Mission Statment
This department constitutes an organization whose very existence is justified solely on the basis of community service. Although departmental regulations provide a working pattern, our official activity must not, and shall not be confined within the limited orbit described by them. We shall consider it our duty and privilege, not only to protect our citizens from the criminal, but also to protect and defend the rights of all citizens guaranteed under our structure of government.
A society free from crime and disorder remains an unachieved ideal; nevertheless, it is the primary objective of this department to enforce the Criminal and Civil laws in a fair and impartial manner, recognizing both the statutory and judicial limitations of police authority and the constitutional rights of all persons. It is not the role of the department to legislate, to render judgments or to punish.
Members and employees of the department shall consider it their duties and responsibilities to be consistent with the responsibilities of the department. Members and employees are expected to carry out their responsibilities diligently and courteously, and to endeavor to take pride in the services they provide.
Chain of Command
Under the Borough Code the Mayor is the elected official in charge of administration of the Police Department. The Mayor and Chief of Police carry out the the policies, goals, training and all other administrative facets of the police department set by Borough Council. The policies and all other orders, commands and directives are passed through the chain of command to be implemented by the members of the police department.
Patrol Operations
The Bridgeville Police Department provides 24 hour-a-day 365 day a year police protection to the residents of the Borough of Bridgeville.
The Borough of Bridgeville has approximately 5,500 residents within the 1.1 square miles of the Borough. The patrol division responds to over 3,000 calls for service each and every year. The patrol division is responsible for patrol operations on the roughly 43 miles of roadways within the Borough.
The patrol division is also responsible for responding to all calls for service and initial reporting of all criminal activity in the Borough. The patrol unit is very proactive in the approach they take to patrol and the activity of the patrol unit provides the most visible deterrent to criminal activity.
The patrol division also has the responsibility of investigating all motor vehicle collisions that take place within the Borough. All officers of the patrol division have received advanced training in the investigation of motor vehicle collisions. The Bridgeville Police also have officers that can respond to major crashes involving serious bodily injury or death for thorough investigation of these types of crashes.
Investigations
The Bridgeville Police Department is responsible for conducting criminal investigations within the Borough. The Bridgeville Police do not investigate cases of Criminal Homicide or Arson but do provide investigative support to the agency responsible for these types of investigations.
The purpose of criminal investigations is to identify and prosecute those responsible for crimes against persons and property. Bridgeville police officers assigned to conduct criminal investigations have advanced training in Burglary and Robbery Investigations, Advanced Criminal Investigations, Interview and Interrogations and Narcotics Investigations.
The police officers are also responsible for intelligence gathering and the dissemination of intelligence information on suspected criminal activity within the Borough. This includes, but is not limited to, narcotics activity.
The Bridgeville Police Department currently clears an exceptional amount of the cases that are reported. The combined efforts of both patrol and investigations make Bridgeville a very safe and secure community.
The Bridgeville Police also participate in a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force. The sole purpose of this task force is to identify, investigate and arrest persons involved in narcotics trafficking in the area. Officers from both patrol and investigations participate in this task force, which combines the resources of the numerous police departments within Allegheny County, the Allegheny County District Attorneys Office and the State Bureau of Narcotics Investigations.
Here are some other interesting links to law enforcement web sites: