Dauphin County Police Records Guide
Dauphin County is home to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. About 294,000 people live in the county. Being the state capital gives Dauphin County a unique position in Pennsylvania law enforcement. The Pennsylvania State Police headquarters sits at 1800 Elmerton Avenue in Harrisburg. County courts, the District Attorney's office, and local police departments all generate records that fall under Pennsylvania's open records laws. This guide covers how to find Dauphin County police records through local offices, court systems, and statewide tools available to any member of the public.
Dauphin County Quick Facts
Dauphin County Courts and Police Records
The Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas is located in Harrisburg. Court hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The courthouse is committed to equal access and fair treatment for all who need court services. Criminal, civil, and family court matters are all handled here.
The image below is sourced from the Dauphin County Courts page, which outlines services, hours, and contact information for each division.
The Clerk of Courts maintains all criminal case files for the county. Records include charging documents, plea agreements, court orders, and sentencing information. These records are governed under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183, the Criminal History Record Information Act, which sets rules for who may access criminal record data and how it may be used.
For free online access to Dauphin County court dockets, use the Pennsylvania UJS Portal. You can search by name or case number and review publicly available criminal, civil, and traffic case information without visiting the courthouse. Juvenile records and sealed cases are not available through the public portal.
Note: If a case has been expunged, it will not appear in any public court search system.
Dauphin County District Attorney Records
District Attorney Francis T. Chardo leads the Dauphin County DA's office. The office is located at 101 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101. You can reach them by phone at (717) 780-6733 or by email at fchardo@dauphincounty.gov.
The DA's office handles all criminal prosecutions in Dauphin County. This includes cases referred by local police departments, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, the Dauphin County Sheriff, and the Pennsylvania State Police. One notable function of the DA's office is the investigation of officer-involved crashes, which are handled with particular scrutiny to ensure impartial review.
Records from active prosecutions are generally protected from public disclosure while a case is pending. Once a case concludes, court records become part of the public docket accessible through the Clerk of Courts or the UJS Portal. The DA's office does not typically release investigative files directly to the public, but some records may be obtained through formal Right-to-Know requests governed by 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104.
Dauphin County Police Records and the State Capital
Harrisburg's status as the state capital means more law enforcement agencies operate here than in most Pennsylvania counties. The Harrisburg Bureau of Police covers the city. Dauphin County Sheriff deputies provide law enforcement support across the county. PSP headquarters is here as well, giving Dauphin County direct proximity to the state's central law enforcement command.
The image below is from the Dauphin County official website, which provides links to all county departments, including law enforcement and public records offices.
The county website at dauphincounty.gov is the best starting point for locating contact information for any county office. Each department page lists hours, addresses, phone numbers, and available services. For records related to state agencies housed in Harrisburg, requests go directly to those agencies through their own RTK processes.
The Pennsylvania State Police main office at 1800 Elmerton Avenue handles statewide policy and administrative records. For PSP incident reports from any barracks, use the PSP Records Request portal. For Right-to-Know requests specifically directed to PSP, use the PSP RTK request page.
Dauphin County Right-to-Know Requests
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 gives the public the right to request records from government agencies. Dauphin County has a designated RTK officer to handle formal requests submitted to county offices. Written requests must receive a response within five business days.
Possible responses include granting access, denying access with written reasons, or requesting a 30-day extension. If a request is denied, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov or by calling 717-346-9903. The OOR provides free appeal review and can order an agency to release records if the denial was improper.
Records commonly available through RTK requests in Dauphin County include completed incident reports from closed investigations, employee salary and title information, and general department policies. Records tied to ongoing investigations, juvenile matters, and certain personal information may be withheld. Copy fees are set at $0.25 per page under Pennsylvania law.
PATCH Criminal Background Checks for Dauphin County
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History system, PATCH, allows anyone to request a statewide criminal background check through the Pennsylvania State Police. The fee is $22 per search. The system covers all of Pennsylvania, including Dauphin County, and returns conviction records maintained under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183.
Submit a PATCH request online through the PATCH overview page. Searches are performed by name and date of birth. Results are typically returned quickly. PATCH is available to individuals who want to check their own record.
PATCH returns conviction records only. Arrests that did not lead to conviction are not shown. Records from other states and federal systems are also excluded. For a broader background check, additional requests to other systems would be necessary.
Note: PATCH does not include juvenile adjudications, expunged records, or pardoned offenses that have been removed from the public record.
Dauphin County Arrest Records and Sex Offender Data
Arrest records in Dauphin County may originate from several different agencies. The Harrisburg Bureau of Police, local municipal departments, the Dauphin County Sheriff, or the Pennsylvania State Police may each generate arrest records depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances of an incident.
Each agency maintains its own incident logs and arrest records. To obtain records from a specific agency, contact that agency directly. Many agencies require a written records request. Active investigation files are typically exempt from release under both the RTKL and CHRIA.
For sex offender registry information, the Pennsylvania Megan's Law website provides a free public search tool. You can search by name, zip code, or address to find registered offenders in Harrisburg or anywhere in Dauphin County. Registration information includes offender photos, addresses, and offense descriptions where available.
Crime statistics across Dauphin County are compiled through the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System. This database provides annual data on offenses reported by law enforcement agencies throughout the state, broken down by county and municipality.
Nearby Counties
Dauphin County borders several counties across south-central Pennsylvania. If your records search involves incidents near county lines, check these neighboring counties as well.