Lebanon County Police Records
Lebanon County is a mid-sized county in south-central Pennsylvania with a population of approximately 140,000 residents. The county seat and largest municipality is the city of Lebanon. The county is known for its agricultural heritage, close-knit communities, and proximity to Hershey, which straddles the border with Dauphin County. Police records in Lebanon County are generated and maintained by the Lebanon County Sheriff's Office, the Clerk of Courts, Lebanon City Police, various municipal departments, and the Pennsylvania State Police at the Lebanon Barracks. This guide explains how to access those records, what each agency holds, and how to submit formal records requests under Pennsylvania law.
Whether you are researching a specific criminal case, checking on warrant status, conducting a background check, or looking up a sex offender registration, this page walks through the relevant offices and online tools available to the public for Lebanon County records access.
Lebanon County Quick Facts
Lebanon County Police Records Access
Police records in Lebanon County are distributed across several agencies and offices. The nature of the record you need determines which agency you should contact. Criminal court records are held by the Clerk of Courts at the Lebanon County Courthouse. Warrant information is reflected in court dockets maintained by the courts and enforceable by the Sheriff. Incident reports and arrest logs from city incidents are held by Lebanon City Police. Records from incidents in rural, unincorporated areas are likely held by the Pennsylvania State Police Lebanon Barracks. A statewide criminal background check can be obtained through the PATCH system for any Pennsylvania county including Lebanon.
Lebanon County participates in Pennsylvania's statewide court filing systems, which means many criminal case records are searchable online through the UJS Portal. This free tool is often the fastest way to identify whether a criminal case exists and to find the docket number, which can then be used to request more detailed documents from the Clerk of Courts.
For records that are not available through court portals, formal written requests under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law are the appropriate mechanism. Each county agency and municipal police department has a designated Open Records Officer who processes these requests and must respond within five business days.
Lebanon County Sheriff
The Lebanon County Sheriff's Office is located at the Lebanon County Courthouse in the city of Lebanon. The Sheriff is an elected official responsible for civil process service, warrant enforcement, courthouse security, and firearms license administration. The office issues License to Carry Firearms permits to Lebanon County residents and maintains related application records subject to applicable privacy protections under state law.
Warrant enforcement is a key function of the Sheriff's Office. When courts issue bench warrants or arrest warrants in Lebanon County, the Sheriff's deputies are typically responsible for executing those warrants. The current status of warrants on specific criminal cases can often be found through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal, which reflects active warrants on court dockets.
Civil process records held by the Sheriff's Office document service of summonses, subpoenas, Protection from Abuse orders, and other civil enforcement documents. These records are generally available through a Right-to-Know request. The Sheriff's Office responds to RTKL requests within five business days and charges $0.25 per page for standard copies.
The Sheriff also manages the county jail in conjunction with other county officials. Inmate information and booking records may be available through the Sheriff or the county prison office. Checking with the Lebanon County Prison for current inmate status is recommended for active custody inquiries.
Clerk of Courts Criminal Records
The Lebanon County Clerk of Courts is the official custodian of criminal court records for cases prosecuted in the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas. The office is located at the Lebanon County Courthouse in Lebanon. The Clerk maintains criminal case files including charging documents, court motions, plea agreements, jury verdict records, sentencing orders, and related filings for adult criminal defendants.
Access to criminal court records in Lebanon County is governed by the Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. This law defines what criminal history information is publicly accessible and what must be restricted. Conviction records in adult criminal cases are generally public, while juvenile records, expunged records, and certain pre-trial materials may be withheld.
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System (UJS) Portal provides free online access to Lebanon County court dockets. You can search by defendant name or docket number and access summary case information, docket sheets, and available documents. The UJS Portal covers both Court of Common Pleas cases and Magisterial District Judge cases from Lebanon County. This is the best starting point for online criminal case research without visiting the courthouse.
For certified copies of specific court documents, contact the Clerk of Courts directly. Certification requires payment of the applicable fee in addition to the $0.25 per page copy charge. The Clerk's office can also confirm whether a record has been expunged or sealed, though the content of sealed records is unavailable to the public.
Individuals interested in researching Lebanon County criminal case history going back several years can use the UJS Portal for more recent filings, while older records may require in-person visits to the courthouse. The Clerk's office staff can assist in locating older records stored in archival formats.
Right-to-Know Requests in Lebanon County
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 establishes the public's right to access records held by government agencies including Lebanon County offices, municipal police departments, and the Sheriff's Office. Lebanon County has a designated Open Records Officer who receives and processes formal RTKL requests directed to county-level agencies.
To submit a Right-to-Know request to a Lebanon County agency, submit a written request clearly identifying the records sought. Include your name and a way for the agency to respond to you. Requests may be submitted by mail, in person, or by email if the agency accepts electronic submissions. Upon receipt, the agency must respond within five business days.
The response window may result in the agency providing the records, denying the request with a written explanation citing a specific legal exemption, or requesting a 30-day extension for particularly complex or voluminous requests. The agency must always acknowledge receipt and give you a timeline for any delayed response.
Copy fees are set at $0.25 per page for standard paper copies. Electronic records provided via email or electronic media may have different fee structures depending on the specific agency's policies. Always ask about fee estimates before submitting a request if the scope is large.
Denied requests can be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA, phone 717-346-9903, website openrecords.pa.gov. Appeals must be filed within 15 business days of the denial. The Office of Open Records provides a neutral review of the denial and can order the agency to release records if the denial is found to be improper.
For records from Lebanon City Police or other municipal departments, each department has its own Open Records Officer. Requests for those records must be directed to the individual department, not to the county's Open Records Officer.
Pennsylvania State Police Coverage in Lebanon County
The Pennsylvania State Police Lebanon Barracks provides law enforcement coverage for rural and unincorporated areas of Lebanon County that are not served by a local municipal police department. In these areas, PSP is the primary responding agency, and all incident reports and arrests handled by PSP are state agency records rather than county or municipal records.
Requests for PSP incident reports from the Lebanon Barracks must be submitted through the PSP records request process, not through Lebanon County's records office. The PSP operates its own Right-to-Know process for state agency records. Vehicle crash reports investigated by PSP officers cost $22 and can be ordered online through the PSP crash report request page.
PSP also patrols portions of Lebanon County's main highways and may respond to incidents in areas that technically have a local police department but where the local department requests mutual aid or backup. In those cases, the responding agency's records office would hold the report. If you are unsure which agency responded to a specific incident, the court docket number associated with any resulting charges can help identify the filing law enforcement agency.
Crime statistics for Lebanon County, broken down by municipality and offense type, are available through the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Uniform Crime Reporting system at the UCR website. This data is published annually and provides context for understanding crime patterns within the county.
PATCH Criminal History Checks
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system is the official statewide tool for obtaining a Pennsylvania criminal background check. Managed by the Pennsylvania State Police under the authority of 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183, PATCH searches return conviction records from all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Lebanon. The fee is $22 per search, and online requests are typically processed quickly.
To submit a PATCH request, visit the PATCH overview page on the Pennsylvania government website. You will need the full legal name and date of birth of the person being searched. PATCH is widely used by employers conducting pre-employment background checks, licensing boards verifying applicant histories, landlords screening prospective tenants, and individuals verifying their own record.
PATCH results show only Pennsylvania conviction records. Arrests that did not result in conviction, charges that were dismissed or withdrawn, and records that have been expunged by court order do not appear in PATCH results. Federal convictions and convictions from other states are not included. For comprehensive background checks that require multi-state or federal data, additional searches through the FBI or relevant out-of-state agencies are necessary.
Individuals who believe their PATCH record contains an inaccuracy or outdated information may file a challenge with the Pennsylvania State Police. Supporting documentation from the relevant court, such as a certified copy of a dismissal order or expungement order, should accompany the challenge. The PSP will review the documentation and correct the record if the challenge is supported by valid court documents.
Sex Offender Registry in Lebanon County
Pennsylvania's Megan's Law registry is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police and is freely accessible to the public through the Pennsylvania Megan's Law website. The registry allows searches by offender name, address, municipality, zip code, or geographic radius. Results include offender photographs where available, current registered addresses, and information about the offense type that triggered the registration requirement.
Sex offenders who live, work, or attend school in Lebanon County are required to register with the Pennsylvania State Police at the Lebanon Barracks. The frequency and duration of registration requirements depend on the offender's tier classification under Subchapter H of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Tier I offenders register annually for 15 years, Tier II offenders register semi-annually for 25 years, and Tier III offenders register quarterly for life.
The Megan's Law website is the official public resource for sex offender registry information and is updated regularly. Employers, schools, community organizations, and residents can use this tool to research registered offenders in specific locations within Lebanon County. If you have questions about a specific registration or compliance matter, contact the Pennsylvania State Police Lebanon Barracks directly.
Nearby Counties
Lebanon County is located in south-central Pennsylvania and borders several neighboring counties. If the records you need involve activity near county lines or in a bordering jurisdiction, check these adjacent counties as well.