Montour County Police Records
Montour County is one of Pennsylvania's smallest counties by area and population, with roughly 18,000 residents living in north-central Pennsylvania. The county seat is Danville, a borough along the Susquehanna River. Despite its small size, Montour County maintains a complete set of criminal justice agencies that generate police records, arrest logs, incident reports, and court case files. This guide covers every major source of Montour County police records, including the Sheriff's Office, the Clerk of Courts, the Pennsylvania State Police Bloomsburg Station, and the statewide PATCH criminal history system, explaining how to request records from each through the appropriate channels.
Montour County was formed in 1850 from part of Columbia County, making it one of the newer Pennsylvania counties at the time of its creation. Today its small footprint means that law enforcement responsibilities are concentrated in just a few agencies. Danville Borough Police handles calls within the borough limits, while the Pennsylvania State Police cover the rural townships and unincorporated areas. The Montour County Sheriff handles civil process service, court security, and warrant-related duties. Each of these agencies generates records that may be relevant depending on the nature of your search. This page walks through each office, explains what records it maintains, and details how to make a formal request under Pennsylvania law.
Montour County Quick Facts
Montour County Police Records and RTK Law
Police records in Montour County are governed by two primary bodies of Pennsylvania law. The Right-to-Know Law, codified at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104, controls public access to government agency records including incident reports, arrest logs, and other documents generated by local law enforcement. The Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), found at 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183, separately controls access to criminal history data held by the courts and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Under the Right-to-Know Law, any person may submit a written request to a Pennsylvania agency for access to public records. The agency must respond within five business days, either granting access, denying access with a written explanation citing a specific exemption, or notifying the requester that a 30-day extension is needed. Copy fees are capped at $0.25 per page for standard paper copies. If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) at 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, or by contacting the OOR at 717-346-9903. The OOR website at openrecords.pa.gov provides appeal forms and guidance.
Not every document generated by a police agency is a public record. Active criminal investigation files, records that would identify confidential informants, and certain juvenile records are shielded from public disclosure. The agency's RTK officer is required to explain in writing which exemption applies to any withheld material. Knowing this framework before you submit a request can help you frame your inquiry correctly and understand what to expect in response.
The image below is from the Montour County official website, the central hub for county government services and contact information.
The county's official website provides links to department pages, including the Sheriff's Office and Clerk of Courts, where you can find contact information and instructions for records requests.
Sheriff's Office and Courts
The Montour County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency at the county level. The Sheriff is a constitutionally established office in Pennsylvania, responsible for civil process service, court security, warrant execution, and transportation of prisoners between jails and courthouses. The Sheriff's Office is located in the Montour County Courthouse in Danville. Contact the Sheriff's Office directly for current hours and specific records request procedures.
Civil records generated by the Sheriff include returns of service on civil complaints, writs of execution, and other court-ordered civil process documents. These records are public and can be requested from the Sheriff's Office. Warrant information is handled through the court system, and the Sheriff's Office can confirm whether an active warrant exists for a named individual in many cases.
The Montour County Court of Common Pleas sits in Danville and handles felony and misdemeanor criminal cases as well as civil litigation, family law, and other matters. The Court Administrator's office can direct you to the correct filing office for civil versus criminal records. For criminal court records specifically, the Clerk of Courts is the correct contact point, described in the next section.
Montour County's small size means that the courthouse and all county offices are located in close proximity in Danville. In-person visits are often the most efficient way to access records, though written requests by mail are also accepted. Always call ahead to confirm current hours, accepted payment methods for copy fees, and any appointment requirements before making a trip.
Clerk of Courts Criminal Records
The Montour County Clerk of Courts maintains all criminal case records for matters handled in the Court of Common Pleas. This includes felony cases, serious misdemeanor cases, and appeals from the Magisterial District Courts. Records held by the Clerk of Courts include criminal complaints, information sheets, plea agreements, sentencing orders, probation records, and related case documents. The Clerk of Courts office is located in the Montour County Courthouse in Danville.
Criminal history records held by the Clerk of Courts are subject to the Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. This law controls how and to whom criminal records can be disclosed. Conviction records are generally available to the public, while certain pre-conviction records and juvenile records have additional protections. Certified copies of criminal case records are available for a fee, which varies depending on the type and length of the document.
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System (UJS) Portal is a free online tool that provides public access to Montour County court dockets. You can search by name, docket number, or other identifiers and retrieve publicly available case information without visiting the courthouse. The portal covers criminal, civil, and traffic cases handled in the Montour County Court of Common Pleas as well as the Magisterial District Court level. This is often the fastest way to get an overview of someone's court history in Montour County.
Expunged records are removed from public access per court order and will not appear in the UJS Portal or in records provided by the Clerk of Courts. If you believe a record should exist but cannot find it, the court administrator can sometimes clarify whether an expungement may have occurred, though they cannot confirm the details of sealed records.
To request certified copies or other documents from the Clerk of Courts, contact the Montour County Courthouse in Danville. Staff can advise on required forms, applicable fees, and expected turnaround times. Written requests by mail are accepted, and you should include as much identifying information as possible, including the defendant's full name, date of birth, and the approximate date of the case if known.
Right-to-Know Requests
Montour County has a designated Right-to-Know officer responsible for handling formal public records requests submitted under 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104. To submit a Right-to-Know request to a Montour County agency, contact the county's open records officer through the Montour County Courthouse in Danville. The county's main contact number and office addresses are available on the Montour County official website.
A valid Right-to-Know request must be submitted in writing and must describe the records being sought with enough specificity for the agency to identify and locate them. You do not need to explain why you want the records or provide personal identification in most cases. The agency must respond within five business days. If the agency requests a 30-day extension, it must notify you in writing within the initial five-day window and provide a reason for the extension.
Copy fees under the Right-to-Know Law are $0.25 per page for standard paper copies. Electronic copies may be provided at no charge or at a lower rate if the records are maintained in electronic form and can be transmitted without significant cost to the agency. Always ask whether electronic delivery is available, as it can significantly reduce your costs for large records requests.
If your request is denied in whole or in part, you have 15 business days from the date of the denial to appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The OOR is located at 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA. You can reach the OOR at 717-346-9903 or file an appeal through the OOR website at openrecords.pa.gov. Appeals are reviewed by the OOR and a final determination is issued, which can itself be appealed to the Court of Common Pleas if necessary.
State Police Coverage
The Pennsylvania State Police provides primary law enforcement coverage for the rural townships and unincorporated areas of Montour County through the PSP Bloomsburg Station. The Bloomsburg Station is located in neighboring Columbia County and serves a multi-county area that includes much of Montour County outside of the borough of Danville. PSP troopers respond to incidents in these areas, generate incident reports, make arrests, and maintain records of their law enforcement activities.
PSP incident reports are state agency records, not county records. Requests for these reports must be submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police directly rather than to Montour County. You can submit a Right-to-Know request to the PSP through the PSP Records Request portal on the state's official website. Written requests can also be mailed to the PSP Office of Records at the address listed on that page.
Vehicle crash reports involving accidents investigated by PSP troopers in Montour County cost $22 and can be ordered through the PSP crash report request page. You will need information such as the date and location of the crash and the names of parties involved. Crash reports are typically available within a few weeks of the incident.
The PSP also maintains statewide crime statistics through cooperation with the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting system. Statewide UCR data, including crime counts for Montour County, is available through the Pennsylvania UCR website maintained by the Office of the Attorney General. These statistics provide a broader picture of crime trends in the county over time.
Note that PSP does not release records for ongoing active investigations. If a case is open, the relevant reports and case files will not be disclosed until the investigation is closed or charges are filed. Contact the PSP Bloomsburg Station directly to inquire about the status of a specific case before submitting a formal records request.
PATCH System
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system is the primary tool for obtaining a statewide criminal background check in Pennsylvania. Operated by the Pennsylvania State Police, PATCH allows individuals, employers, and others to request a criminal history record for a named individual. The fee for a PATCH search is $22 per request, and results are typically returned quickly for online submissions.
You can submit a PATCH request online through the PATCH overview page on the Pennsylvania government website. The search covers all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Montour County, and returns conviction records maintained in the state's criminal history database under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. Results include conviction records, guilty pleas, and sentences imposed by Pennsylvania courts.
It is important to understand what PATCH does not include. The system does not include arrest records that did not result in conviction, records that have been expunged by court order, federal criminal records, or records from other states. If you need a comprehensive criminal history check that goes beyond Pennsylvania convictions, you may need to submit additional requests to the FBI or to the criminal records agencies of other states where the subject may have lived or worked.
PATCH is commonly used by individuals who need to verify their own criminal history, by landlords and employers conducting background checks, and by volunteer organizations that work with children or vulnerable adults. Pennsylvania law requires certain categories of employees and volunteers to undergo a PATCH check as a condition of service. The results of a PATCH search are generally valid for one year for most licensing and employment purposes, though requirements vary by context.
Nearby Counties
Montour County is a small county bordered by several larger neighbors. If the records you need involve activity near county lines or you are researching someone who may have moved between counties, check these neighboring counties as well.