Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Arrest Records

An arrest record is a file created by law enforcement agencies after they arrest an individual. The record comprises important details about the arrest. The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is the primary agency in the county that generates these records. However, city police departments, such as the Carlisle Borough Police Department and the Lower Allen Township Police Department, also carry out arrests within city limits and generate arrest records.

Arrest records are created not only for documentation but also for public accountability and transparency; this is supported by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, which considers arrest information public. The release of arrest information, when part of a Pennsylvania criminal history record, is governed by 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Cumberland, Pennsylvania?

Yes. Cumberland County arrest records are public information as required by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). The law compels all government agencies, including criminal justice agencies, to make all records they create and maintain accessible to the public, except where the law exempts access. Pennsylvania law does not discriminate against non-citizens of the state and applies to all United States citizens. Online access portals also do not filter out researchers, so individuals outside the United States may sometimes be able to view arrest information.

What Do Public Cumberland County Arrest Records Contain?

Although arrest records are considered public in Cumberland County, not all information is actually accessible to the public. Pennsylvania law restricts certain information to protect the privacy of the subject of the record or law enforcement processes.

The public-facing side of an arrest record generally includes

• The defendant's identity, including their name, age, gender, and race
• The offense for which they were arrested, and its severity
• The arresting agency
• The date and time of the arrest
• The defendant's booking details, including the booking date, booking number, and cell unit in jail

The non-public details of an arrest record include

• Information revealing the identity of confidential informants
• Notes or drafts by law enforcement
• Psychological evaluations
• Juvenile information

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Arrest Search

Pennsylvania uses a centralized system to compile arrest and conviction data from all law enforcement agencies and courts across the state. Managed by the Pennsylvania State Police, this central repository aggregates local arrest records to build each arrestee's comprehensive criminal history record.

Individuals can request their criminal record through the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) Portal. Alternatively, individuals may complete and submit the Request for Criminal Record Check (SP 4–164) form by mail to the State Police. A request may cost between $20 and $22.

Arrest records can also be retrieved at the federal level through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Individuals interested in performing a nationwide background check on themselves may submit a request to the FBI online, through an approved channeler, or by mail.

Cumberland County Inmate Locator

Individuals arrested in Cumberland County are held in the Cumberland County Prison, which is managed by an appointed Warden. This structure in Pennsylvania vastly differs from most states, where a Sheriff's Office oversees the local jail. In Cumberland County, the Sheriff's Office primarily functions as the law enforcement arm of the court system.

Individuals who want to verify if a family member, friend, or another person is in jail can browse through the Cumberland County Inmate Listing page. The page contains the names of all the individuals currently in jail and the total number of inmates incarcerated at the time. Inquirers can obtain more information on a person listed on the page by calling the prison.

Cumberland County Prison

1101 Claremont Road

Carlisle, PA 17015

Phone: (717) 245–8787

Active Warrant Search in Cumberland County

An arrest warrant in Cumberland County is an order issued by the court, authorizing law enforcement to arrest an individual and bring them before the court. There are two primary types of arrest warrants in the county: standard (criminal) arrest warrants and bench warrants. A standard arrest warrant is usually issued at the start of a criminal case, after law enforcement files a complaint in court demonstrating probable cause to suppose that a specific person has committed a crime. A bench warrant, conversely, is issued by a judge "from the bench" and is issued mid-case when a defendant violates a court rule or order.

Warrants in the county generally detail

• The name and physical description of the wanted person
• The crime the person is accused of committing
• The directive to arrest the person
• The date of issuance
• The title and signature of the issuing judge

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is directly responsible for the service of warrants in the county. Researchers can contact the Sheriff's Office by phone at (717) 240-6390 or visit the office. Warrants can also be found online on the Cumberland County CrimeWatch Portal, along with the county's most wanted persons.

Agency / Resource	Purpose	Search Methods	Notes
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office	Maintains and serves warrants	Phone, online, in person	The Cumberland County CrimeWatch Portal is maintained by the District Attorney's Office

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Cumberland County

Individuals who want to find arrest records for free in Cumberland County can utilize the Cumberland County Inmate Listing page. The page contains the names of every person who was arrested in the county and is currently incarcerated in jail. However, as the name of the page suggests, only individuals currently in jail can be found on the list. Also, the page only lists inmate names and does not provide any other information.

To access the arrest information of individuals not in jail, individuals may visit the arresting agency and ask to inspect the record. Inspecting the record without obtaining a copy is free.

Cumberland County Arrest Report

An arrest report, like an arrest record, is created after an arrest; however, it contains more details than a conventional arrest record. An arrest report contains descriptions, statements, observations, and evidence, as opposed to an arrest record that only summarizes the event. 

Arrest records are considered investigative reports in Pennsylvania and are generally exempt from public disclosure. As such, individuals who want to obtain an arrest report may be denied access. In some cases, however, the request may not be denied in full, and public parts of the report may be disclosed. 

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Cumberland County

An expungement in Pennsylvania leads to the complete destruction of an individual's criminal record. When an expungement is granted in Cumberland County, the court orders all law enforcement agencies, including the Pennsylvania State Police and the county prison, to purge digital and physical copies of the defendant's arrests from official files.

Expungement in the state is primarily governed by 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122. Individuals are eligible for a conviction if

• The arrest charges were dismissed, withdrawn, dropped, or a not guilty verdict was entered.
• The defendant completed the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) or a probation program for first-time offenders under 35 P.S. § 780-117
• The defendant received a summary conviction and has been arrest-free for five years.
• The defendant is 70 years or older and has remained arrest-free for 10 years following the completion of their sentence.

Individuals should note that the last two conditions only qualify an individual for a discretionary expungement, where the court can decide whether to expunge the arrest or not. 

People who were convicted of a misdemeanor or felony cannot get an expungement; however, they may qualify for a Clean Slate Sealing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2. A Clean Slate sealing, legally known as a Clean Slate limited access, does not erase the record from their file; however, it removes the record from public view. The following convictions qualify for sealing in the state:

• Summary offenses: Sealed automatically after 5 years
• Misdemeanors (excluding violent or sexual convictions): Sealed automatically after 7 years
• Certain low-level felonies: Sealable after 10 years of a clean record

Individuals pursuing a conviction may submit the Expungement Petition Form – 490 or the Expungement Petition Form – 790 to the Cumberland County Clerk of Court's Office. For sealable convictions that are not eligible for automatic sealing, individuals may submit a Petition for Order for Limited Access to the Clerk's Office.

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

Cumberland County arrest records are usually published online by both law enforcement agencies and private websites. Individuals who want their arrest removed from the internet must first obtain a legal basis for the removal by filing a petition for expungement in court. If the court grants the petition, an order will be issued to all criminal justice agencies to remove the record from the digital space.

However, an expungement order does not automatically take down an arrest record from a private website. To clear an arrest record from such sites, one may visit the website and look for the record removal page (or equivalent) where takedown requests can be made. If the website does not have a dedicated record removal section, individuals may send an email detailing their request and a copy of the court order.