Bedford County Arrest Records

Bedford County, Pennsylvania, arrest records provide information on arrests conducted within the county. The record may include information on the arrestee, criminal charges, physical evidence, booking information, and statements from concerned parties.

Arrests are necessary for apprehending persons violating state or federal statutes. Officers may conduct arrests with or without the aid of an arrest warrant. Arrested persons are temporarily detained in the county jail pending the outcome of further investigations.

In Bedford County, local law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction over arrest records. The agencies generate, maintain, and may issue the records to interested parties. For example, citizens can request arrest records from the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.

Arrest information is also accessible in crime-related public files. For example, a Bedford County court record may include arrest information like criminal charges, evidence, and bond amount. Criminal background and inmate records are also sources of obtaining arrest data.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bedford County?

Yes, most arrest records are publicly accessible in Bedford County. Under the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, public members have the right to view or request arrest records from public entities. These entities are legally required to release arrest records upon request.

However, certain arrest information is not open to the public. Section 708 of the state law exempts the following arrest information from public view:

• Identities of confidential sources in a criminal investigation
• Information concerning potential criminal conduct.
• Crime victims’ identities or information that may violate their safety
• Arrest data that may endanger a person’s life or physical safety
• Records sealed or expunged by court order or laws.
• Information that may reveal the progress or outcome of a criminal investigation
• Information that will hinder law enforcement agencies from locating a defendant or codefendant.
• Records that may deprive an individual of the right to a fair trial or adjudication.

Bedford County Arrest Statistics

The Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System maintains an annual report on arrest events in the state. According to the report, Bedford County’s law enforcement agencies conducted 1,217 arrests in 2018.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections maintains inmate-related reports for all correctional facilities in the state. Per the report, Bedford County jail housed 147 inmates as of December 31, 2023.

Find Bedford County Arrest Records

Interested parties can find Bedford County arrest records through the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office. As the record custodian, the agency maintains and releases such records to interested parties. To get arrest records, inquirers must submit a request in person to this address:

Bedford County Courthouse
1st Floor
200 South Juliana Street
Bedford, PA 15522

In contrast, inmate records provide an alternative means of finding Bedford County arrest records. Such records may contain the arrestee’s personal data, criminal charges, arrest date and location, and booking date.

Interested parties will find inmate records under the purview of government entities. For example, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections maintains an online searchable portal for inmates and parolees. To find inmates in the portal, users must provide the inmate’s name, number, and other relevant search data.

Likewise, the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate locator offers online access to inmate records. To use the portal, inquirers must input the inmate's name or prison identification number into the allocated search boxes.

Bedford County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Bedford County, arrest records differ from criminal records in the following ways:

The records contain different information

Arrest records contain information about arrest events. They may include the arrestee’s personal information, charges, arrest date and location, and the name of the arresting agency. However, criminal records provide data on an individual’s criminal history. They collect data concerning arrests, court activities, and incarcerations.

The records are under the purview of different agencies

Local law enforcement agencies are the primary custodians of arrest records. The agencies create and maintain records of arrests conducted within their jurisdiction. In contrast, the Pennsylvania State Police oversees the creation and maintenance of criminal records. The agency creates criminal records by collecting crime-related data from local and state-level agencies such as county courts and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

The records have different implications on the record subject

Criminal records reveal an individual’s criminal past and may lead to negative impacts, such as discrimination and ostracization from local communities. However, arrest records do not have negative implications since they do not reveal criminal convictions.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Under Pa. Code § 15.59, arrest records have a five-year lifespan if not included in criminal records. However, arrest records included in criminal records will indefinitely remain visible unless they are expunged or sealed. There are set procedures for erasing or expunging arrest records in Bedford County.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in Bedford County?

Arrestees are eligible to expunge arrest records if:

• The charges were dropped
• You received a pardon
• You were acquitted by the court.

The courts may automatically expunge arrest records if:

• The record subject has been deceased for three years.
• The record subject is 70 years old and has not been convicted in the last ten years after the release or supervision date.
• The record subject was convicted of an ordinance or municipal violation and has not been convicted for at least five years after the conviction date.

Bedford County Arrest Warrants

Bedford County arrest warrants authorize the arrests of defendants named in the document. The magisterial district court judge will issue an arrest warrant after receiving an affidavit or complaint from an arresting officer. Before issuing a warrant, the court judge will verify the officer’s identity and orally administer an oath to the officer.

Arrest warrants typically provide information on the following:

• The defendant’s name, known aliases, and physical features.
• Case number
• Offense and offense classification
• Warrant issuance date
• District attorney or agency case number
• Judge or magistrate’s signature

Do Bedford County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants issued in Bedford County do not expire. They remain active until the court nullifies them or the defendant is apprehended. Note that the statute of limitations does not affect the lifespan of an arrest warrant.