State police report fewer incidents, warn of summer staffing strains and urge compliance with burning rules

Vanita, the township public safety lead, opened the reports by describing recent open‑burning incidents, including a pallet fire that spread embers onto a wooded hillside and ignited roughly two acres. "The fire company spent over 4 hours extinguishing the fire assisted by 12 other fire departments," she said, and estimated damage at about $10,000.

Trooper Wayne of the Pennsylvania State Police presented comparative incident statistics for Concord Township and discussed staffing and community outreach. He said total incidents were 5,737 in 2024 and 5,261 in 2025; traffic enforcement stops fell from 1,516 to 1,201, which he attributed in part to manpower shortages. "We're losing a lot of manpower lately," he said, and explained that allocation of new cadets is determined by the troop commander and troop needs.

Wayne also described preventative work and outreach: senior fraud‑prevention classes, child car‑seat safety events, and recent "Coffee with a Cop" gatherings. He warned residents to expect traffic congestion and road closures during major Philadelphia events this summer and noted a troop leave restriction for June–July tied to those events.

Council members pressed for details on how newly graduated troopers are assigned and whether domestic security checks include residential vacation checks. Wayne said the department conducts residential checks on request but that response times are affected by staffing. He invited residents to email for incident‑specific details that cannot be released publicly.

The meeting included no formal action stemming from the reports. The council reiterated a reminder to follow the township burning ordinance and encouraged residents to contact township or state police with questions.