Bethlehem Inmate Records and Released Inmates
Bethlehem released inmate records are handled by the Bethlehem Police Department and the Northampton County Prison. Bethlehem is one of Pennsylvania's larger cities with about 80,000 residents and sits in Northampton County, near the Lehigh County border. People arrested in Bethlehem are processed through the city police department at 10 East Church Street. Pretrial detention and county-sentenced time are served at the Northampton County Prison. This page explains how to find Bethlehem released inmate records using city, county, and state tools.
Bethlehem Quick Facts
Bethlehem Inmate Records and Custody Information
The Bethlehem Police Department is a 154-member force at 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. The main number is (610) 865-7150. The Records Bureau can be reached directly at (610) 865-7175. Police Chief Michelle Kott and Deputy Chief Scott Meixell lead the department. Records requests for police reports, incident summaries, and arrest documentation go to the Records Bureau. The department maintains a detailed fee schedule for records access.
Bethlehem Police records fees are set by the department and listed at bethlehem-pa.gov. A fingerprint request costs $15. Criminal history background checks cost $15. Vehicle accident reports are $15. A list of calls or computer-aided dispatch records costs $1 per page. All other records cost $0.25 per page under standard RTKL copy fees. Payment methods and processing times vary by record type.
| Police Department | Bethlehem Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018 |
| Main Phone | (610) 865-7150 |
| Records Bureau | (610) 865-7175 |
| Police Website | bethlehem-pa.gov/police |
| Northampton County Prison | northamptoncounty.org |
Booking records from Bethlehem arrests include the individual's name, date of birth, arrest date and time, charges with Pennsylvania Crime Code citations, the arresting officer's information, and initial case status. Pennsylvania's CHRIA statute, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121 et seq., governs what portions of these records the public may access. Records involving active investigations or juveniles have additional restrictions.
Note: Contact the Bethlehem Police Records Bureau directly at (610) 865-7175 for questions about specific record availability and fees before submitting a formal request.
How to Search Released Inmate Records in Bethlehem
The Northampton County Prison inmate information page at northamptoncounty.org is the primary tool for checking current Northampton County custody. Bethlehem residents arrested and transferred to county custody will appear in this system. The roster shows current inmates and basic booking data. Released individuals are removed once they leave county custody.
The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us covers all Northampton County court records. A name search pulls up all criminal dockets for that person in Northampton County courts. Docket sheets include charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. This is especially useful for tracing the history of released inmates who are no longer in active Bethlehem custody.
The PADOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov covers Bethlehem residents transferred to state prison. It is free and updated daily. For people who have already completed state sentences, use PATCH at epatch.state.pa.us for a $22 background check.
PA SAVIN at pavictimhelp.org sends free, automatic custody change alerts to registered users. Call 1-866-972-7284. The service runs 24 hours a day and covers Northampton County and state facilities. Victims and families can register to receive immediate notice when a Bethlehem inmate is released or transferred.
Northampton County Prison and Bethlehem Residents
The Northampton County Prison is the primary detention facility for Bethlehem and all of Northampton County. After processing at Bethlehem Police headquarters, defendants are transferred to county custody at the Northampton County Prison. For inmate information, visit northamptoncounty.org. Northampton County participates in PA SAVIN, connecting its prison records to the statewide victim notification system.
Individuals in Northampton County custody appear in the county's inmate search while active. When someone is sentenced to state prison after a Bethlehem case, they are transferred from Northampton County to a PADOC facility. At that point, find them using the PADOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov rather than the county roster.
Bethlehem spans both Northampton County and, in part, Lehigh County. Most of the city falls in Northampton County. If you are unsure which county has jurisdiction over a specific arrest, check both the Northampton County and Lehigh County inmate rosters. The Lehigh County Inmate Locator is at lehighcounty.org.
Right-to-Know Requests in Bethlehem
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104, applies to all Bethlehem city agencies. RTK requests for Bethlehem Police records go to the Records Bureau at (610) 865-7175 or to the police department at 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. The department's contact page at bethlehem-pa.gov/Police/Contact-Us lists all key personnel and contact options.
The fee schedule at bethlehem-pa.gov/Police/Forms-Reports/Record-Report-Fees lists specific costs. Fingerprint requests and background checks are $15 each. Accident reports are $15. Call of service records cost $1 per page. Other records follow the standard $0.25 per page rate. Agencies have 5 business days to respond, with possible 30-day extensions for complex requests.
Appeals from denied Bethlehem RTK requests go to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records within 15 business days. File online at openrecords.pa.gov or call 717-346-9903. Use the standard RTK form at openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/StandardRTKForm.cfm. Denials must cite the specific RTKL exemption under 65 P.S. § 67.708.
State Resources for Bethlehem Residents
The Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov is the right tool for finding Bethlehem residents in state prison. It is free and updated daily. The PA DOC site at cor.pa.gov has information about state facilities, programs, and reentry services.
PATCH at epatch.state.pa.us gives criminal background check results for $22 per search. Call 1-888-783-7972. PATCH covers all Pennsylvania convictions statewide. Records eligible under the Clean Slate Act (Act 56 of 2018) may be sealed automatically. Expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 can remove qualifying Bethlehem records from public databases.
The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole at pbpp.pa.gov supervises parolees from Bethlehem cases released from state prison. The PA State Police at psp.pa.gov can assist with records crossing jurisdictional lines. The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us provides free access to all Northampton County court records.
Note: Bethlehem residents who were tried in Lehigh County courts rather than Northampton County courts will have records in the Lehigh County portion of the UJS system, not the Northampton County section.
Northampton County Released Inmates
Most of Bethlehem falls within Northampton County, and most Bethlehem inmate records flow through the county prison system. For the full Northampton County inmate search, prison contact details, and related resources, visit the Northampton County released inmates page.