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State College Police present 2026 budget, social‑work referrals and staffing update to Harris supervisors
Summary
State College Police presented the 2026 budget proposal, emphasized grants and the social‑work program (1,713 referrals since 2022, 330 in 2025 for Harris Township), reviewed training, accreditation status and staffing changes, and noted a planned purchase of scales for truck enforcement.
A State College Police representative presented the department’s 2026 budget and program highlights during the Oct. 13 Harris Township meeting, outlining staffing, training, grant funding and community programs.
The presenter, identified in the packet as the police department chief, said the department has emphasized professional development and reported demographic data (about 16% of officers are female and 11% are persons of color), recent recruitments and retirements, and a net hire of seven officers this year reducing vacancies to three. The chief announced his planned retirement at the end of the year: "I will be retiring at the end of the year," he told the board.
He reviewed grant‑funded initiatives including a two‑person social work unit (police social workers and care specialists) funded initially in 2022; the presenter said the unit has handled 1,713 referrals since June 2022 with 330 referrals in 2025 in Harris Township and partner jurisdictions, noting only a small percentage of referrals led to arrest. Other grants cited include PCCD funding for technology improvements and enforcement grants for DUI and aggressive driving.
Operational items included a proposed purchase of scales to weigh commercial vehicles so the department can perform truck enforcement without relying on state police availability, selection of a new records management vendor (ProPhoenix) funded by a PCCD grant, and plans to continue traffic enforcement and targeted speed surveys. The chief presented Part 1 and Part 2 crime statistics and crash data and noted a small overall change from the prior year: 68 total crashes reported through Aug. 31 and a slight uptick in DUI‑related injury crashes.
Board members asked for a per‑resident cost breakdown and details on hours of service; the chief said he would provide those figures to the board. The presentation concluded with the chief thanking Harris Township for the partnership and noting successes of community‑oriented programs.
