Mayoral Musings: Preview of Lansdale Police Department Annual Report

Mayor Garry Herbert•

To help highlight the efforts and progress of the Lansdale Borough Police Department, we craft an annual report that is presented to council and to the public for their review. I am happy to share that total crime in Lansdale is down almost 2% and total arrests are up over 9% compared to our historical 10-year average.

Our community is safer and more secure than ever before. This is a direct result of our proactive and compassionate approach to public safety, which prioritizes prevention, intervention, and diversion over punitive and reactive measures. We are not just enforcing the law; we are empowering our community to thrive and flourish.

The following is a short preview of the speech I will be sharing with borough council and the public later tonight:

"2023 was a year of growth for our police department. Lansdale Police added four new officers, a dedicated traffic unit, and invested in expanding our services to include a dedicated mental health responder to help proactively address behavioral health needs in our community.

One of the main goals of our police department is to engage in community policing, which is a philosophy that emphasizes building trust and mutual respect between the police and the public. Community policing involves working with residents, businesses, schools, and other stakeholders to identify and solve problems, prevent crime, and improve the quality of life in Lansdale.

In 2023, our officers and staff attended over 700 public events. This includes mass gathering events like First Fridays, National Night Out, and Founder’s Day but it also includes smaller, more intimate settings, where officers interact with the public in more nuanced ways to help deepen our relationship on the individual level.

Our investment in additional police officers, helped us increase our presence and visibility and foster positive relationships with the people we serve, and enhance our responsiveness and accountability. More officers also means more opportunities for specialized training, outreach, and collaboration with other agencies and organizations. We believe that community policing is not only effective, but also essential for creating a safe, healthy, and prosperous Lansdale. On behalf of the department, thank you for that investment and the continued commitment to community policing.

Alongside the opportunity to spend more proactive time with the public, investing in more officers allowed us to create a dedicated traffic unit in 2023. Traffic management is an important aspect of community policing, as it affects the safety, mobility, and quality of life of all residents and visitors. In 2023 alone, our traffic unit responded to and managed over 1,200 traffic incidents. By dedicating resources to a traffic unit, our aim is to reduce the number and severity of traffic collisions, enforce traffic laws and regulations, and educate the public on safe and responsible driving habits. […] We believe that by investing in traffic management, we can improve the livability and sustainability of our community and make Lansdale a more attractive and welcoming place for everyone.

Finally, one of the most significant and impactful initiatives that we launched in 2023 was the Mental Health Response Program, a non-officer responder, for calls involving individuals experiencing mental health crises or substance use disorders. This program aims to divert individuals from unnecessary arrests or hospitalizations and connect them with appropriate community-based services and support. Thanks to grant funding from the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency, we were able to bring our vision to life by partnering with Merakey to implement and hire Alexis Moyer as our full-time mental health responder.

In 2023, and over the span of just six months, Alexis has helped 275 community members find behavioral support that was otherwise missing from their lives and may have saved their lives outright. This is in addition to regularly supporting and connecting people to other non-behavioral services like Access Services, the Penn Foundation, Manna, and many other critical resources.

Looking ahead, grant funding for this program is slated to end in 2025. It is my sincere hope that, together, in our annual budget we will be able to fully fund and continue the intrepid foundation we have built over the last several months. By doing so, our program not only helps individuals in crisis, but reduces the burden on our criminal justice and health care systems, while also freeing up our patrol officers to focus on other public safety priorities.

Lansdale is more than just a place; it is a home. A home where we feel safe, supported, and valued. A home where we can grow, learn, and thrive. A home where we can face any challenge with courage, compassion, and resilience. Our department is honored to be part of this home, and to serve and protect it with dedication and professionalism. We are not only the guardians of our community; we are also its builders. Together, we have created a strong and sturdy foundation that can withstand any storm. Together, we have woven a tight and vibrant fabric that embraces diversity. Together, we have lit a bright and warm fire that can inspire any dream. Lansdale is our home, and we are proud to make it secure to keep us moving forward, together.”

If you would like to attend and review the Lansdale Police Department Annual Report, alongside the rest of the borough business that will be attended to this evening, please join us at Borough Hall at 7 p.m. in Borough Chambers.

(Mayoral Musings is a weekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert. The views expressed are his own and are not representative of North Penn Now or Lansdale Borough.)