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Harrisburg Bureau of Police

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Harrisburg Bureau of Police
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Common nameHarrisburg Police Department (misnomer)
Agency overview
Formed1861; 163 years ago (1861)
Employees188 (2021)[1]
Annual budget$21.4 M (2021)[2]
Jurisdictional structure
Size335.4 sq mi (539.7 km2)
Population50,099 (2020)[3]
Operational structure
Headquarters123 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1618
Agency executives
Facilities
SubstationsAllison Hill Police Substation
Website
http://harrisburgpa.gov/bureau-of-police/

Harrisburg Bureau of Police is a medium-sized city police force in South Central Pennsylvania serving the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 2019, Harrisburg had the sixth largest police department in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by total law enforcement employees.[4] Since 2003, the Bureau has achieved and maintained its annual status of an Accredited Agency under the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association Accreditation Program. It is one of only 131 agencies across the state to voluntarily apply for and earn the accreditation.[5]

History

Records show that the first police force was loosely assembled in Harrisburg city in 1861, with an unknown number of non-uniformed "Constables" making their money from fees of those arrested. Under former Mayor John Augustus Fritchey, the Police Department was formally reorganized in 1888 with official uniforms and 26 men placed on salary. That year, police call boxes were installed (and later booths). Alvin W. Weikert was appointed Chief of Police by the Mayor in 1889; the Chief worked dayshift while the Lieutenant assumed acting control for nights. The first police station was held inside the former Masonic Hall (more commonly referred to at the time as the Exchange Building) on Walnut St & 3rd St, but moved locations many times in the next decades, finally relocating to the first floor and basement of the Old City Hall building at 423 Walnut Street after its conversion from the Technical High School in 1929.[6] Following the completion and opening of the Vance C. McCormick Public Service Center on June 17, 1982, the Bureau of Police relocated to its current day headquarters.

In the mid 2000s, a substation opened at 15th & Drummond Streets in the Allison Hill neighborhood. Following a period of its disuse, it was reconstructed from a modular building in 2018 at a cost of $1 million (funded primarily through grants). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Allison Hill Police Substation was not reopened to the public until July 2020.[7]

In 2021, the Bureau's officers were overwhelmingly white despite patrolling a majority minority city, and in an ongoing problem it struggled to recruit minority officers in what was called a "perception problem" with the occupation.[8][9][10]

Vehicles

Chevy Tahoe PPV
Ford Police Interceptor Utility

In the past, HBP operated an all Chevrolet fleet. The fleet consisted of Chevrolet Caprice PPV sedans and Chevrolet Tahoe PPV SUV used for K-9 patrols. In 2016, HBP revealed new Ford patrol vehicles as well as a new paint scheme, ditching the dark blue with yellow lettering for a more traditional black and white cars. Originally, the new scheme was only on new vehicles being introduced, while older Chevy units retained the old colors (until entirely withdrawn from service three months later). Currently, the department utilizes a mix of Ford Police Interceptor Utility, Ford Police Interceptor Sedan, Chevrolet Tahoe PPV, and Ford Transit Prisoner Transport vehicles moving now to an all-black color scheme.[11]

Agency structure and Divisions

Agency structure

The Bureau is organized under the Harrisburg Department of Public Safety, along with the Bureau of Fire, Bureau of Codes, Office of Health, and Office of Parking Enforcement. The current Police Commissioner is Thomas Carter.[12] The current Deputy Chief of Police is Dennis Sorensen. In the past, 3 Captains lead the Uniformed Patrol, Technical Services, and Criminal Investigation Divisions. In 2020, the force was reorganized to include a Community Services Division to house the community needs more cohesively outside of the Uniformed Patrol Division.[13]

Divisions

  • Uniformed Patrol Division
  • Technical Services Division
  • Community Services Division
  • Criminal Investigation Division

Rank structure

Insignia Rank title Information
Commissioner/Chief The head of HBP, appointed by the mayor.
Deputy Chief of Police The second-in-command of HBP.
Captain Leads a Division.
Lieutenant Second-in-Command of a Division, leader of some Units.
Sergeant Supervisor, leader of some units and squads.
Corporal A senior officer.
Detective An officer assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division.
Police Officer

[13]

Fallen officers

As of December 2024, seven Harrisburg Bureau of Police officers lost their lives on duty:

Rank Name End of Watch Cause of death Ref
Patrol Officer Charles Humphrey 5 September 1907 Killed in cow stampede [14]
Patrol Officer Lewis C. Hipple 23 June 1916 Shot and killed while attempting to detain two men [15]
Patrol Officer Melvin W. Kepford 30 October 1918 Struck and killed by vehicle while directing traffic [16]
Patrol Officer Cloyd L. Hearn 13 November 1934 Struck and killed by vehicle while on foot patrol [17]
Patrol Officer Barry P. Karper 20 July 1963 Killed when patrol vehicle crashed while chasing stolen vehicle [18]
Patrol Officer Joseph J. O'Shura 20 July 1963 Killed when patrol vehicle crashed while chasing stolen vehicle [19]
Detective Corporal John Robert Christian Jr. 18 April 1978 Shot and killed by robbery suspect [20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "2021 Approved Budget" (PDF). City of Harrisburg. Retrieved 2021-07-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "2021 Approved Budget" (PDF). City of Harrisburg. Retrieved 2021-07-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "State and county quick facts". {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  4. ^ "Pennsylvania". FBI. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  5. ^ "NEWS POST: Harrisburg Bureau of Police Receives Re-Accreditation". CRIMEWATCH. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  6. ^ "History of Harrisburg police". Harrisburg Telegraph. 1938-03-26. p. 23. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  7. ^ Cheung, Karina (2020-07-23). "Allison Hill Police Substation open to the public, months after construction completed". WHP. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  8. ^ Finney, Andrea. "Inside the Harrisburg Police Dept.'s drive to recruit minorities". WHP. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  9. ^ "Harrisburg Police focusing on more diversity in the department". ABC27. 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  10. ^ Johnson, Porcha (2015-01-06). "Harrisburg police chief to recruit minority applicants". WGAL. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  11. ^ "Harrisburg officers get first look at new fleet of police cars". WGAL. 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  12. ^ "Bureau of Police". City of Harrisburg. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  13. ^ a b "City of Harrisburg 2021 Budget Presentation Q&A Response" (PDF). City of Harrisburg Website. 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2021-06-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Patrol Officer Charles Humphrey". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  15. ^ "Patrol Officer Lewis C. Hipple". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  16. ^ "Patrol Officer Melvin W. Kepford". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  17. ^ "Patrol Officer Cloyd L. Hearn". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  18. ^ "Patrol Officer Barry Penrose Karper". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  19. ^ "Patrol Officer Joseph John O'Shura". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  20. ^ "Detective Corporal John Robert Christian, Jr". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
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