Allentown Police Blotter and Reports

The Allentown police blotter contains incident reports, arrest logs, and public safety records maintained by the Allentown Police Department in Lehigh County. Allentown is the third-largest city in Pennsylvania, with roughly 125,000 residents. The police department is guided by the values of Honor, Integrity, Professionalism, Trust, Respect, and Service. This page covers how to find and request Allentown police blotter records through the department's Records and Traffic Office and the city's public records process.

Allentown Police Department Overview

The Allentown Police Department's official page at allentownpa.gov outlines the department's mission, values, and services available to city residents.

Residents seeking police blotter records can visit the Records/Traffic Office on the College Street side of the building or call 610-437-7751 for assistance.

The Allentown Police Department is headquartered at 425 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101. The main line is 610-437-7777, and the non-emergency number is 610-437-7751. The Records and Traffic Office handles requests for police reports, accident reports, and other Allentown police blotter records. That office is located on the College Street side of the building and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The police administration at allentownpa.gov/police-administration provides additional information on department leadership, bureau structure, and administrative contacts. The department handles a full range of law enforcement services for the city, from patrol and traffic enforcement to investigations and community programs. Police blotter records from Allentown span all these service areas and reflect the full scope of the department's work.

Note: For emergencies, always call 911. The non-emergency number 610-437-7751 is for situations that do not require an immediate response.

Getting Allentown Police Reports

Each police report copy from the Allentown Police Department costs $15. Payment must be made in cash, check, or money order. No credit or debit cards are accepted at the Records and Traffic Office. You must bring a valid government-issued photo ID when you pick up a report. This applies whether you are the person named in the report or a third party with a legitimate need for the record.

The process is straightforward. Visit the Records and Traffic Office on the College Street side of police headquarters during business hours. Give staff the incident date, the location, and any other details you know about the case. Staff will search the system and let you know if the report is available. If it is, you pay the $15 fee and receive your copy. Reports that are part of ongoing investigations may not be available until the case is closed.

Accident reports from Allentown are also available through a third-party provider. CrashDocs.org offers online access to traffic accident reports and may be a faster option than an in-person visit if you only need a crash report. For all other Allentown police blotter records, the Records and Traffic Office is the primary access point within the city.

Allentown Public Records Ordinance

The City of Allentown's Chapter 93 (Records, Public) at ecode360.com codifies the procedures for public records requests, establishing the framework for accessing police blotter and incident records.

The ordinance outlines how residents can formally request public records from the city, including police reports subject to Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law.

Allentown's Chapter 93 of the city code sets out the local framework for public records access. This ordinance works alongside Pennsylvania's statewide Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104. The state law takes precedence in most situations, but the local ordinance fills in procedural details specific to Allentown. Together, they define what records are available, how to request them, and how the city must respond.

For formal Right-to-Know requests in Allentown, the Open Records Office is the City Solicitor's Office, located at City Hall, 435 Hamilton St, Allentown PA 18101. Formal RTK requests for Allentown police blotter records and incident reports should be directed there rather than to the Records and Traffic Office, which handles standard report purchases. The Solicitor's Office administers the RTK process for all city records, including police department records. If you are denied a record through the standard process, filing a formal RTK request is the next step.

Pennsylvania's central portal at openrecords.pa.gov also allows residents to file and track RTK requests online. Requests submitted through the portal are routed to the appropriate agency. For Allentown police blotter records, this means they go to the city's Open Records Officer. The portal is also where you file an appeal if your request is denied.

Note: RTK requests are separate from standard report purchases. A formal RTK request is the right tool when a report is denied through the Records Office or when you are seeking records beyond standard incident reports.

Pennsylvania State Resources for Allentown Records

State-level systems complement Allentown police blotter records and help residents get a complete picture of public safety information. The ePATCH criminal history system at epatch.pa.gov covers statewide arrest and conviction records for $22. This covers Lehigh County incidents and Allentown cases that entered the court system. It does not replace a local police blotter search, but it adds background information for individuals named in Allentown incidents.

The Unified Judicial System portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us covers Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas cases, including Allentown criminal cases. Search by name or case number to find docket entries, charges, and dispositions. Court records are free to search and provide the follow-up to any Allentown police blotter entry that resulted in charges. The Pennsylvania Courts website has guides on reading docket sheets for those unfamiliar with court record formats.

State Police Public Information Release Reports at pa.gov cover incidents handled by troopers, which is less common in Allentown but relevant for incidents on state roads or involving state-level investigations. For state-level RTK requests related to Allentown incidents, use the process at pa.gov/services/psp. State criminal records are also governed by 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, which limits certain uses of that information.

Lehigh County Court Records and Allentown Cases

Allentown is the county seat of Lehigh County. Criminal cases that begin as Allentown police blotter entries move through the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas if charges are filed. Tracking a case from incident to court outcome gives a more complete picture of what happened and how the justice system responded.

Search Lehigh County court records at no charge through the UJS Portal. Cases in Allentown Magisterial District Court, which handles summary offenses and preliminary hearings, are also searchable there. More serious cases that move to Common Pleas are tracked in the same system. Once you find a docket, you can see all filings, hearings, and outcomes in one place. This makes the UJS Portal one of the most useful tools for following up on Allentown police blotter entries that resulted in arrests.

Court records complement but do not replace Allentown police blotter records. The blotter captures the initial incident. Court records show what happened next. Together, they provide the full record of how a matter was handled from the first officer response through final disposition. Both are public records under Pennsylvania law, with limited exceptions for sealed or expunged matters.

Lehigh County Resources

Allentown is the county seat of Lehigh County. County-level court records, public safety data, and additional resources are managed through Lehigh County.

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