Lehigh County Sheriff Joe Hanna was born and raised in Allentown PA. and has been a lifelong resident of Lehigh County. Educated in the Allentown Public School System, he continued his higher education at Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA. earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice in 1978.
In 1979 it was with great pride that he joined the ranks of the Allentown Police Department. Over the next thirty-four years he worked his way through the ranks from Patrol Officer to Allentown’s top cop, Chief of Police.
With a desire to continue in the law enforcement sector of public service, upon retirement Sheriff Hanna transitioned to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office as a County Detective. There he headed a wide array of investigations.

Committed to advanced law enforcement training and education, Sheriff Hanna himself is a graduate of the premier Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the U.S. Department of Justice FBI National Academy. He served as Director of Training at the Allentown Police Academy where he continues to be a part time adjunct instructor for police recruits. During his law enforcement career, Sheriff Hanna has earned recognition as a top law enforcement professional and has received numerous awards including the Allentown Crime Watch Police Officer of the Year and the prestigious Pennsylvania State Police Colonel John K. Schafer award for professional excellence.

Sheriff Hanna prides the title of “Public Servant” and in his spare time serves on the boards of various non-profit Community and faith based organizations in Lehigh County.  He is a 2019 recipient of the Casa Guadalupe Outstanding Service Award.  In 2019 he was inducted into the Dieruff High School "Wall of Distinction". He and his wife Randy Anne have been married for thirty-eight years and have two children, Jared, an Assistant District Attorney in Lehigh County, and Michelle, who is pursuing her PhD. in Psychology.

The Office of the Sheriff serves all original civil, criminal and protection from abuse documents issued by the Court of Common Pleas. The office also provides security for the County's courtrooms, judges and buildings. The Sheriff's Office transports prisoners, holds sales to collect debts on both real and personal property, investigates and apprehends fugitives and bail jumpers and preserves the peace at riots and civil strike injunctions.

In addition, the Sheriff's Office issues permits to carry a concealed weapon within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These permits are issued only after an appropriate background investigation is completed.

Part-time Sheriff's Deputy position opportunities are available to candidates who are Police Act 120 trained or certified. Lehigh County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

On Friday, March 4, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. the Lehigh County Sheriff and members of the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office hosted eight year old Kaleb Holder as "Sheriff For The Day." Kaleb, a third grader at Kratzer Elementary school (Parkland School District) has been diagnosed with Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare genetic disease that affects myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds the brain's neurons, the nerve cells that provide the ability to think and control muscle movement.

Kaleb was "sworn in" by Sheriff Hanna and presented with a Deputy Sheriff's shirt signed by all the Lehigh County Deputy Sheriffs. Additionally, through the donations of the Deputies, he was presented with assorted gifts and a gift card for Toys Are Us. He visited with Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas President Judge, the Honorable Edward D. Reibman.

To raise awareness for Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) please visit The Stop ALD Foundation at www.stopald.org