Swatara updates police records fees under Act 134 and authorizes sale of retired firearms

Swatara Township approved two police‑related measures June 10: an updated fee schedule under Pennsylvania Act 134 for records production and a resolution authorizing the sale or transfer of retired department firearms to permit trade‑in credit toward replacement weapons.

Superintendent Staer told the board Act 134 (effective 2022) lets municipalities charge reasonable fees for producing investigative materials for victims or defendants, and that the department’s current fee schedule was out of date. The department proposed a schedule aligned with the county district attorney’s current practice; the board approved Resolution R‑2026‑21 by voice vote.

Separately, the department reported it expects delivery of replacement service weapons later this year; trade‑in credit from the retailer would be applied to new purchases. Historically, officers sometimes bought their retired service weapons for personal ownership; the resolution authorizes the sale/transfer process and directs staff to ensure full legal compliance. Board members removed a sentence describing public vs. private auction language to reduce ambiguity and approved Resolution R‑2026‑22.

What enforcement and process look like: the police will charge the fee schedule for production requests under Act 134 and will follow the sales process determined by the township manager and the police superintendent, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws governing firearm transfers.

Next steps: staff will publish the updated fee schedule and proceed with replacement procurement and the disposition plan for retired firearms.