Westmoreland County Police Records
Westmoreland County is one of the larger counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, with a population of approximately 355,000 residents. The county seat is Greensburg, and the county lies just east of Allegheny County, making it part of the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan region. Westmoreland County contains a large number of municipalities with their own police departments, including Greensburg City Police, the Monessen Police Department, the New Kensington Police Department, and dozens of other borough and township agencies. The Pennsylvania State Police maintain barracks at Greensburg and Belle Vernon to serve rural and unincorporated areas.
Police records in Westmoreland County originate from a broad network of agencies. Understanding which department responded to a given incident is the key to knowing where to direct a records request. This guide covers the Sheriff's Office, the Clerk of Courts, the Prothonotary, municipal departments, and the PATCH system for statewide criminal history checks.
The image below is from the Westmoreland County official website, which lists county departments, services, and contact information for records access.
The Westmoreland County website provides a directory of all county offices, including the Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, and Prothonotary, each of which maintains distinct categories of public records.
Westmoreland County Quick Facts
Westmoreland County Police Records Overview
Westmoreland County's police records environment reflects its mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas. Cities like Greensburg and New Kensington have their own police forces that handle calls within city limits. Suburban municipalities across Peters Township, Murrysville, and Penn Township have their own municipal departments. More rural areas in the eastern and southern parts of the county rely on the Pennsylvania State Police at the Greensburg and Belle Vernon Barracks.
Police records are public records in Pennsylvania under the Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104, subject to specific exemptions. Criminal history records are additionally governed by CHRIA at 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183, which restricts access to certain categories of criminal history data. Conviction records are generally available to the public, while arrest records that did not lead to conviction may be restricted.
The Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg houses several offices that hold records relevant to police and court activity. The Clerk of Courts handles criminal court files, the Prothonotary handles civil court filings, and the Sheriff handles civil process and warrant records. Each office operates independently and has its own records access procedures.
For free online searches, the UJS Portal provides docket-level access to Westmoreland County criminal cases handled in the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. Annual crime statistics for Westmoreland County municipalities are available through the Pennsylvania UCR system maintained by the Attorney General's office.
Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office
The Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office is located at 2 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. The Sheriff's Office performs civil process service, warrant execution, courthouse security, and operates the county jail transport program. The Sheriff is the county's chief law enforcement officer and plays an important role in executing court orders and maintaining county security functions.
Civil process records from the Sheriff's Office are public records and can be requested through a written Right-to-Know request. These records include writs of execution, served summonses, and other documents related to civil court orders that the Sheriff has been directed to serve. Civil process records can be important when researching judgments, liens, or enforcement actions involving specific individuals or properties in Westmoreland County.
The Sheriff's Office also maintains warrant information and can confirm whether an active warrant has been issued for an individual in Westmoreland County. Warrants issued by the Court of Common Pleas are also reflected in docket records on the UJS Portal. The Sheriff's Office works with municipal police departments and PSP to execute warrants throughout the county.
The image below is from the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office page, which outlines the office's responsibilities and contact information.
The Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office at 2 North Main Street is open during regular business hours and can be contacted by phone for general inquiries about warrant status and civil process records.
The Sheriff's Office administers the concealed carry permit program for Westmoreland County. These permits are not public records in Pennsylvania, but the Sheriff maintains records of active permits for internal and law enforcement use. Residents seeking to apply for or renew a concealed carry permit can do so through the Sheriff's Office at the same Greensburg address.
Clerk of Courts Criminal Records
The Westmoreland County Clerk of Courts is located at 2 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. The Clerk maintains official records for all adult criminal cases processed in the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. These records include criminal complaints, formal charges, plea agreements, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and post-sentence documents such as probation conditions and parole correspondence filed with the court.
To access criminal court records, visit the Clerk of Courts office in person during regular business hours or submit a written request by mail. Staff can locate case files by docket number or defendant name. Certified copies of court documents are available for a fee, and uncertified copies are available at a lower rate. The Clerk's office can confirm current case status, scheduled court dates, and disposition information.
The image below is from the Westmoreland County Clerk of Courts page, which provides contact details and information on obtaining criminal court records.
The Clerk of Courts office maintains a complete archive of criminal case filings for Westmoreland County, making it the definitive source for official court records involving criminal matters.
The UJS Portal provides free online access to Westmoreland County criminal dockets. You can search by name, docket number, or date range to find public case information without visiting the courthouse. The portal covers both Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court cases and is updated regularly as case events occur.
Criminal records are governed by CHRIA at 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. Expunged records are sealed and will not appear in Clerk of Courts searches or on the UJS Portal. Records related to arrests that did not result in conviction may also be restricted. The Clerk's office will advise on what is and is not available in response to a specific request.
Right-to-Know Requests
Westmoreland County is subject to Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104. Each county agency designates a Right-to-Know officer who handles public records requests. The county government offices are located at 2 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. Written Right-to-Know requests for county agency records should be directed to the appropriate agency's RTK officer at this address or as specified on the county website.
For records held by the Prothonotary's office, which covers civil court filings, submit your request to the Prothonotary directly. The image below is from the Westmoreland County Prothonotary page, which provides details on obtaining civil court records including judgments, liens, and civil case dockets.
The Prothonotary's office manages civil case filings that are separate from criminal records but may include civil judgments, protection from abuse orders, and other records relevant to law enforcement activity.
For records held by individual municipal police departments in Westmoreland County, submit your request directly to that department. Each municipality is separately subject to the RTKL and designates its own RTK officer. Contact the specific department to identify the correct officer and submission method before sending a request.
For PSP records from the Greensburg or Belle Vernon Barracks, submit your request through the PSP Records Request portal. PSP is a state agency and handles its own RTK requests separately from the county government.
Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard paper copies under the RTKL. Electronic records may be provided at no charge. Agencies must respond within five business days. Denied requests can be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101, phone 717-346-9903, website openrecords.pa.gov.
Municipal Police Departments
Westmoreland County has one of the largest concentrations of municipal police departments in southwestern Pennsylvania. Cities, boroughs, and townships throughout the county operate their own police forces, each generating independent records of local law enforcement activity. The scope and scale of these departments varies widely, from full-service city departments in Greensburg and New Kensington to smaller borough departments with fewer officers.
Greensburg City Police serves the county seat and handles patrol, investigations, and emergency response within city limits. Records from Greensburg City Police are available through a written Right-to-Know request to the department. The department contributes data to the statewide UCR system, and aggregate crime statistics for Greensburg can be reviewed on the Attorney General's UCR page.
The Monessen Police Department serves the city of Monessen in the Monongahela River valley portion of the county. The New Kensington Police Department serves the city of New Kensington in the northern part of Westmoreland County. Both departments maintain their own arrest logs and incident reports, which can be obtained through direct RTK requests to the respective agencies.
Suburban departments in municipalities such as Penn Township, Hempfield Township, Murrysville, and Unity Township also generate significant volumes of police records given the population density in those areas. When searching for records involving activity in a specific area of Westmoreland County, identifying the correct municipal police department is essential before submitting a records request.
For areas without municipal police coverage, the Pennsylvania State Police at the Greensburg Barracks (serving the eastern and central parts of the county) and the Belle Vernon Barracks (serving the southern parts near the Fayette County border) handle all patrol responsibilities. PSP records from these barracks must be requested through the PSP records system rather than the county.
PATCH System for Criminal History
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system provides statewide criminal background check services through the Pennsylvania State Police. PATCH searches cover all Pennsylvania counties, including Westmoreland County, and return certified conviction records maintained under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9101-9183. The cost is $22 per name searched.
Submit a PATCH request online through the PATCH overview page. The search requires the subject's full legal name and date of birth. Results are typically returned quickly for online submissions. PATCH results include Pennsylvania conviction records only and do not include arrests without conviction, federal records, or records from other states.
PATCH is used extensively in Westmoreland County by employers, schools, volunteer organizations, landlords, and individuals verifying their own records. Given the size of the county's population and the large number of law enforcement agencies operating within it, conviction records in PATCH for Westmoreland County residents may originate from any of the dozens of agencies that contribute arrest data to the statewide system.
Individuals who believe a PATCH result contains an inaccuracy have the right under CHRIA to challenge the record. Contact the PSP Records Request division to initiate a challenge. The process involves providing documentation to support the correction request, and PSP will investigate and update the record if the challenge is validated.
Vehicle crash reports from PSP-investigated crashes in Westmoreland County cost $22 per report and can be ordered through the crash report request page. Crash reports from municipal police departments must be requested from the relevant department directly.
Sex Offender Registry
Pennsylvania's Megan's Law registry is administered statewide by the Pennsylvania State Police and is searchable online at no charge. The registry is available at pameganslaw.state.pa.us. Searches can be performed by name, county, city, or zip code to locate registered sex offenders in Westmoreland County and its municipalities.
Registered sex offenders in Westmoreland County are required to report to the appropriate PSP barracks serving their area. The Greensburg Barracks and Belle Vernon Barracks both serve as registration points for Westmoreland County offenders depending on their location within the county. Registration requirements vary based on offense type, tier classification, and specific court orders.
The Megan's Law registry includes offender names, current addresses, photographs, vehicle information, and details about the offense requiring registration. The registry is updated as offenders report changes of address or other registration information. Community notification alerts are available through the Megan's Law website for residents who want to receive updates when registered offenders move into their zip code.
Not all sex offenses require registration under Megan's Law. The obligation to register is determined by offense type and the classification tier assigned at sentencing. Individuals who are required to register and fail to comply face criminal charges for failure to register, which is a separate offense prosecuted in the Court of Common Pleas. Westmoreland County residents can check the registry regularly for updates affecting their neighborhood or community.
Nearby Counties
Westmoreland County borders several Pennsylvania counties. If records may involve activity near a county line, check these neighboring counties as well.