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 September 30, 2026.
Clifton, New Jersey, in Passaic County, has about 90,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Clifton depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Open Public Records Act 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: Clifton public records, Passaic County police reports, Clifton arrest records, Clifton warrants, Clifton inmate search, Clifton criminal records, New Jersey arrest records and New Jersey inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Clifton
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 Clifton that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Clifton Police Department); outside it, the Passaic County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also places the Passaic County State Police in Passaic County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
The FBI's list also carries William Paterson University (campus police) and Prosecutor in Passaic County (other agency), each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Clifton Police
For Clifton, SearchSystems opened and checked the Clifton police department's page at cliftonpolice.org/FAQ.html (page title: Clifton Police | "How Do I." Page), phone 973-470-5877, Monday through Friday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Clifton had 150 violent and 1,766 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 870 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Passaic County Sheriff's Office
The Passaic County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 5 violent and 19 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 1,005 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at 973-881-4200. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its custody page, at pcsheriff.org/corrections/inmate_search/index.php (page title: Passaic County Sheriff), phone 973-881-4200, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Open Public Records Act Requires
The Open Public Records Act sets the rules: an answer within 7 business days, at a charge of copying at 5 cents a page for letter size, from the agency that holds the report.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the County Prosecutor, 609-292-4791, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Clifton?
From the agency that took it. The Clifton police department's page is at cliftonpolice.org/FAQ.html, phone 973-470-5877; the sheriff's reports come from the Passaic County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Clifton have to answer?
Under the Open Public Records Act, within 7 business days. It may charge copying at 5 cents a page for letter size.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Clifton?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Passaic County State Police in Passaic County.
How do I get a report from the Passaic County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at 973-881-4200. Under the Open Public Records Act the answer is due within 7 business days.
Is this the official Clifton 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.