Upper Dublin Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Upper Dublin Police Department (UDPD) is a First Class Civil Service
Criminal Justice
System that operates under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and its statutes and is located in Montgomery County. The department operates within a 13 square mile (34 km²) area that includes the Census-designated place
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
and the Township of Upper Dublin
. The department's 40 full-time officers are divided between two major divisions: Patrol
and Staff. These divisions are then divided into three support areas identified as Communications, Adult Investigations, and Juvenile Investigations. Additionally, there are several specialized units identified as Tactical Response, Medical Response, Bike Patrol, Traffic Safety, and DARE education
.
Tahoe
Police Package Vehicle (PPV)
. The Tahoe PPV is a rear-wheel drive vehicle comparable to the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
(CVPI). The particular Tahoe PPV that the UDPD drives features a paint scheme with green and orange striping and, starting in late 2004, has the words "In Memory of Sgt. James Miller" written above the rear quarter-panel. In 2007, the township added cars striped blue, not green. On the exterior, UDPD's Tahoes are additionally modified to include a rear lightbar with an arrow stick, emergency strobes on the rear quarter-panels, strobes on the deck lid, strobes on the front fenders, and strobes on the front push bar. These additional lights far exceed the State's requirements and are done so in the name of safety. The vehicle sits on 16" wheels wrapped with 255/70R16 All-Season SBR Blackwall H-Rated shoes.
On the interior, the front cloth seats provide room for the officers and their equipment. The center console houses radio equipment, including the Motorola trunked communications system. A LCD
screen mounted from the floor provides the officer with information while on the road. Vehicles are equipped with in-car-cameras. The back seats are vinyl for easy cleanup. The rear cargo area holds equipment vital to performing the duties of an officer. All marked units are equipped with AEDS. On the QRS unit (Quick Response Service), an AED (automated external defibrillator)
is placed additionally inside this cargo area, as well as other EMT supplies. The QRS unit is actually a highly-modified Chevrolet Suburban
. There is only one QRS unit in service in the UDPD. EMTs are assigned to each patrol squad to man the medic responder.
Mechanically speaking, the Tahoe PPV has a top speed of 125 MPH and has a Vortec 5300 V-8 engine that produces 295 horsepower (220 kW) and 330 foot-pounds (447 Nm) of torque tied to a 4-speed Allison
transmission. A 26 US gallon (98 L) gas tank fuels the engine, which can run on either 87 octane or E85 Ethanol Alcohol. A 160 watt alternator provides power for the vehicle, which includes recharging the heavy-duty 770 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) battery after the engine turns over. This alternator is also hooked up to a DC-AC inverter, which provides power to three 110-VAC outlets located throughout the vehicle.
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
Criminal Justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
System that operates under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and its statutes and is located in Montgomery County. The department operates within a 13 square mile (34 km²) area that includes the Census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Fort Washington is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,446 at the 2010 census.-Prior to the Revolutionary War:...
and the Township of Upper Dublin
Upper Dublin Township, Pennsylvania
Upper Dublin Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,569 at the 2010 census.Upper Dublin is made up of several community areas, many of which are unincorporated areas in Montgomery County with no legal status, and are used primarily by the US...
. The department's 40 full-time officers are divided between two major divisions: Patrol
Patrol
A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as police officers or soldiers, that are assigned to monitor a specific geographic area.- Military :...
and Staff. These divisions are then divided into three support areas identified as Communications, Adult Investigations, and Juvenile Investigations. Additionally, there are several specialized units identified as Tactical Response, Medical Response, Bike Patrol, Traffic Safety, and DARE education
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Drug Abuse Resistance Education, better known as DARE, is an international education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. D.A.R.E., which has expanded globally since its founding in 1983, is a demand-side drug control strategy of the U.S....
.
Communications
The department is a member of the Montgomery County 800 MHz Trunked Communications System and utilizes it for their dispatching purposes. Their Motorola Talkgroup ID number is 2320. Currently, the entire county is in the process of switching over to a completely digital radio system in order to add more features and increase reliability. For more information, please visit MontCo OEP website.Personnel
UDPD will only consider the top 30 applicants who take the Montgomery County Consortium test to become an entry-level police officer. They require that applicants earn 60 college credits, although that requirement may be waived if an applicant has three years of prior police experience.http://www.lowergwynedd.org/pdf/police/2004exam.pdf Upper Dublin Police Department is an accredited agency through the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.http://www.pachiefs.org/accreditation7.htmPatrol vehicle
The Upper Dublin Police Department utilizes the ChevroletChevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Tahoe
Chevrolet Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
Police Package Vehicle (PPV)
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
. The Tahoe PPV is a rear-wheel drive vehicle comparable to the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Though the name has been officially in use since 1992, the 1978–1991 full-size LTDs and LTD Crown Victorias and 1992 updated body style used the "P72" production code designation for both fleet/taxi and police models, with the model itself being internally classified as S...
(CVPI). The particular Tahoe PPV that the UDPD drives features a paint scheme with green and orange striping and, starting in late 2004, has the words "In Memory of Sgt. James Miller" written above the rear quarter-panel. In 2007, the township added cars striped blue, not green. On the exterior, UDPD's Tahoes are additionally modified to include a rear lightbar with an arrow stick, emergency strobes on the rear quarter-panels, strobes on the deck lid, strobes on the front fenders, and strobes on the front push bar. These additional lights far exceed the State's requirements and are done so in the name of safety. The vehicle sits on 16" wheels wrapped with 255/70R16 All-Season SBR Blackwall H-Rated shoes.
On the interior, the front cloth seats provide room for the officers and their equipment. The center console houses radio equipment, including the Motorola trunked communications system. A LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
screen mounted from the floor provides the officer with information while on the road. Vehicles are equipped with in-car-cameras. The back seats are vinyl for easy cleanup. The rear cargo area holds equipment vital to performing the duties of an officer. All marked units are equipped with AEDS. On the QRS unit (Quick Response Service), an AED (automated external defibrillator)
Automated external defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of...
is placed additionally inside this cargo area, as well as other EMT supplies. The QRS unit is actually a highly-modified Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
. There is only one QRS unit in service in the UDPD. EMTs are assigned to each patrol squad to man the medic responder.
Mechanically speaking, the Tahoe PPV has a top speed of 125 MPH and has a Vortec 5300 V-8 engine that produces 295 horsepower (220 kW) and 330 foot-pounds (447 Nm) of torque tied to a 4-speed Allison
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
transmission. A 26 US gallon (98 L) gas tank fuels the engine, which can run on either 87 octane or E85 Ethanol Alcohol. A 160 watt alternator provides power for the vehicle, which includes recharging the heavy-duty 770 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) battery after the engine turns over. This alternator is also hooked up to a DC-AC inverter, which provides power to three 110-VAC outlets located throughout the vehicle.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Upper Dublin Police Department, 1 officer has died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeant James Richard Miller | |
Automobile accident |