Cumberland County Police Records Search
Cumberland County lies in south-central Pennsylvania, just west of Harrisburg across the Susquehanna River. About 265,000 people live here, and the county seat is Carlisle. Police records in Cumberland County span arrest logs, criminal court filings, incident reports, and civil records held across several county offices. The Cumberland County Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, and Public Safety office each manage different types of public safety data. Pennsylvania State Police also patrol rural parts of the county. This page explains how to find Cumberland County police records using local offices, the state PATCH system, and online tools open to the public.
Cumberland County Quick Facts
Cumberland County Sheriff Records
The Cumberland County Sheriff's office handles a wide range of duties tied to public safety and law enforcement support. Core responsibilities include service and enforcement of court orders, writs, and warrants. The office also manages real estate sales, firearms license processing for concealed carry permits, and court security operations.
The Sheriff's office processes licenses to carry firearms, applications to sell firearms, and precious metals dealer permits. Prisoner transport is another function managed here. Deputies also enforce the Pennsylvania Crimes Code and Vehicle Code throughout the county.
The image below is from the Cumberland County official website, which provides links to Sheriff services and contact details.
The county website at ccpa.net is the central hub for locating all Sheriff-related information, forms, and service details.
Online payment is accepted by the Sheriff's office for certain fees using credit or debit cards, though a convenience fee applies. Visit the Cumberland County Sheriff page for current hours, contact numbers, and details on all services offered. Submitting records requests in writing is always the safest approach to ensure a proper paper trail under 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104.
Cumberland County Clerk of Courts Criminal Records
The Cumberland County Clerk of Courts serves as the official record keeper for the Criminal Division. All criminal court documents filed in Cumberland County go through this office. That includes complaints, charging documents, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and appeal filings.
Most records held by the Clerk of Courts are open for public view. Juvenile records are excluded from public access under state law. If you need a certified copy of a criminal case file, you can request it in person or submit a written request to the office. Fees apply for copies and certifications.
The image below comes from the Cumberland County Clerk of Courts page, showing how the office manages criminal court filings.
The Clerk of Courts also handles online payments for court fines and costs through the county website. This makes it easy to resolve certain financial obligations without visiting the courthouse in person.
Criminal history records maintained by this office fall under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183, the Criminal History Record Information Act. CHRIA governs who may access certain types of criminal record data and under what conditions. For court docket lookups at no cost, the Pennsylvania UJS Portal provides free online access to case records across all 67 counties.
Note: Records sealed or expunged by court order are not available through the public docket system.
Cumberland County Public Safety Office
Cumberland County Public Safety is located at 1 Public Safety Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013. The main phone number is 717-218-2900. You can also reach the office toll-free at 888-697-0371, extension 2900. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This office manages the county's 800 MHz public safety radio system. That system supports communications for law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services across the county. Reliable radio communications are essential for coordinated public safety response.
The image below is from the Cumberland County Public Safety page, which details the radio system and other emergency management functions.
Public Safety records related to emergency dispatch logs and incident reports may be requested through the county's Right-to-Know process. Some dispatch records are subject to exemptions under Pennsylvania law, particularly those tied to active investigations or ongoing emergency operations.
Note: Not all 911 dispatch recordings are releasable under the RTKL without a court order. Contact the RTK officer for guidance on specific requests.
Cumberland County Police Records Right-to-Know Process
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, codified at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104, gives residents the right to request public records from government agencies. Cumberland County has a designated Right-to-Know officer who handles formal requests submitted to county offices. Agencies must respond within five business days of receiving a request.
Responses may grant access, deny access, or request a 30-day extension with written notice. Standard copy fees are set at $0.25 per page for paper copies. Electronic records may be provided at no charge in some cases. If a request is denied, you may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov or by calling 717-346-9903.
Police incident reports are among the most commonly requested records. However, reports connected to active criminal investigations are typically withheld until the investigation concludes. Similarly, information that could identify confidential informants or compromise witness safety may be redacted before release.
Some records that are frequently available through RTK requests in Cumberland County include names and titles of public employees, salary information, general operational policies, and completed incident reports from closed cases. Requests may be submitted in writing to the appropriate county office or directly to the Pennsylvania State Police for state agency records.
PATCH System for Cumberland County Criminal History
Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History, known as PATCH, is the statewide system for requesting criminal background checks through the Pennsylvania State Police. The fee is $22 per search. PATCH covers all Pennsylvania counties, including Cumberland, and returns conviction data maintained under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183.
Requests can be submitted online through the PATCH overview page. The system searches by name and date of birth and returns any Pennsylvania convictions on file. Results are typically returned quickly for online submissions. PATCH is widely used by individuals who need to confirm their own record or provide proof of a clean history for various personal purposes.
Keep in mind that PATCH returns conviction data only. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction do not appear in PATCH results. Federal records and records from other states are also not included. For a more complete history, separate requests to federal systems or other state databases would be needed.
Pennsylvania State Police Coverage in Cumberland County
The Pennsylvania State Police patrol rural and unincorporated areas of Cumberland County not covered by local municipal police. Carlisle has its own borough police department. Smaller townships rely on PSP for law enforcement coverage.
PSP records from Cumberland County barracks are state agency records. Requests for incident reports go through the PSP Records Request portal. You can also submit a formal Right-to-Know request to PSP using the PSP RTK request page.
Vehicle crash reports from PSP cost $22. You can order them through the crash report request page on the state website. Crash reports are separate from criminal incident reports and follow a different request process.
For sex offender information in Cumberland County, the Pennsylvania Megan's Law website provides a free public search tool. You can search by name, zip code, or address to locate registered offenders in any part of the county.
Crime statistics for Cumberland County are compiled and reported through the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System, maintained by the Office of the Attorney General. This resource provides annual data on offenses reported by law enforcement agencies statewide.
Nearby Counties
Cumberland County shares borders with several neighboring counties. If the records you need involve activity near a county line, check these adjacent counties as well.