Mercer County

Mercer 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.

• Hermitage16,041
• Sharon12,936
• Grove City borough7,830
• Greenville borough5,523
• Pine township4,758
• Farrell4,199
• Sharpsville borough4,187
• Hempfield township3,678
• Shenango township3,475
• West Salem township3,201
• Pymatuning township3,066
• Findley township2,635
• South Pymatuning township2,608
• Lackawannock township2,151
• Springfield township2,089
• Delaware township2,044
• Mercer borough2,006
• Coolspring township1,940
• East Lackawannock township1,899
• Jefferson township1,688
• Wilmington township1,531
• Liberty township1,351
• Perry township1,246
• Sandy Lake township1,170
• Jackson township1,080
• Greene township1,032
• West Middlesex borough980
• Fairview township913
• Salem township849
• Sugar Grove township825
• Mill Creek township796
• Stoneboro borough785
• Sandy Lake borough783
• Sandy Creek township762
• Wolf Creek township750
• Worth township733
• Lake township702
• Jamestown borough683
• French Creek township674
• Clark borough585
• Otter Creek township529
• New Vernon township482
• Deer Creek township458
• Fredonia borough314
• New Lebanon borough199
• Jackson Center borough172
• Sheakleyville borough100

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

• State Police: Mercer CountyState police agency37,132 served
• Hermitage Police DepartmentCity police department16,857 served
• Sharon Police DepartmentCity police department12,649 served
• Grove City Police DepartmentCity police department7,717 served
• Greenville Police DepartmentCity police department5,441 served
• Shenango Township Police Department, Mercer CountyCity police department4,186 served
• Farrell Police DepartmentCity police department4,114 served
• Sharpsville Police DepartmentCity police department4,098 served
• Hempfield Township Police Department, Mercer CountyCity police department3,610 served
• No name PA0432200City police department3,180 served
• Pymatuning Township Police DepartmentCity police department2,992 served
• South Pymatuning Township Police DepartmentCity police department2,560 served
• Mercer Police DepartmentCity police department1,907 served
• Jefferson Township Police Department, Mercer CountyCity police department1,841 served
• No name PA0432000City police department1,027 served
• Stoneboro Police DepartmentCity police department917 served
• No name PA0431300City police department788 served
• Sandy Lake Police DepartmentCity police department626 served
• No name PA0431200City police department562 served
• Jamestown Police DepartmentCity police department561 served
• No name PA0431800City police department555 served
• Bureau of Forestry: Mercer CountyOther state agency
• County Detective: Mercer CountyOther agency
• Mercer County Sheriff's OfficeSheriff or county police
• Office of Attorney General Region 3: Mercer CountyOther state agency
• No name PA0433500Other agency
• Pennsylvania State University: Shenango ValleyCollege or university police
• State Park Rangers: Maurice K. GoddardOther state agency
• Thiel CollegeCollege or university police

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.