Lancaster City Arrest Records
Lancaster arrest records are held by the Lancaster City Bureau of Police and the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. Lancaster is a historic city and the county seat of Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania. The city police records office is on the third floor of the police station and is open Monday through Friday. You can also search Lancaster County court records and use Pennsylvania statewide tools to find arrest records linked to Lancaster.
Lancaster Quick Facts
Lancaster City Police Records Office
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police maintains a records office on the third floor of the police station. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The phone number for the records office is 717-735-6670. All visitors must sign in at the front desk and get a visitor badge before going to the records office.
You need a valid, current ID for all records requests at Lancaster City Police. If your ID does not show your current address, a current billing envelope with your name and address is accepted. Payment is by cash, check, or money order made out to City of Lancaster.
The city police records office handles the following report types and fees for Lancaster arrest records:
- Accident Report: $15.00
- Verification Letter: $15.00
- Good Conduct Letter: $22.00
- Local Background Check: $22.00
These fees are set by the city. Call 717-735-6670 before your visit to confirm what you need and whether the record you want is available in person. Some older records may require more time to locate and prepare.
The Lancaster City Police records page at police.cityoflancasterpa.gov walks through the full process for requesting records in Lancaster. It lists what identification is required, what payment methods are accepted, and what types of reports are available from the local police office.
Lancaster County Arrest Records
Lancaster City is the county seat of Lancaster County. All criminal cases from city arrests move through the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. The county maintains 14 Magisterial District Courts that serve different parts of Lancaster County. Court records from all of these courts are publicly accessible through the county and through the state court portal.
The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office is at 50 N Duke Street, P.O. Box 83480, Lancaster, PA 17608. The phone number is (717) 299-8200. The Sheriff's Office maintains a public inmate search portal with a "Who's in Jail" feature for current detainees in Lancaster County custody. This is useful for checking on recent Lancaster arrests and current jail status.
Lancaster County crime data from 2024 shows a total of 7,032 crimes recorded. Of those, 2,963 were violent crimes, making up about 42 percent of the total. Property crimes accounted for 4,066 incidents, or about 58 percent. The overall crime rate was 1,248 per 100,000 residents. These figures cover the full county, including Lancaster City arrests.
Lancaster County arrest records are accessible through state and county portals. The county court system handles every arrest that leads to formal charges. From arraignment at a Magisterial District Court to final disposition at the Court of Common Pleas, the full record of each Lancaster arrest lives in the court system.
Lancaster County Court System
Lancaster County operates the Court of Common Pleas for all felony and most misdemeanor cases originating from Lancaster City arrests. The court also handles appeals from the 14 Magisterial District Courts that serve the county. Right-to-Know requests to the court are processed within five business days. Appeals from denied requests go to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
The criminal court records available through Lancaster County include case filings, hearing dates, sentencing records, and probation details. The Clerk of Courts holds all official case files. You can request copies in person at the Lancaster courthouse. For cases filed after a certain date, online access through the state portal is available.
Lancaster County court records cover the full criminal history of cases processed in the county. Whether a Lancaster arrest resulted in a fine, probation, or prison time, the court file documents every step. These records are accessible to the public unless specifically sealed by a court order.
Note: The Lancaster County Clerk of Courts handles criminal case records. Contact information for the courthouse is available through Lancaster County government offices or the state court portal.
Pennsylvania Tools for Lancaster Arrest Records
Several Pennsylvania state tools include Lancaster City arrest records. These are the most efficient options when you need a full criminal history rather than just a single incident report from the city police.
PATCH at epatch.state.pa.us is the official state criminal history system run by the Pennsylvania State Police. A standard check costs $22. Results include all Lancaster Police arrests, Pennsylvania State Police activity in the Lancaster area, and every other reporting agency in the state. Use Form SP 4-164 for mail requests. Processing time varies. Notarized copies cost more.
The Unified Judicial System at ujsportal.pacourts.us provides free searches of court records for Lancaster County and all of Pennsylvania. Search by name or case number to find case filings tied to Lancaster arrests. The system covers all levels of court from Magisterial District Courts to the Court of Common Pleas.
Lancaster arrest records can be accessed through county and state sources. Search methods include the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal, the Lancaster County Sheriff's Inmate Search, and PATCH.
The Department of Corrections inmate locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov lets you find state inmates whose cases began in Lancaster. For Right-to-Know appeals, contact the Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov.
Lancaster County Arrest Records
Lancaster City is the seat of Lancaster County. Every criminal case from a Lancaster City arrest moves through the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. For county-level records resources, court contacts, search tools, and related information, visit the Lancaster County arrest records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Find arrest record resources for other cities in the Lancaster and Philadelphia region.