Harrisburg, PA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)

Section 3-339.2 of the Harrisburg Codified Ordinances says no person shall maliciously loiter or prowl in a public place. Loitering means lingering, staying, remaining or waiting at one location, malicious means vexatious, annoying, injurious, or with intent to do a wrongful act, and prowling means roving or wandering in a stealthful manner. Public place is any place to which the public has access, including any street, highway, road, alley or sidewalk, the front or surrounding area of any store, shop, restaurant, tavern or other place of business, public grounds, areas and parks, and parking lots or other vacant private property not owned or controlled by the person charged.

Enforcement is conditioned. Unless flight or other disabling circumstances make it impracticable, a police officer must, before any arrest, afford the person an opportunity to dispel any alarm by identifying himself or herself and explaining presence and conduct (§ 3-339.3(B)), and no conviction stands if the officer skipped that step or the explanation given was true. Two neighboring rules cover related conduct in the City of Harrisburg. Chapter 3-337 makes it unlawful to loiter, remain, wander or prowl in a public place with the intent to sell, purchase, manufacture, possess or transfer a controlled substance, with intent shown by overt acts such as repeatedly beckoning to, stopping or engaging pedestrians or motorists, or repeatedly passing money, objects or written material.

Section 3-341.2, in the disturbing the peace chapter, prohibits conduct done with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, including intentionally or recklessly obstructing any highway or other public passage with no legal privilege, and refusing a reasonable official request or order to move to prevent obstruction of a highway, sidewalk or other public passage.