As many of you already know, the South Fayette police station, township offices and board meeting rooms have moved to a new, much-needed, state-of-the-art facility located at 100 Township Drive, South Fayette, PA 15017, along Hickory Grade Road. The new South Fayette Township Municipal Center is open to the public for everyone’s needs. I speak for our police department when I say we are thrilled!
Looking at this new facility from a police department’s perspective, we had outgrown our Millers Run Road station 25 years ago, and through the years we needed to be creative with making space to accommodate our needs. We removed our cells to create space for evidence and files that we are required by law to retain. We left an office of 1,800 square feet, which was never designed for police operations, and now have been fortunate to move into an 18,000-square-foot police facility with all the amenities needed to operate a more professional department.
Being part of the planning process for the past few years regarding the police facility, I would always comment about how this new station needs to be modern and multigenerational to assist in making our department better able to provide a more professional service to our residents. I believe this has been accomplished.
In the second half of 2024 we will start the process to become accredited through the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. This will help us consistently meet state standards with respect to practices and procedures and allow us to apply for grant money not available to non-accredited agencies. Our police department already does most of these things, but accreditation will help us tighten up areas where we can become better. As chief, I will continue to look for ways to fulfill our community’s needs. In 2021, our department revamped our policies, procedures and records management system in anticipation of accreditation.
One of my visions since becoming your chief in 2014 was to start a citizen’s police academy for residents to learn the different aspects of law enforcement and how and why we as police officers do what we do. I wanted to wait to implement this until we were in our new station so we could offer the appropriate space and facilities. This academy will cover topics such as the criminal justice system, CPR and first aid, traffic stops, investigations and crime scenes, virtual scenarios and self-defense, to name a few. I am looking forward to holding our first academy in 2025 (more information to come).
In addition, our department looks forward to hosting regional law enforcement training along with in-house training for our officers, such as continuing the practice of jiu-jitsu and completing required periodic re-certifications in our tactical room. A great benefit to our officers is we have become more self-sufficient and can complete training on-site.
This new facility is something our township officials, staff and residents can be proud of, and it is multigenerational—meaning it will be here long after we’re gone. With the township’s recent growth, this new police station enables the police department to provide more efficient services and to protect our community better than ever before. And that’s really what is most important.
Professionally,
John R. Phoennik
Chief of Police
South Fayette Township