Washington Street. The department has an online form for public records requests, which makes it easier to submit from home. Include the full name of the person, the arrest date, and any case number you know.
Under M.G.L. c. 66 § 10, Somerville police must respond within 10 business days. Copies cost $0.05 per page. The first two hours of search time are free. After that, fees can reach $25 per hour. The 2020 Supreme Judicial Court ruling confirmed that busted mugshots are public records in Massachusetts. Police in Somerville cannot refuse to release them by citing the CORI exemption alone. If the record has not been sealed or expunged, it is available through a standard public records request.
| Department | Somerville Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 220 Washington Street Somerville, MA 02143 |
| Phone | (617) 625-1212 |
| Records | (617) 625-1600 ext. 7230 |
| Website | somervillema.gov/police |
The Somerville Police website has more on their services and the online records request form. Walk-in requests are accepted during business hours at the front desk. Bring a valid photo ID if you visit the station. Staff can help you fill out the request form and give you an estimate of any fees for your Somerville busted mugshots request. If you send a request by mail, include a return envelope for copies.
Somerville Court Records
After an arrest in Somerville, cases go through the Middlesex County court system. Somerville District Court handles most misdemeanors and preliminary hearings. Felony cases may move to Middlesex Superior Court. The eCourt portal lets you search court dockets for free. You need a case number for criminal lookups. Name searches only work on civil cases.
Court records show charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes but not busted mugshots. Those stay with the police. The court search guide explains how to use the eCourt system. If you have a case number from a Somerville arrest, the docket shows every filing and court action. The Middlesex County Sheriff's Office at (781) 960-2800 runs the county jail. People detained after arrest in Somerville may be held at the county facility. The Middlesex Sheriff website has their contact info and services.
Somerville Daily Arrest Logs
Under M.G.L. c. 41 § 98F, Somerville police must keep a daily log of all arrests. The log shows names, dates, charges, and locations. It is public and must be available for inspection during normal business hours. The log does not include busted mugshots, but it gives you the details you need to request the booking photo. If you see a name on the Somerville arrest log, submit a follow-up request for the full arrest report and mugshot.
The daily log is helpful when you know an arrest happened in Somerville but lack a case number. It covers every booking at the station. Staff at the front desk can help you find the right entry.
The public records law under M.G.L. c. 4 § 7(26) presumes all government records are public unless a specific exemption applies. Busted mugshots, arrest reports, and daily logs in Somerville are all covered by this law. Common exemptions include sealed records, juvenile cases, ongoing investigations, and personal medical information. If your request gets denied, appeal to the state Supervisor of Public Records. That office reviews all denials and can order the agency to release the records you asked for. The appeal process does not cost anything.
Somerville CORI Checks
The iCORI portal covers Somerville arrests as part of the statewide system. Public access costs $25. It shows court data only. CORI does not have busted mugshots. Under M.G.L. c. 6 §§ 167 through 178B, the program is run by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. You can also request your own CORI for $25 or get a free self-audit once every 90 days.
Somerville residents who want to seal old records can petition the court under M.G.L. c. 276 § 100A. Misdemeanors take five years after conviction or release. Felonies take ten years. Non-conviction records from after March 2024 seal automatically under § 100C. The state sealing page has the forms and process. There is no filing fee. Once sealed, the busted mugshot and arrest data will not appear in public searches or CORI checks.
Note: Somerville District Court handles sealing petitions for cases that were heard in that court.
Middlesex County Busted Mugshots
Somerville is in Middlesex County, the most populated county in the state. The county court system handles cases from Somerville, Cambridge, Lowell, Newton, and many other cities. For countywide arrest records and court resources, visit the Middlesex County busted mugshots page.
Nearby Cities
Somerville borders Boston, Cambridge, and Everett. Each has its own police department with separate arrest records and busted mugshots.