Upper Darby Police Records
Upper Darby is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with a population of approximately 85,000 residents, making it one of the most densely populated municipalities in the state outside of Philadelphia. The Upper Darby Police Department maintains records of all incidents, accidents, arrests, and other law enforcement activity within township boundaries. Upper Darby manages police records requests through an open records process that includes an online submission portal, a paper request option, and separate procedures for police recordings under Act 22 of 2017. This guide covers how to obtain an incident report, how to submit a Right-to-Know request, how Act 22 applies to body camera footage, how to use PATCH for criminal history, and where to find Delaware County court records.
Upper Darby Quick Facts
Upper Darby Police Records Overview
The Upper Darby Police Department operates as the law enforcement agency for Upper Darby Township in Delaware County. The department maintains records of all police activity within the township, including incident reports, accident reports, arrest records, and related documentation. Upper Darby's approach to public records access reflects the requirements of Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104) and includes both online and traditional paper-based submission options to accommodate residents and requesters across different circumstances.
The township's open records process is described at upperdarby.org/RightToKnow. This page provides the online request portal, explains the paper request option using the Pennsylvania Standard RTK form, and describes the fees, timelines, and appeal rights associated with formal records requests. Upper Darby processes all RTK requests in the order they are received, which means that high-volume periods may affect how quickly your request is addressed within the five-business-day window required by state law.
The police Records office maintains incident reports and related documents that are available to eligible requesters. The Records office and the township's Open Records Officer handle two different categories of requests: direct report requests are handled through the Records office for standard incident reports, while formal RTK requests go to the Open Records Officer at Township Hall. Understanding which pathway applies to your situation will help you get the right records through the correct channel as efficiently as possible.
How to Get an Upper Darby Police Report
Copies of police incident reports from the Upper Darby Police Department are available from the police Records office. The Records office is located at 7236 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA 19082. The fee for each incident report copy is $15.00. Only checks or money orders are accepted as payment at the Records office. Cash and credit cards are not accepted. Make checks or money orders payable to Upper Darby Township.
When requesting a report in person, bring valid photo identification and any information you have about the incident, including the report number, the date and location of the incident, and the names of individuals involved. Having a report number speeds up the retrieval process significantly. If you do not have a report number, the Records office may be able to locate the report using other identifying information, but this can take additional time.
Mail requests for incident reports are also accepted. To request by mail, send a written request that includes your full name, mailing address, the report number if available, and identifying details about the incident (date, location, names of parties involved). Include a check or money order for $15.00 made payable to Upper Darby Township, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope so the office can return the report to you. Mail your request to: Upper Darby Police Department, Records Office, 7236 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA 19082. Requests missing required information or payment will not be processed until the deficiency is corrected.
Accident reports are available through the same Records office. If you were involved in a traffic accident in Upper Darby and need a copy of the crash report, contact the Records office to confirm that the report has been completed and filed. Accident reports are typically available approximately seven days after the incident. When requesting an accident report without a report number, provide the name of an involved driver, the date of the accident, and the location. This information will help the Records office search for the correct report in their system.
Upper Darby Right-to-Know Requests
Formal Right-to-Know Law requests for records held by Upper Darby Township, including records held by the Police Department, are submitted to the Township's Open Records Officer. The preferred method for submitting RTK requests is through the online portal described at upperdarby.org/RightToKnow. The online form allows you to submit your request electronically and receive a confirmation that the township has received it. This creates a verifiable submission record that can be useful if there are any questions about the request's receipt or the response timeline.
For requesters who prefer not to use the online portal, the Pennsylvania Standard Right-to-Know Law form can be used instead. Non-online requests should be delivered to: Upper Darby Township Open Records Officer, 100 Garrett Road, Room 104, Upper Darby, PA 19082. You may deliver the request in person during office hours or send it by mail. The five-business-day response period begins when the Open Records Officer receives the request, so keep a record of when and how you submitted it.
Under state law, the township must respond within five business days of receipt. The response may grant full access, deny the request with a written explanation citing the applicable exemption, request a 30-day extension, or redirect the request to another agency if the township does not hold the records in question. If no response is issued within five business days and no extension has been granted in writing, the request is deemed denied by operation of law. A deemed denial gives you the right to proceed directly to the appeal process.
Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard paper copies. If the total estimated cost of fulfilling your request exceeds $100.00, the township may require prepayment before processing begins. In that case, the Open Records Officer will notify you of the anticipated fee and ask for payment before proceeding. Postage is charged at actual cost when records are mailed to you. If your request is denied or if you receive a partial denial, you may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) at 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101, phone 717-346-9903, website openrecords.pa.gov, within 15 business days of the denial.
Police Recordings and Act 22 in Upper Darby
Audio and video recordings made by law enforcement, including body camera footage, dashboard camera recordings, and other recordings made in the course of police activity, are governed by Pennsylvania Act 22 of 2017, not by the Right-to-Know Law. This is an important distinction: if you want to request body camera footage or other law enforcement audio-visual recordings from the Upper Darby Police Department, you must submit a request under Act 22 rather than a standard RTK request. Submitting your request under the wrong framework may result in a denial or a redirection that delays access to the recordings you are seeking.
Under Act 22, the Upper Darby Police Department has 30 calendar days to respond to a recording request. This is longer than the five-business-day window that applies to standard RTK requests, reflecting the additional time that may be needed to review audio-visual recordings for protected content before release. The requester and the agency may agree to extend this deadline by mutual consent if additional time is needed, for example, if the requested recordings are voluminous or require complex review.
Access to recordings under Act 22 is not automatic. The law establishes a balancing test that weighs the public interest in access against privacy interests, the safety of individuals depicted in the recordings, and the potential effect on ongoing investigations. Recordings that contain footage of victims, juveniles, or other protected individuals may be partially or fully withheld. Recordings related to ongoing criminal investigations are typically withheld until the investigation is resolved. When a recording is withheld, the department must provide a written explanation identifying the basis for the decision.
For questions about how to submit a recording request under Act 22, contact the Upper Darby Township Open Records Officer at 100 Garrett Road, Room 104, Upper Darby, PA 19082. The Open Records Officer can advise you on the correct form and submission process and can explain what information you will need to provide in order for the department to identify and retrieve the recordings you are seeking.
PATCH and Criminal History
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system provides statewide conviction records for individuals with Pennsylvania criminal history, including records originating in Upper Darby and Delaware County. The fee for each PATCH search is $22. Access PATCH online at pa.gov/agencies/psp/programs/records-request/overview-of-patch. Online search results are typically returned within minutes of submission, making PATCH the fastest and most accessible option for Pennsylvania criminal history searches.
PATCH is governed by the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. Results include convictions and certain other final dispositions maintained in the Pennsylvania State Police's criminal history database. Arrests without convictions, charges that were dismissed before adjudication, and records expunged pursuant to a court order are not included in PATCH results. Federal criminal records and records from other states are also outside the scope of a PATCH search.
The Pennsylvania Megan's Law sex offender registry is maintained separately from PATCH and is available at pameganslaw.state.pa.us. This registry allows searches by name and geographic location and is updated as registered individuals report changes in their status. It covers individuals required to register under Pennsylvania's Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) and is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police.
If your background check needs extend beyond Pennsylvania, you may need to submit requests to the FBI or to criminal history repositories in other states. Employers and landlords conducting background checks in Upper Darby should also ensure compliance with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and any other applicable laws governing the use of criminal history information in employment and housing decisions.
Delaware County Court Records
Criminal court records for cases originating in Upper Darby and throughout Delaware County are available through the Unified Judicial System Web Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free public tool allows anyone to search by name or docket number and access case information from the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Courts serving Upper Darby and surrounding municipalities. The portal covers misdemeanor-level cases heard by district judges as well as felony-level cases handled by the Court of Common Pleas.
The UJS Portal provides docket sheets showing charges filed, case status, scheduled hearings, and final dispositions at no cost for standard public lookups. Certified copies of court documents, required for legal proceedings, expungement petitions, professional licensing, and immigration matters, must be obtained from the Delaware County Clerk of Courts. The Clerk of Courts is located at the Delaware County Courthouse, 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063.
The Delaware County Open Records Portal, available at delcopa.gov/open-records, handles records requests for records held by county-level agencies, including the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, county administrative offices, and other county departments. This is distinct from the Upper Darby Township RTK process, which handles records held by the township itself, including the Police Department. If you are unsure whether the records you need are held by the township or by the county, starting with a call to either the township Open Records Officer or the county open records office can help you identify the correct custodian.
Upper Darby Crime and Safety Data
Crime statistics for Upper Darby are compiled through the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting system administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Statewide UCR data, including Upper Darby's reported figures, is published at attorneygeneral.gov/pennsylvania-uniform-crime-reporting-system/. The UCR system aggregates crime data from all participating law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania in standardized categories, allowing for year-over-year and cross-jurisdiction comparisons that can help residents understand how crime patterns in Upper Darby compare to those in other municipalities of similar size and demographic composition.
The Upper Darby Police Department and the Township may publish local crime summaries, incident reports, and public safety bulletins through the township's official website and through community communications. These local publications can provide more specific information about crime patterns within Upper Darby's neighborhoods and districts than the statewide UCR summary, and they may include information about specific initiatives, enforcement priorities, or community programs that the department is pursuing in response to observed trends.
Upper Darby's density and proximity to Philadelphia make it a municipality where crime data can reflect both localized community dynamics and broader regional trends affecting the Delaware Valley. Official statistics reflect reported incidents only. Crimes that are not reported to the Police Department do not appear in official statistics, meaning that the true extent of criminal activity in any jurisdiction is likely higher than what the official figures show. Residents concerned about public safety trends in Upper Darby can also consult Delaware County government publications, the Pennsylvania State Police annual crime reports, and research published by civic and academic organizations focused on the greater Philadelphia region.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of communities near Upper Darby 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.