Lancaster City Police Records
Lancaster City is a historic urban center in south-central Pennsylvania and the seat of Lancaster County, with a population of approximately 59,000 residents. The Lancaster City Bureau of Police maintains a dedicated Records Department that handles public requests for incident reports, accident reports, verification letters, Good Conduct Letters, and local background checks. Lancaster is notable for offering several distinct record types not available at all Pennsylvania police departments, including the Good Conduct Letter and the Local Background Check, which serve specific immigration, employment, and licensing needs. This guide covers every aspect of obtaining Lancaster police records, including Records Department procedures, Right-to-Know Law processes, court records through Lancaster County, and community crime statistics.
Lancaster Quick Facts
Lancaster City Police Records Overview
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police Records Department is the official custodian of police records for incidents occurring within Lancaster City limits. The Records Department is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It is located on the third floor of police headquarters at 39 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. When visiting in person, you must sign in at the front desk and obtain a visitor badge before proceeding to the Records Department. A valid, current government-issued photo ID is required for all in-person requests. If your ID does not reflect your current address, bring a current billing statement or other envelope bearing your current address to confirm your identity and residency.
The Records Department phone number is 717-735-6670. The Bureau's official website is available at police.cityoflancasterpa.gov/, and the Records Department page is at police.cityoflancasterpa.gov/records/. The department provides request forms in both English and Spanish, reflecting the diverse linguistic needs of Lancaster's community. The English-language request form PDF is available for download at police.cityoflancasterpa.gov. Completing and bringing this form to your in-person visit or including it with your mail request will expedite the processing of your records request.
Payment for in-person records requests is accepted in cash only. For mail requests, payment must be submitted in the form of a check or money order made payable to the City of Lancaster. Credit cards and electronic payments are not available for records requests at this time. After your request is received and the record is located, the Records Department will notify you by phone, email, or USPS mail depending on the contact preference you indicate in your request. Records undergo multiple levels of review before being released, so there is typically a processing period between submission and notification that the record is ready.
How to Get a Lancaster Police Report
To obtain a copy of an accident report from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police, the fee is $15.00. Only parties named in the accident report are eligible to request a copy through this process. Parties not named in the report but who have a legitimate need for a copy, such as an insurance adjuster or attorney, may need to pursue the record through the Right-to-Know Law process instead. To request an accident report by phone, call 717-735-6670 and ask to speak with Records Department staff, who will explain the current process for submission and payment.
For mail requests, send a written request that includes the date and location of the accident, the names of parties involved, the report number if available, and your full name, mailing address, and phone number. Include a check or money order for $15.00 payable to the City of Lancaster, along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope (SASE) for return of the completed report. Do not send cash through the mail. Mail your request to: Lancaster City Bureau of Police Records Department, 39 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, PA 17603.
A Verification Letter, which confirms that a named individual was involved in a specific incident at a specific date and location, is also available for a fee of $15.00. This document is commonly used when an individual needs to confirm the existence of a police report to an employer, insurer, or other third party without disclosing the full contents of the report. Like accident reports, Verification Letters are limited to individuals named in the related incident. For requesting this document, the same process applies: in-person with cash, or by mail with a check or money order. The Records FAQ at police.cityoflancasterpa.gov/records/#faq provides answers to common questions about processing times, notification procedures, and eligibility.
Good Conduct Letters and Background Checks in Lancaster
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police offers two distinct documents related to an individual's history within Lancaster City jurisdiction: the Good Conduct Letter and the Local Background Check. Both are priced at $22.00 each and serve different but related purposes.
A Good Conduct Letter is available to current or former residents of Lancaster City. It is commonly requested for immigration purposes, international employment applications, or when a foreign government or institution requires proof of an individual's conduct during their period of residence in the United States. The Good Conduct Letter reflects the requester's history within Lancaster City jurisdiction during the period of their verified residency. Applicants must demonstrate their status as a current or former Lancaster City resident, which is why valid ID showing a current address and, if necessary, supplementary address documentation are required.
A Local Background Check, also priced at $22.00, provides dates, charges, and disposition information for any incidents on record within the Lancaster City Bureau of Police's jurisdiction. This document is explicitly limited to Lancaster City jurisdiction only. It does not reflect arrests, charges, or convictions from other municipalities within Lancaster County, from other Pennsylvania counties, or from any other state or federal jurisdiction. For this reason, a local background check from the Bureau of Police should not be confused with the broader PATCH statewide check or a comprehensive multi-jurisdiction background screening. It is a useful document for employers or institutions that specifically want to verify an applicant's history within Lancaster City, but it provides an incomplete picture of statewide or national history.
For statewide criminal history information, the appropriate resource is the PATCH system administered by the Pennsylvania State Police. For both types of local documents, requests must be submitted through the Records Department. In-person requesters pay cash; mail requesters include a check or money order. The same identification and residency documentation requirements apply. Processing times vary and the department will notify the requester by phone, email, or mail when the document is ready for pickup or has been mailed.
Lancaster City Right-to-Know Requests
Formal Right-to-Know Law requests for records held by the City of Lancaster, including records maintained by the Bureau of Police, are governed by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104). Any person may submit a written RTK request to the City of Lancaster's designated Open Records Officer. The RTK process runs parallel to the Records Department's standard report request process, and the two systems serve different purposes. Routine records requests such as accident reports and incident reports are typically handled faster through the direct Records Department process, while formal RTK requests are appropriate for records that may be subject to review or that are not available through the standard counter request.
The City of Lancaster must respond to a written RTK request within five business days of receipt. The response may grant access to the requested records, deny the request with a written explanation citing specific statutory exemptions, request a 30-day extension for complex or voluminous requests, or redirect the requester to the agency that holds the records. Copy fees under the RTK Law are $0.25 per page for standard documents. A certification fee applies if you need a certified copy for official use. If the anticipated cost of fulfilling the request exceeds $100.00, the city may require a 50% prepayment before processing begins.
Certain categories of records are exempt from disclosure under Pennsylvania law. Investigative reports related to active or pending criminal cases, juvenile records, and certain personnel records are among the most commonly cited exemptions for police-related RTK requests. If your request is denied, you may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records within 15 business days of receiving the denial. The OOR is located at 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101. Phone: 717-346-9903. Online: openrecords.pa.gov. The OOR appeal process is free and can result in the city being required to release records if the denial is found to be legally improper.
PATCH and Statewide Criminal History
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system provides statewide conviction records for individuals with criminal history anywhere in Pennsylvania, including Lancaster City and Lancaster County. PATCH is administered by the Pennsylvania State Police and is accessible online at pa.gov/agencies/psp/programs/records-request/overview-of-patch. The fee is $22.00 per name search, and results for online requests are typically returned within minutes. PATCH is distinct from the local background check offered by the Lancaster City Bureau of Police, which covers only Lancaster City jurisdiction, while PATCH covers the entire state of Pennsylvania.
PATCH operates under the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. Under CHRIA, PATCH disclosures are limited to convictions and certain final dispositions. Non-conviction outcomes, dismissed charges, and records that have been expunged under Pennsylvania law are not included. PATCH also does not cover federal records or records from other states. For individuals who need comprehensive multi-jurisdiction screening, PATCH must be supplemented with requests to the FBI Identity History Summary system and potentially to other state repositories.
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police explicitly directs individuals needing statewide checks to the PATCH system at epatch.state.pa.us. This reinforces the critical distinction between what the local Bureau can provide, a Lancaster City-only local background check or Good Conduct Letter, and what the statewide PATCH system provides. For most employment, licensing, and volunteer screening purposes where a statewide check is required, PATCH is the correct tool. For purposes that specifically require documentation of conduct within Lancaster City, such as immigration applications or local employer requirements, the local background check or Good Conduct Letter from the Bureau of Police may be the more appropriate document.
Lancaster County Court Records
Court records for criminal and civil cases arising in Lancaster City and throughout Lancaster County are available through the Unified Judicial System Web Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free public tool provides name and docket number search functionality and returns docket sheets from the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and local magisterial district courts. Docket information includes charges filed, hearing dates, case status, bail information, and final dispositions. The UJS Portal requires no registration and is accessible at no cost for basic lookups, making it the recommended starting point for any Lancaster County court records search.
Magisterial district courts in Lancaster City handle preliminary arraignments, bail hearings, preliminary hearings, and summary offense proceedings. Cases advancing to the Court of Common Pleas level for felony and serious misdemeanor matters are held at the county courthouse. Both court levels are searchable through the UJS Portal. For certified copies of court records, which are necessary for legal proceedings, expungement petitions, professional licensing applications, and immigration documentation, you must contact the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts directly rather than downloading documents from the portal.
The Lancaster County Courthouse is located at 50 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602. The Clerk of Courts can assist with certified copy requests and will advise on fees based on document type and number of pages. Lancaster County also maintains a Prothonotary office for civil case filings and a Register of Wills office for estate matters. For individuals seeking records related to criminal cases that may also involve related civil proceedings, such as a protection from abuse order connected to a criminal charge, both the Clerk of Courts and the Prothonotary may hold relevant documentation. Confirming the docket number through the UJS Portal before visiting the courthouse will make certified copy requests more efficient.
Lancaster Crime Statistics
Crime statistics for Lancaster City are compiled through the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting system, administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Statewide UCR data, including annual crime figures reported by the Lancaster City Bureau of Police, is published at attorneygeneral.gov/pennsylvania-uniform-crime-reporting-system/. UCR statistics cover both violent crime categories including homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, and property crime categories including burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. These figures are reported annually and allow for year-over-year trend analysis and comparisons with similarly sized cities across Pennsylvania.
Lancaster City is a compact urban environment with a diverse and historically significant downtown that attracts significant tourist, business, and residential activity. The city's demographic composition, geographic density, and concentration of commercial activity all influence the nature and distribution of reported crime. UCR statistics represent only those incidents that were reported to and recorded by the police, so actual crime rates may differ from official figures. The Bureau of Police and city government work with community organizations and researchers to develop supplementary analyses that provide broader context for understanding public safety trends in Lancaster.
Residents interested in current crime patterns in specific Lancaster City neighborhoods can consult the Bureau of Police's official website for any published summaries or alerts, attend community meetings organized by the Bureau, or contact the department directly through the main records line at 717-735-6670. Community engagement remains one of the most effective tools for both understanding local crime trends and contributing to public safety by reporting suspicious activity and cooperating with police investigations.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of communities near Lancaster access police records through their own local departments and county offices. Select a city below to learn about police records and report requests in that area.