Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 28, 2026.
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, has about 1.6 million residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Philadelphia County depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Right-to-Know Law requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the cities' reports, how many reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Philadelphia County public records, Philadelphia County arrest records, Philadelphia County warrants, Philadelphia County inmate search, Philadelphia County criminal records, Pennsylvania arrest records and Pennsylvania inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Philadelphia County
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
In Philadelphia County the city and the county are one government, and the agency that reports for Philadelphia takes the reports.
The FBI's list also places the Philadelphia County State Police in Philadelphia County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
The FBI's agency list also places three campus police departments and three state agencies in Philadelphia County, each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the City Agencies in Philadelphia County
The one city the FBI lists in Philadelphia County with a reporting agency of its own:
- Philadelphia: 12,966 violent and 68,025 property crimes reported for 2025; 35,097 arrests reported for 2025.
A city on that list is reported separately whether the officers are the city's own or the sheriff's under contract; the FBI's list does not say which.
How Many Reports: Philadelphia County in 2025
The one agency in Philadelphia County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 12,966 violent and 68,025 property crimes to the FBI that year, each one a report taken by the agency that holds it.
Philadelphia reported 35,097 arrests to the FBI for 2025, and each arrest is a report of its own.
What the Right-to-Know Law Requires
Under the Right-to-Know Law the agency must answer a request within 5 business days, with a 30-day extension, and it may charge copying at 25 cents a page. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the District Attorney, (215) 686-8000, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Philadelphia County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the sheriff's office or the city's police. Under the Right-to-Know Law the answer is due within 5 business days, with a 30-day extension.
How long does an agency in Philadelphia County have to answer?
Under the Right-to-Know Law, within 5 business days, with a 30-day extension. It may charge copying at 25 cents a page.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Philadelphia County?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Philadelphia County State Police in Philadelphia County.
Is this the official Philadelphia County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.