Scranton Police Records
Scranton is northeastern Pennsylvania's largest city and the seat of Lackawanna County, with a population of approximately 76,000 residents. The Scranton Police Department maintains a dedicated Records Unit responsible for incident reports, accident reports, dispatch records, and other police documentation. The Records Unit fulfills public and insurance company requests for records and supports various government agencies with official documentation. This guide covers all major pathways for obtaining Scranton police records, including Records Unit procedures, the department's online reporting portal, the public access policy governing which records can be released, Right-to-Know Law procedures, criminal history through PATCH, and court record access through Lackawanna County.
Scranton Quick Facts
Scranton Police Records Overview
The Scranton Police Department's Records Unit serves as the official repository for all incident and accident reports filed within the city. The Records Unit handles requests from members of the public, insurance companies, attorneys, and various government agencies. It also performs important administrative functions including compiling Uniform Crime Reporting statistics for submission to the Pennsylvania State Police UCR system and processing fingerprinting requests for residents who need official identification records. The unit additionally coordinates community programs including National Night Out and crime prevention outreach, making it a central hub of both administrative and community-facing functions within the department.
The online services portal at scrantonpa.gov/police-online-services/ provides digital access to several police functions including incident report requests, accident report requests, traffic ticket payment, UCR data access, and an anonymous tip submission system. This portal is particularly useful for residents who cannot visit the Records Unit in person during business hours or who need to initiate a request outside of office hours. However, it is important to understand that not all functions are available entirely online, and some requests will still require in-person follow-up or payment processing.
For residents with general questions about the Records Unit or its services, the Records Unit page is available at scrantonpa.gov/your-government/spd/records-unit/. The Records Unit operates during standard business hours, and staff can advise on which form of request is appropriate for your specific situation. Bringing all available information about the incident, including date, location, and any report number provided at the scene, will help staff locate the correct record efficiently.
How to Get a Scranton Police Report
The Scranton Police Records Unit sets standard fees for copies of police reports. An incident police report costs $25.00 per copy. However, if you were a victim of the crime described in the report, you may be entitled to receive a copy free of charge. Accident reports carry a separate fee of $15.00 per copy. Dispatch records, which capture radio communications and dispatch logs related to a specific call, are priced at $25.00 per request. These fees apply whether you are picking up in person or submitting a request by mail.
To request records in person, visit the Records Unit during business hours. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and any documentation you have about the incident, including the report number if one was provided. Payment is required at the time of pickup. For mail requests, send a written request that includes the incident date, location, names of parties involved, report number if known, and your full contact information. Mail requests must include the applicable fee in the form of a check or money order payable to the City of Scranton, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) so the department can return the completed report to you. The Records Unit page and online services portal at scrantonpa.gov/police-online-services/ provide updated contact details and any changes to procedures.
Under the department's Public Access Policy, requests are processed Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Chief of Police, a Captain, or an Administrative Lieutenant makes the determination as to whether a particular record qualifies as a public record subject to release. This internal review process means that not all requests are fulfilled immediately upon payment. Records involving active investigations, juvenile parties, or other exempt categories may require additional review or may be withheld entirely, with a written explanation provided to the requester.
Online Reporting in Scranton
The Scranton Police Department offers an online reporting option for certain minor, non-emergency incidents. The online reporting portal is available at scrantonpa.gov/your-government/spd/scranton-police-online-reporting/. Using this portal, residents can submit a report for qualifying incidents without visiting a police station. Once the submitted report is reviewed and approved by the department, the reporting party can print a free copy directly from the portal, which is useful for insurance or documentation purposes.
The online reporting system is specifically limited to minor, non-emergency incidents. It cannot be used for the following types of situations: crimes against persons (including assault, rape, robbery, threats, or domestic violence), violations of court orders, theft of firearms or motor vehicles, burglaries involving entry into structures, incidents involving injuries to any party, crimes that are still in progress, or situations where stolen or damaged property is valued at more than $1,000. If your situation falls into any of these categories, you must call 911 or contact the Scranton Police Department's non-emergency line at 570-348-4141 rather than using the online portal.
For questions about whether your incident qualifies for online reporting, or if you need assistance during the submission process, contact the department at 570-348-4134 or 570-348-4141. It is critical to understand that submitting a false police report is a criminal offense under Pennsylvania law. Knowingly providing false information on a police report subjects the filer to criminal prosecution regardless of the method used to submit the report, whether in person or through the online portal.
What Scranton Records Are Public
The Scranton Police Department's Public Access Policy, available as a PDF at scrantonpa.gov, outlines which categories of records are available to the public and which are withheld under Pennsylvania law. Not all police records qualify as public records. Understanding these distinctions before submitting a request can save time and help you identify the appropriate process for the records you need.
Records that are generally available to the public include basic incident report summaries, accident reports, and certain administrative records that do not fall within recognized exemptions. Records that are typically withheld include investigative reports related to ongoing or pending criminal investigations, which are explicitly exempt under the Right-to-Know Law. Criminal history information is not accessible through a standard RTK request, as it is governed instead by the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183, and must be requested through the PATCH system or appropriate court channels.
Juvenile records present a special category. Records involving individuals under 18 years of age are generally not available to the public under Pennsylvania's Juvenile Act. An exception exists when a juvenile has been transferred to adult court for criminal prosecution, in which case those proceedings are treated as adult records. If you believe a juvenile case was transferred and are seeking related records, you should contact the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas for guidance on record availability. The determination of whether a record is public is made by the Chief of Police, a Captain, or an Administrative Lieutenant at the time of each individual request.
Scranton Right-to-Know Requests
Formal Right-to-Know Law requests for Scranton Police Department records 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 Scranton's designated Open Records Officer. The city must respond to a written request within five business days. The response may grant access, deny the request with a written explanation, request a 30-day extension for complex requests, or redirect the request to a more appropriate agency.
RTK requests should identify the records sought with reasonable specificity and include the requester's contact information. The city does not require that you explain the reason for your request. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard documents. If the estimated cost exceeds $100.00, the city may require a prepayment of 50% before processing the request. Written requests may be submitted in person, by mail, or by email to the appropriate open records contact. For guidance on the correct submission address and format, consult the City of Scranton's official website or contact city hall directly.
If the Scranton Police Department or any other City of Scranton agency denies your RTK request in whole or in part, you have the right to appeal that denial to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR). Appeals must be filed 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 agency being ordered to release records if the denial is found to have been improper. Keep in mind that investigative records and criminal history information remain exempt even after an OOR appeal.
PATCH and Criminal Background Checks
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system provides statewide conviction records for individuals with criminal history originating anywhere in Pennsylvania, including Scranton and Lackawanna County. PATCH is administered by the Pennsylvania State Police and is available online at pa.gov/agencies/psp/programs/records-request/overview-of-patch. The fee for a PATCH search is $22.00 per name, and online results are typically returned within minutes of payment processing.
PATCH results are controlled by the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. This statute limits PATCH disclosures to convictions and certain final dispositions. Arrests not resulting in conviction, dismissed or withdrawn charges, and records successfully expunged under Pennsylvania law do not appear in standard PATCH results. A clear PATCH result therefore does not confirm that an individual has never been arrested, only that there is no conviction record available in the Pennsylvania statewide system.
PATCH is the appropriate tool for employers, landlords, licensing agencies, and volunteer organizations that need to screen individuals before hiring, housing, or appointment. Pennsylvania law imposes restrictions on how criminal history information obtained through PATCH may be used, particularly in employment decisions. Requesters must comply with CHRIA's requirements regarding permissible uses and prohibited discriminatory practices. If a broader background check is needed that includes records from other states or the federal system, separate requests to those repositories will be required in addition to a PATCH search.
Lackawanna County Court Records
Court records for criminal cases arising in Scranton and throughout Lackawanna County are available through the Unified Judicial System Web Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free public portal allows name and docket number searches and returns information from the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas and local magisterial district courts. Docket sheets available through the portal include charges, hearing dates, case status updates, and final dispositions including guilty pleas, verdicts, and sentences.
Magisterial district courts handle preliminary arraignments, preliminary hearings, and certain summary offense matters. For cases that advanced to the Court of Common Pleas for trial, arraignment, or sentencing, those records are held at the county courthouse level and are also searchable through the UJS Portal. Certified copies of court documents, which are necessary for legal proceedings, expungement petitions, professional licensing applications, and immigration matters, must be obtained directly from the Lackawanna County Clerk of Judicial Records rather than through the online portal.
The Lackawanna County Courthouse is located at 200 North Washington Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503. The Clerk of Judicial Records can assist with certified copy requests and will advise on applicable fees based on document type and page count. If you are seeking information about a civil case, small claims matter, or domestic relations proceeding rather than a criminal case, those records are also maintained by the Lackawanna County court system and accessible through similar channels at the courthouse. The UJS Portal search is the recommended starting point for any Lackawanna County court records inquiry before contacting the clerk's office for certified copies.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of cities near Scranton 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.