Ask a Staten Islander what county they live in, and most won’t say “Richmond County” at all — they’ll just say Staten Island. The borough and the county are coterminous, the same piece of land under two names, and it’s the only NYC borough currently led by a Republican Borough President, a genuine political outlier in an otherwise heavily Democratic city government. Richmond County is home to roughly 495,000 residents and, like the other boroughs in this series, doesn’t run a standalone county government. Here’s how Staten Island’s administration, courts, jail, and law enforcement actually work.
Richmond County Overview
| Category | Details |
| County Seat | Staten Island (St. George) |
| Population | Approximately 495,000 |
| Governing Structure | Fully merged into New York City government |
| Borough President | Vito Fossella (R) — in office since January 2022 |
| Richmond County District Attorney | Michael McMahon |
| DA’s Office Address | 130 Stuyvesant Place, 7th Floor, Staten Island, NY 10301 |
| Court System | Richmond County Supreme Court and Criminal Court |
| Jail Authority | New York City Department of Correction (citywide agency) |
| Local Detention | No standalone Staten Island jail |
| Sheriff’s Office | New York City Sheriff’s Office — citywide civil enforcement agency |
| Time Zone | Eastern Time (ET), observes Daylight Saving Time |
The Only Republican-Led Borough in New York City
Like the other four boroughs, Richmond County has no independent county executive or legislature — it was folded into New York City’s consolidated government in 1898. What makes Staten Island genuinely distinct politically is its Borough President’s office: Vito Fossella, a Republican and former six-term U.S. Congressman, has held the role since January 2022, making Staten Island the only borough currently led by a Republican in an otherwise Democratic-dominated city government. He succeeded James Oddo, who went on to serve as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Buildings under Mayor Eric Adams.
As in the other boroughs, the Borough President’s role today functions mostly as an advisory and community-facing position — focused on land use recommendations, capital budget input, and local advocacy — rather than direct executive authority over city services.
What remains distinctly county-level in Richmond County are certain judicial and legal offices:
- Richmond County District Attorney — Michael McMahon, in office since January 2016, prosecutes crimes committed on Staten Island and currently serves as President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York
- Richmond County Clerk — maintains court records, land documents, and jury administration for the county
- Richmond County Supreme and Criminal Courts — part of New York State’s Unified Court System, operating independently of city hall
The Richmond County District Attorney’s Office
Michael McMahon, a former U.S. Representative and City Council member, has led the District Attorney’s office since 2016 and won reelection in 2023 with more than 93% of the vote. His office, located at 130 Stuyvesant Place, prosecutes state-law violations committed on Staten Island; federal crimes are handled separately through the U.S. Attorney’s Office. His role as president of the statewide District Attorneys Association gives Richmond County’s prosecutorial office a notably higher profile in state-level criminal justice policy discussions than its population size alone might suggest.
The Richmond County Clerk’s Office
The County Clerk’s office handles a combination of responsibilities that in other U.S. counties might be split across multiple departments:
- Court record filings — civil case documents filed in Richmond County Supreme Court
- Jury service administration — managing jury pools and summons for county residents
- Land records — deeds, mortgages, and property documents recorded for Staten Island
- Business filings — certain assumed name and business certificate registrations
Because this office operates under the state court system rather than city government directly, its procedures and hours can differ from typical NYC.gov city services — worth confirming directly before making a trip.
Jail and Detention on Staten Island
Richmond County doesn’t operate its own standalone jail. Custody for individuals arrested on Staten Island falls under the citywide New York City Department of Correction (DOC), which processes and houses detainees primarily through Rikers Island, given the absence of a dedicated Staten Island facility.
Key points for anyone trying to locate someone in custody:
- Individuals arrested on Staten Island are typically processed and, if held pending trial, transferred to Rikers Island rather than a local facility
- DOC maintains a citywide online inmate lookup tool covering all facilities, the most reliable way to search regardless of borough
- Newly booked individuals generally don’t appear in the system for several hours after arrest
- Because Staten Island is geographically separated from the other boroughs by water, families visiting someone transferred to Rikers should plan travel time accordingly — this is a longer trip than for residents of the other boroughs
- Visitation for any DOC facility requires advance registration through the department’s official scheduling system
The New York City Sheriff’s Office and Staten Island
As with the rest of the city, Staten Island doesn’t have its own elected sheriff. The New York City Sheriff’s Office operates as a single citywide civil enforcement agency under the Department of Finance, covering all five boroughs including Richmond County. Its functions include:
- Civil enforcement — serving court orders, warrants, and evictions
- Tax enforcement support — acting as an enforcement arm of the city’s Department of Finance
- Property seizures — executing court-ordered seizures tied to civil judgments
Residents dealing with a civil enforcement matter on Staten Island work with this citywide office rather than a borough-specific sheriff’s department.
Practical Tips Before You Visit
- Determine whether your issue is handled by a city agency (NYPD, DOC) or a county-level office (District Attorney, County Clerk) before making a trip
- Bring valid, government-issued photo ID to any courthouse, county office, or detention facility
- Use DOC’s citywide inmate lookup rather than assuming a local Staten Island facility exists
- Staten Island’s ferry and limited transit connections to the rest of the city mean allowing extra travel time for court or jail-related visits elsewhere in NYC
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Does Staten Island have its own jail?
No. Individuals arrested on Staten Island are processed through the NYC Department of Correction and, if held pending trial, typically transferred to Rikers Island, since there’s no standalone Richmond County jail facility.
Q2. Why is Staten Island’s Borough President different politically from the rest of NYC?
Vito Fossella, a Republican, has led the borough since January 2022, making Staten Island the only one of the five boroughs currently governed by a Republican Borough President. This reflects Staten Island’s historically more politically conservative electorate compared to the rest of New York City.
Q3. How do I find out if someone arrested on Staten Island is currently in custody?
Use the NYC Department of Correction’s citywide online inmate lookup, searching by full legal name. Since Staten Island has no local jail, individuals are typically transferred to Rikers Island or another borough facility — search the full citywide system rather than assuming a local option.
Q4. Where do I file a civil court case or check case records for Staten Island?
Civil filings for Richmond County Supreme Court go through the Richmond County Clerk’s office. Many case records and statuses can be checked through New York State’s online court system portals before an in-person visit becomes necessary.
