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  1. Luzerne County Court
  2. Luzerne County Arrest Records

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Arrest Records

Luzerne County arrest records document individuals taken into custody by law enforcement within the county. They are created by the law enforcement agency that made the arrest or the booking agency and outline the arrested person's identity, arrest, booking, and incarceration details. 

Arrest records serve not only administrative purposes by documenting law enforcement activities but also public interest purposes by encouraging openness, transparency, and public oversight. They are an invaluable source of information about an individual's interactions with law enforcement.

Like all records received, generated, and maintained by local and state government agencies in connection with their official business, the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law (RTKL) presumes arrest records to be public information. As public records, arrest records are subject to disclosure by the custodian agency unless they are exempt under Section 708 of the RTKL,  protected by a privilege, or restricted from disclosure by any other state or federal law or court order.

In addition to RTKL, the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA) governs how criminal justice agencies should collect, maintain, and disseminate criminal history record information. The CHRIA defines criminal history record information (or criminal offender data) as “information collected by criminal justice agencies concerning individuals at the initiation of criminal proceedings.” It includes arrests, indictments, criminal charges, and dispositions.

In Luzerne County, arrest records may be maintained by the sheriff’s department or municipal police departments. The Hazleton Police Department and the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department are the two biggest municipal police departments in the county.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?

Yes, most arrest records are public information in Luzerne County under the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law (RTKL). Under the RTKL, most records maintained by state and local government agencies are public records. “Public record,” according to the law, means an agency record that is not exempt under Section 708 of the RTKL, protected by a privilege, or restricted from disclosure by any other state or federal law or court order.

To this end, law enforcement agencies are required to provide access to all non-exempt arrest records to requesters. According to RTKL:

  • Any person who is a legal resident of the US can request records
  • A requester is not required to disclose the purpose or motive for requesting access to records
  • There’s no limit to the number of records that may be requested or made available for inspection or duplication

Note that an agency may demand an ID to establish US residency and charge fees in line with the official fee schedule established by the Office of Open Records (OOR). Also, an agency can deny repeated requests for the same records by the same requester (Section 506 of the RTKL).

What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?

Public Luzerne County arrest records commonly contain the following information under Pennsylvania RTKL:

  • The Full name and DOB of the arrested person 
  • Physical description of the arrested person, such as race, height, and gender
  • Photograph (mug shot) of the arrestee
  • The date and location of the arrest
  • The arresting agency
  • The alleged offense/crime
  • Booking date, time, and number
  • Charges filed at
  • Bail or bond amount
  • Release date (if applicable)
  • Holding facility

Nevertheless, under Section 708 of the Pennsylvania Right To Know Law (RTKL), certain arrest records or information in them is exempt from disclosure for privacy, confidentiality,  and safety reasons. These records/information include the following:

  • Medical information
  • Personal identification information, such as SSN, driver's license number, home address, personal phone no, personal e-mail, and home address of an officer
  • Records related to an ongoing criminal investigation
  • Identity of a confidential source
  • Victim information
  • Records containing information made confidential by law or court order
  • Any record/information that, if disclosed, would violate privacy rights, endanger the life or physical safety of an individual, impair the ability to locate an offender, or hinder a law enforcement agency’s ability to arrest, prosecute, or secure a conviction.

Luzerne County,  Pennsylvania Arrest Search

Interested persons should use the following state and federal resources to find arrest records in Luzerne County:

  • Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH)—The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) operates PATCH, a repository under the Pennsylvania Criminal History Information Act (CHRIA), that enables the public to obtain criminal history records. Record seekers should use this repository to acquire criminal history information on individuals for a $22.00 non-refundable fee (per request). A person’s criminal history record includes arrest, charge, and disposition records.
  • The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) provides an inmate and parolee locator, which the public can use to find information on offenders incarcerated in both county and state-run correctional facilities in Pennsylvania. The locator allows searches by name and number (i.e., inmate number). It also allows other search criteria, such as committing county, citizenship, DOB, and gender. No fee is required to search the PADOC inmate locator.
  • Federal BOP Inmate Locator—Record seekers can also use the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) inmate locator to find and look up records of arrested individuals in Luzerne County who are in federal custody. They can search the locator by name or number (i.e., BOP Register Number, DCDC Number, FBI Number, and INS Number).
  • FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS)—While this is limited to persons requesting their own records, the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) provides nationwide criminal history information, including arrest, charges, and disposition records. Fees apply for requests.

Luzerne County Inmate Locator

Luzerne County does not operate a dedicated county inmate locator for finding arrest records. Instead, inmate lookups for individuals who were arrested and booked into the Luzerne County Correctional Facility are provided through the PADOC inmate lookup tool. This tool (or locator) allows any interested party to search for and review records of individuals incarcerated in state or county facilities. To locate a Luzerne County inmate record, set the “current location” to Luzerne County and search by name or inmate number, including other relevant criteria like DOB and gender.

Alternatively, one can contact the Luzerne County correctional facility directly to request arrest/booking records of individuals held in the facility under the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law (RTKL). Similarly, an official arrest record/report may be requested from the relevant county law enforcement agency that made the arrest, such as the Luzerne County Sheriff’s Department.

Luzerne Sheriff's Department

200 North River Street

Courthouse, Basement Level

Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

Phone: (570) 825-1651

Fax: (570) 825-1849

Note that the county’s correctional facility, where arrested individuals are held, is operated by the Luzerne County Division of Corrections, not the sheriff’s department.

Active Warrant Search in Luzerne County

An arrest warrant is a court order authorizing law enforcement officers to apprehend and take a specific person into custody. It is issued at the request of law enforcement officials or the district attorney's office. Per Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 513(a), an issuing authority (such as a judge) may issue an arrest warrant only when probable cause is established through one or more affidavits submitted and sworn to by the requesting officer.

Under Pennsylvania law, an arrest warrant contains the defendant’s name (or their detailed description), the alleged crime, the issue date, the signature of the issuing authority, and the order for the defendant to be arrested and brought before the issuing authority. 

In Luzerne County, the Warrants Division of the Luzerne County Sheriff’s Department is responsible for effecting the arrests of individuals with an active warrant. 

Interested persons can contact the warrant division to inquire about active warrants. However, under Rule 513(C), law enforcement may not disclose an arrest warrant until 72 hours after issuance or until execution, whichever occurs first. If administrative processing delays issuance, the 72-hour period may not begin until 24 hours later (Rule 513(C)(1)). 

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Luzerne County

To find arrest records for free in Luzerne County, interested persons should use the inmate lookup tool maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC). The tool allows any interested party to search arrest/booking records of individuals in custody at the Luzerne County correctional facility by name or inmate number. While the tool is free and provides inmate arrest records, it may be limited to recent arrest records. Those seeking older arrest/booking records should contact the Luzerne County correctional facility at 570-829-7741 or visit the facility in person at Water Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711.

Alternatively, arrest records may be available for inspection from the arresting agency. Inspection is typically free. Also, individuals can use third-party sites to find arrest records for free.

Luzerne County Arrest Report

An arrest report and an arrest record are fundamentally different and serve distinct purposes. Also referred to as an ‘incident report’ or ‘police report,' an arrest report is the document the law enforcement officer writes after arresting a person. The report provides a narrative account of the arresting officer of the incident. It explains the details of the arrest and may include information about witnesses, evidence, and the officer’s observation.

In contrast, an arrest record is a comprehensive, summary entry of individuals taken into custody. It covers arrests and bookings over a period. It is generated by the arresting or booking agency and lists arrested persons along with their charges, booking dates, bail/bond amounts, mug shots, holding facility, and release dates.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Luzerne County

Pennsylvania law allows individuals to expunge certain arrest records. When an arrest is expunged, it is removed from the criminal record, leaving no trace that the information existed. Under Section  § 9122 of the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), which governs expungement, an individual’s arrest/conviction records may be expunged if any of the following are met:

  • The charges were dismissed, withdrawn, or nolle prossed
  • The arrested individual does not have a disposition recorded for the case within 18 months, and does not have criminal proceedings pending
  • The arrested individual completed an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program
  • The individual was convicted of a summary offense and has not been arrested or prosecuted for any other crime for at least five (5) years since that conviction
  • The individual is at least 70 years old and has had criminal charges in ten (10) years since release from incarceration or supervision
  • The individual was at least 18 years old but under 21 when convicted of underage drinking and has completed all terms of their sentence, and is now 21 years old
  • The individual obtained probation without a verdict relating to certain charges and has completed all terms of their sentence

Individuals who meet the criteria and would like to expunge their records should follow the instructions provided by the Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Office.

In addition to expungement, Pennsylvania law allows for sealing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1. Sealing or limited access makes a record non-public, accessible only to a criminal justice agency.

How Do You Remove Luzerne County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Individuals seeking to remove a Luzerne County arrest record from the internet should file a petition to expunge the arrest records in question if they are eligible. If granted, they should contact the agency or third-party sites that published the records with the expungement order.  The expungement order compels them to destroy or remove the record.