I have been very fortunate to serve as your chief of police during the past eight years, during which time the South Fayette Township Police Department has grown by leap and bounds.
We have hired 11 new officers since 2014, bringing the total number of officers to 23—a direct result of our elected Board of Commissioners recognizing the need to enhance public safety to serve our increasing population and business community.
By expanding the police to numbers that reflect the growth of South Fayette, the department has been able to create specialized assignments for officers to better protect and serve our residents.
With growth comes an increase in traffic, so we recently assigned two full-time officers to enforce traffic laws in areas deemed to be problematic. This unit’s visibility will help keep motorists safer on township roadways.
Another specialized unit is investigations. Two full-time officers serve as investigators, following up on incidents and helping solve crimes.
An officer is assigned to serve as the School Resource Officer in the South Fayette School District during each school year, while our bloodhound, Ellie Faye, always is on call and ready to assist with searches and attend community events.
Four squads of four officers patrol neighborhoods 24 hours, 7 seven days a week and handle calls for service. In addition, officers within each squad are trained in numerous specialized areas. Just two of the many examples are bike patrol and Project Lifesaver, which tracks participating people who may become lost due to a cognitive condition.
These specialized assignments show how committed our officers are to protecting and serving our township.
As a 32-year resident of South Fayette, I am truly proud of how far we have come as a police department and as a community.
Professionally,
John R. Phoennik
Chief of Police
South Fayette Township