Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
Lawrence, Massachusetts, in Essex County, has about 89,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Lawrence depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Massachusetts Public Records Law requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Lawrence public records, Essex County police reports, Lawrence arrest records, Lawrence warrants, Lawrence inmate search, Lawrence criminal records, Massachusetts arrest records and Massachusetts inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Lawrence
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Lawrence that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Lawrence Police Department); outside it, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department | Essex County, MA.
The FBI's list also places the Essex County State Police in Essex County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
The FBI's agency list also places six campus police departments and one state agency in Essex County, each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Lawrence Police
For Lawrence, SearchSystems opened and checked the Lawrence police records page at lawpd.com/425/Records-Division (page title: Records Division | Lawrence, MA), 90 Lowell Street Lawrence, MA 01840, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Lawrence had 322 violent and 802 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 1,354 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department | Essex County, MA
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at essexsheriffma.org (page title: Essex County Sheriff’s Department | Essex County, MA), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
What the Massachusetts Public Records Law Requires
Under the Massachusetts Public Records Law the agency must answer a request within 10 business days, and it may charge staff time after the first four hours for towns and two for the state, plus copying. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the District Attorney handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Lawrence?
From the agency that took it. The Lawrence police records page is at lawpd.com/425/Records-Division; the sheriff's reports come from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department | Essex County, MA.
How long does an agency in Lawrence have to answer?
Under the Massachusetts Public Records Law, within 10 business days. It may charge staff time after the first four hours for towns and two for the state, plus copying.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Lawrence?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Essex County State Police in Essex County.
How do I get a report from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department | Essex County, MA?
From its records unit. Under the Massachusetts Public Records Law the answer is due within 10 business days.
Is this the official Lawrence website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.