Lehigh County Booking Records
Lehigh County processes 72 hour booking records through the Sheriff's Office and Lehigh County Jail in Allentown. Each arrest triggers a booking that logs charges, fingerprints, and a photo. Allentown is the county seat and the third-largest city in the state. Lehigh County spans about 348 square miles with a population over 374,000. All Lehigh County booking records feed into state court and law enforcement databases for public access.
Lehigh County Sheriff and 72 Hour Booking
The Lehigh County Sheriff's Office is based in Room 253 of the courthouse at 455 W Hamilton St in Allentown. Sheriff Joe Hanna leads the office. He is a 34-year veteran of law enforcement and a graduate of the FBI National Academy. The office earned state accreditation from the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission in September 2021.
Call 610-782-3175 to reach the Lehigh County Sheriff. Staff handle warrant service, court security, and prisoner transport. When a local police force or state trooper makes an arrest in Lehigh County, the Sheriff's Office helps move the person through the booking process. Deputies also serve civil papers and enforce protection from abuse orders.
The office plays a direct role in the 72 hour booking chain. After an arrest, deputies may transport the person to the jail for intake or to a magisterial district court for arraignment. Their work connects the street-level arrest to the court process in Lehigh County.
Lehigh County Jail Intake and Custody
The Lehigh County Jail sits at 38 N Fourth St in Allentown. The facility opened in 1992 and covers 250,000 square feet with a capacity of 1,352 inmates. It is one of the larger county jails in the state. Staff process every person booked into custody in Lehigh County, recording charges, personal details, and intake time.
Call 610-782-3270 for general questions about the Lehigh County Jail. For records, call 610-782-3263. Staff can confirm if someone is in custody and provide details on visiting and mail rules.
If bail is not posted at the preliminary arraignment, the person stays at the Lehigh County Jail until the next court date. People held here are waiting for trial or serving short sentences. Those with longer terms get transferred to a state prison after sentencing.
Note: The Lehigh County Jail capacity of 1,352 makes it one of the busiest county facilities in Pennsylvania, with a steady flow of 72 hour bookings each week.
Lehigh County Jail Visiting Hours
Visiting at the Lehigh County Jail follows a set schedule. All visits take place by telephone through glass. There is no contact visiting. All visits may be monitored by jail staff.
- Monday through Friday: 12:30 to 4:30 PM and 7:00 to 10:00 PM
- Weekends: 8:00 to 10:00 AM, 12:00 to 4:30 PM, and 7:00 to 10:00 PM
Plan your visit within these hours. The jail may change the schedule on holidays or during lockdowns. Call 610-782-3270 to confirm before you go. Visitors must follow all posted rules at the Lehigh County Jail. Bring a valid photo ID.
What Lehigh County 72 Hour Booking Records Contain
A 72 hour booking record in Lehigh County captures the key facts of an arrest. State law requires a court appearance within 72 hours. This first hearing is the preliminary arraignment, where a judge reads charges and sets bail. The booking record is the base of that process.
Each Lehigh County booking record shows the full name, birth date, and charges filed. It lists the arresting officer, the agency, and the arrest time. Photos and prints are part of the file. As a case moves through Lehigh County courts, the booking record ties to the docket. Most records are public. Some may be sealed by court order.
Lehigh County Court Records Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the top free tool for court records tied to Lehigh County bookings. Search by name or docket number. Results show charges, bail status, hearing dates, and case outcomes. The portal covers all 67 counties.
The state court portal shown below lets you search Lehigh County 72 hour booking records and case details at no cost.
Data updates as Lehigh County cases move from arraignment to final outcome.
No login is needed. Type in a name and pick Lehigh County from the list. The portal works for both new and old cases. It is the most direct way to find court records from a 72 hour booking in Lehigh County without going to the courthouse in Allentown.
Lehigh County Law Enforcement Technology
Allentown Police Department uses the Mark43 records management system. Lehigh County signed a $3.6 million contract in 2021 for this platform. Mark43 is a cloud-based system that stores arrest reports, incident data, and booking details. It helps officers log 72 hour booking information in real time and share it across agencies in Lehigh County.
This system improves how fast booking records get into the database. When an Allentown officer makes an arrest, the data flows straight into Mark43. Other agencies in Lehigh County can then see the arrest details. This matters for cases that involve more than one department or cross into neighboring counties.
Note: Mark43 is an internal law enforcement tool. The public does not have direct access to it, but the records it holds feed into the state court portal and other public databases for Lehigh County.
Criminal History Searches for Lehigh County
The PATCH system from the Pennsylvania State Police handles criminal history checks for Lehigh County. PATCH stands for Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History. Go to epatch.state.pa.us to run a search. The system pulls from a statewide database and shows convictions and pending charges.
The state police criminal history tool for Lehigh County record checks is shown below.
PATCH results come back fast and span every county in the state.
A small fee applies per search. Results cover all of Pennsylvania. If a 72 hour booking in Lehigh County led to a conviction, it will show in the output. Pending cases may appear too.
72 Hour Booking Alerts for Lehigh County
VINELink offers free custody alerts for the Lehigh County Jail. Sign up at vinelink.com to get updates by phone, email, or text. The system tells you when a person is booked, released, or moved from the Lehigh County facility.
Anyone can use VINELink. It was built for crime victims but is open to all. It covers every county jail in the state, including Lehigh County. This saves you from calling the jail to check on someone. Once you set up alerts, the system handles it.
The state VINELink portal shown below provides free custody status updates for the Lehigh County Jail and other facilities across Pennsylvania.
VINELink covers every county jail in the state and sends alerts when custody status changes.
Requesting Lehigh County Booking Records
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law gives you the right to request booking records from Lehigh County. Submit a written request to the county's open records officer. Include the person's full name and dates you need. The county has five business days to respond.
Booking records in Lehigh County are public in most cases. You do not need to state a reason. The county may charge a fee for copies. If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Common reasons for denial include sealed records or cases still under active investigation in Lehigh County.
Lehigh County Criminal Justice Overview
Lehigh County is in eastern Pennsylvania and is part of the Lehigh Valley region. Allentown is the largest city and the county seat. Other communities include Emmaus, Whitehall, and Upper Macungie. With over 374,000 residents, Lehigh County is one of the more populated counties in the state. The Lehigh County District Attorney handles criminal prosecution after the 72 hour booking process.
The county's size means a high volume of arrests and bookings each week. Local police departments, Allentown PD, and state police all contribute to the flow of cases. The Lehigh County court system processes these cases from the initial booking through sentencing or dismissal.
Because Lehigh County sits next to several other counties, arrests near the border may involve cross-county coordination. Always confirm which county handled the booking before you search for records.
Nearby Counties
Lehigh County borders several counties in eastern Pennsylvania. If an arrest took place near a county line, the booking record will be in the county where the arrest happened. Check the location to be sure you search the right county.