Lycoming County approves lease for district attorney's central processing, citing fingerprint backlog

Lycoming County commissioners voted April 22 to approve a five-year lease with two automatic renewals to establish a district attorney central processing and fingerprinting center at 435 Heffern Street in Heffern Plaza.

Tom, identified in the meeting as the district attorney, said the county is currently behind other Pennsylvania counties in filing fingerprint records and that the new facility will speed processing. "We're way behind in fingerprinting... it's gonna take about a year or 2 to get up to what other counties have accomplished in fingerprint," he told commissioners, noting the site will offer drive-in parking and multiple fingerprinting units so residents and defendants can be processed without long waits.

An official representing the district attorney's office told the board the lease is for five years with two automatic renewals and includes a monthly base rent and a $375.64 maintenance fee to cover lot and grounds upkeep. That office emphasized the location will also provide a discreet space for detectives to process in‑custody individuals. The official added the plan "won't be a drain on the taxpayers," saying the work will be funded through assessed fees collected from people fingerprinted for county cases.

Commissioners pressed staff on logistics and thanked the district attorney for locating a site described as centrally placed and suitably configured; the motion to approve the lease carried with commissioners voting "aye." The board scheduled a future site visit so commissioners can review the facility once it is set up.

The action follows long-standing county discussion about centralizing processing and reflects an operational push to reduce delays in fingerprint submissions that affect how prior-record scores are calculated for sentencing and bail decisions.