The Moon Township Police Department

First Township in Allegheny County – Founded in 1788

The Moon Township Police Department services the Township of Moon which is located in Allegheny County located in southwestern Pennsylvania approximately 12 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The Township covers an area of approximately 24 square miles with a population of over 22,000.

The Moon Township Police Department is a small to mid-size police department which consists of 30 sworn law enforcement officers including a chief of police, a captain, 4 sergeants, a corporal, 3 detectives and 19 officers. The department has a patrol unit, a special investigations unit,  a drug and vice detective, a high tech crime investigator and a D.A.R.E officer. The department employs 10 civilian support personnel which includes a full time dispatch center. The PEMA certified dispatch center receives and dispatches police and fire calls for 2 municipalities and provides CLEAN and NCIC computer terminal services for 9 agencies.

The Moon Township Police Department, for its relative size, performs many specialized duties and offers expanded services to the community. Most officers of the department have advanced training in varying fields. The department strives to seek out and provide additional training to its officers in a continuing effort to improve the effectiveness of its operations. Some of the areas of specialization include the following:

Two accident reconstruction experts

Three PA certified commercial truck inspection officers

Five certified child safety restraint system technicians

Three certified firearms instructors

Two certified Taser instructors

Two certified personal defense instructors

A certified DARE instructor

ThreePA certified wiretap officers

A specialized computer crimes officer

In addition to being trained in basic lifesaving procedures including CPR as required by law, all officers are further trained in the use of the AED (Automated External Defibrillator). These units are carried in every marked patrol vehicle and also in the police facility itself. The department has used this device on numerous occasions and has been successful in saving a number of individuals with it.

The department participates in joint law enforcement efforts including the West Hills DUI Task Force, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Drug Enforcement Network (D.A.N.E.T.), the U.S. District Attorney's Task Force on Child Abuse, the Pennsylvania State Police Southwest Computer Crimes Task Force, the PA Attorney General's Drug Enforcement Task Force and cooperative efforts with many other agencies.

The department participates in a wide variety of community policing activities including, but not limited to, bicycle patrol on the Montour Trail, Mooncrest housing plan, township parks and community functions, Park and Walk, a school walk through program which was expanded to include local hotels, vacant home and business security checks, D.A.R.E, Child Safety Seat installations and inspections,

fingerprinting services and department tours.