Susquehanna County Arrest Records

In Susquehanna County, an arrest constitutes the apprehension or seizure of a person by a law enforcement officer. Officers typically perform arrests using a warrant per the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure or without a warrant when they have probable cause to believe the defendant has violated state laws or city ordinances.

After the arrest, the arresting officer must complete an arrest entry in the Police CAD/RMS system. The entry must contain all details that led to the arrest, encompassed the arrest, and the processing of the arrestee. This information is then submitted to the Susquehanna County Sheriff’s Office for record keeping. The court handling the case will also receive a copy of the arrest records as evidence. Subsequently, as the judicial process progresses, arrest information will be included in Susquehanna County court records and made available to the public online and in person at the court where the case was heard.

Are Arrest Records Public in Susquehanna County?

Yes. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) grants public access to arrest records. This statute empowers law enforcement agencies in Susquehanna County to make their arrest records available to members of the public upon request. However, the following information may be exempt from public disclosure:

• An offender’s medical, psychiatric, or psychological history records.
• Any arrest record whose disclosure would jeopardize or threaten public safety.
• An arrest record that reveals a judge or law enforcement officer’s home address.
• Identifying information of an individual performing an undercover or covert law enforcement activity.
• Criminal investigation records, including:
  • Complaints of potential criminal conduct.
  • Identifying information from a confidential source.
  • Investigative materials, reports, correspondence, notes, and videos.
  • Victim information, especially information that would jeopardize the victim’s safety.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Individuals can easily find the following information in public arrest records in Susquehanna County:

• The arrest person’s name, birth date, age, sex, and race
• Arrest date, mugshot, and the arresting agency’s name
• Booking number and date, commit date, inmate ID, and release date

Susquehanna County Arrest Statistics

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) permits members of the public to use its Community Access to Information Dashboard (CAID) to view arrest statistics. Users can filter arrest data by date, time, troop, station, and location. As of September 2024, the portal showed about 444 criminal arrests in Susquehanna County.

Find Susquehanna County Arrest Records

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) oversees 24 state correctional institutions, 14 community corrections centers, and nearly 50 contract facilities. Requesters can visit any of these facilities to request copies of arrest records of Susquehanna County offenders. Inquirers may also visit the websites of each facility to learn the best time to submit an in-person request or use the Inmate and Parolee Locator to find arrest information of Susquehanna County inmates housed in the DOC facilities. While using the locator, the user may sort this information by name, inmate number, date of birth, committing county, or location.

Members of the public can access arrest records of Susquehanna County offenders housed in federal prisons through agencies like the United States Capitol Police (USCP), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). These federal agencies have online portals where users can easily find arrest information at no cost.

Free Arrest Record Search in Susquehanna County

Interested members of the public may obtain free arrest records by calling (570) 278-7166 or making in-person record requests to the staff at Susquehanna County Correctional Facility. Requests should be made during business hours, and some basic information about the offender must be provided to facilitate the search. In-person requesters can only view arrest information on the jail computers for free. However, record seekers will be charged a fee if they require a copy of the record being sought. Alternatively, inquirers may obtain free arrest records online through third-party portals. Users will need a name or arrest date to process their requests. However, only limited arrest information can be retrieved for free.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Local and state law enforcement agencies permanently maintain most arrest records. Pennsylvania law allows such records to be restricted to a selected few through expungement. Therefore, interested persons can ensure members of the public do not have access to their arrest records by filing a petition for expungement form with the appropriate court. However, the Pennsylvania State Archives reveals that some arrest records have retention periods. For example, the Susquehanna County Sheriff’s Office retains arrest records, complaints, and investigative files for 5 years.

Expunge Susquehanna County Arrest Records

In Susquehanna County, expungement removes arrest information from a person’s criminal record. Individuals whose arrest records are eligible for expungement must download, print, and complete Form SP 4-170, available on the Pennslyvania State Police’s (PSP) website. Record seekers will need to mail the completed form, a certified check or money order of $20, and a valid government-issued photo ID to:

Pennsylvania State Police
Central Repository – Rcpu
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758

The Central Repository will send a full arrest record to the applicant by mail. Afterward, the applicant must file a completed Petition for Expungment Form with the Susquehanna County Clerk of Courts. They must attach a copy of the criminal history report to the petition. The filing fee for expungement is $170. A copy of the petition must also be served on the attorney for the Commonwealth. The attorney has 60 days to respond to the petition. The response will be filed with the Susquehanna County Clerk of Courts, and copies will be served on the petitioner or their attorney. The judge will grant or deny the petition or schedule a hearing after receiving a response from the attorney or 14 days after the expiration of the 60-day period. The judge will enter an expungement order if they grant the petition for expungement. The Clerk of Courts will serve a certified copy of the order to all criminal justice agencies required to be notified by statute. These agencies will expunge the record immediately after receiving the court order for expungement from the Clerk.

Susquehanna County Arrest Warrants

Under 234 PA Code § 513, an issuing authority in Susquehanna County must have probable cause, supported by one or more affidavits sworn to in person, by telephone, or by audiovisual device, before issuing an arrest warrant. A police officer may execute an arrest warrant anywhere within the Commonwealth (234 PA Code § 515). After executing a warrant, the issuing authority can reissue it if they determine its purpose remains unfulfilled (234 PA Code § 514).

Do Susquehanna County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants remain valid indefinitely and do not expire. They will continue to appear on a person’s record and surface during background checks until the underlying issue is resolved.