South Fayette has grown significantly in the past 10 years. While population and retail growth are great for the township and provide residents and visitors with opportunities to visit amenities such as restaurants and retail stores, with growth come issues that police need to address.
For instance, there’s an increase in traffic, which creates congestion and unfortunately a higher rate of accidents on our roads. With more traffic and retail stores coming to our area, there also is the possibility of an increase in criminal activity. The South Fayette Township Police Department has striven to stay in front of these issues by creating two specialized units.
First, we have created an investigation unit with two full-time police investigators who focus on following up on crime, which naturally increases with growth. Second, we operate a traffic unit to focus on high-volume areas where there is more probability of vehicular accidents and complaints. This unit is in addition to our regular daily patrols throughout our neighborhoods 24/7. In addition, the department has installed approximately 50 traffic cameras at township intersections for officers to review footage of accidents and assist in identifying vehicles that possibly were involved in crimes. It is important to note that Pennsylvania law restricts police from enforcing traffic violations with these cameras, so this technology helps provide accurate information for investigations.
These special units have helped South Fayette Township rank as one of the safest communities in Pennsylvania. Our department patrols approximately 385 roads across 21 square miles all year to keep our community as safe as possible. We always try our best to provide quality service and protection that our residents and visitors deserve.
If you have traffic concerns about your neighborhood, become a victim of a crime or need any other assistance, please don’t hesitate to notify our department day or night. We all work and live in a wonderful growing community, and our officers depend on a partnership with our residents to keep South Fayette safe.
For anyone who might have any questions or concerns throughout the year, I hold periodic Coffee with the Chief gatherings in various locations throughout South Fayette. To find information on the next event, sign up for email or text notifications on our website.
Professionally,
John R. Phoennik
Chief of Police
South Fayette Township