Butler County

Butler County follows Pennsylvania law on arrests, release, and courts. These rules are the same in every county in the state; the full set covers prosecutors, defense, and jails too.

Who decides release first

Outside Philadelphia, a magisterial district judge sets bail at the preliminary arraignment. In Philadelphia, an arraignment court magistrate appointed by the Municipal Court sets it; magistrates need not be lawyers if they complete a training program. Neither may set bail for murder or voluntary manslaughter; a Common Pleas judge does.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 51942 Pa.C.S. 1515(a)(4)42 Pa.C.S. 1123(a)(5)

Time to see a judge

A person arrested without a warrant must have a preliminary arraignment without unnecessary delay. The rule sets no hour limit. The U.S. Supreme Court's 48-hour rule for a probable cause finding applies as the federal floor.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 516(A)

Money bail

Money bail is allowed. The rules list five kinds of release, from release on recognizance to a money condition no larger than needed to ensure the person appears.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 524(C)

Courts

The Court of Common Pleas, organized in 60 judicial districts, tries felonies and misdemeanors. Magisterial district judges hear summary offenses, the lowest grade, and hold first arraignments and preliminary hearings. In Philadelphia, the Municipal Court tries crimes punishable by up to five years without a jury.

Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Courts of Common Pleas42 Pa.C.S. 151542 Pa.C.S. 1123

Judges and magistrates

Common Pleas judges win a contested election for a 10-year term, then run in yes-or-no retention elections without party labels. Magisterial district judges are elected in contested elections to six-year terms and need not be lawyers. All other judges must be members of the bar.

Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, How Judges Are Elected

Read from the statutes and court rules cited, 2026-09-30. The prison board statute covers counties of the third to fifth class and those that opt in; Philadelphia and Allegheny run jails under other arrangements not read here.

• Cranberry township34,094
• Butler township16,988
• Adams township15,282
• Butler13,212
• Buffalo township8,070
• Slippery Rock township8,059
• Center township7,818
• Middlesex township7,236
• Jackson township5,521
• Jefferson township5,126
• Penn township4,923
• Summit township4,422
• Connoquenessing township4,184
• Zelienople borough3,827
• Slippery Rock borough3,495
• Winfield township3,325
• Forward township3,304
• Lancaster township3,207
• Seven Fields borough2,884
• Clinton township2,878
• Oakland township2,739
• Clearfield township2,649
• Franklin township2,590
• Clay township2,243
• Evans City borough2,074
• Muddy Creek township2,025
• Fairview township1,921
• Donegal township1,596
• Concord township1,373
• Washington township1,368
• Worth township1,303
• Mars borough1,285
• Harmony borough1,232
• Saxonburg borough1,202
• Mercer township1,201
• Prospect borough1,157
• Brady township1,092
• Marion township1,033
• Cherry township987
• Venango township937
• East Butler borough916
• Harrisville borough901
• Chicora borough876
• Connoquenessing borough687
• Valencia borough550
• Parker township534
• Allegheny township505
• Callery borough458
• Bruin borough354
• West Liberty borough327
• Eau Claire borough272
• West Sunbury borough197
• Portersville borough196
• Karns City borough194
• Petrolia borough186
• Fairview borough179
• Cherry Valley borough60

Every city, village, town, and township with any of its land in Butler County, largest first. Population, the whole place's: Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024.

• State Police: Butler CountyState police agency71,056 served
• Northern Regional Police DepartmentCity police department41,981 served
• Cranberry Township Police DepartmentCity police department35,475 served
• Butler Township Police Department, Butler CountyCity police department16,886 served
• Adams Township Police Department, Butler CountyCity police department15,926 served
• Butler Police DepartmentCity police department12,894 served
• Buffalo Township Police DepartmentCity police department8,249 served
• Middlesex Township Police Department, Butler CountyCity police department7,583 served
• Jackson Township Police Department, Butler CountyCity police department6,395 served
• Penn Township Police Department, Butler CountyCity police department4,865 served
• Lancaster Township Police Department, Butler CountyCity police department3,828 served
• Zelienople Police DepartmentCity police department3,736 served
• Slippery Rock Police DepartmentCity police department3,670 served
• Evans City Police DepartmentCity police department1,671 served
• Mars Police DepartmentCity police department1,404 served
• Saxonburg Police DepartmentCity police department1,366 served
• Prospect Police DepartmentCity police department1,073 served
• Harrisville Police DepartmentCity police department785 served
• Callery Police DepartmentCity police department343 served
• Bureau of Forestry: Butler CountyOther state agency
• Butler County Community CollegeCollege or university police
• Butler County Sheriff's OfficeSheriff or county police
• County Detective: Butler CountyOther agency
• Office of Attorney General Region 3: Butler CountyOther state agency
• Slippery Rock UniversityCollege or university police
• State Park Rangers: Jennings Environmental Education CenterOther state agency
• State Park Rangers: MoraineOther state agency

Agencies: FBI NIBRS master file 2025 batch headers; names from the FBI agency list, pulled 2026-09-29. An agency that serves several counties appears on each. Population served is the FBI's figure.