Community Engagement

Cop Camp

Due to overwhelming interest, the 2024 program is now FULL! If you are still interested, please look for our 2025 program advertisements next spring!

The program will be held Monday, June 17th through Friday, June 21st. To request an application for the 2024 Cop Camp program, please email registration@udpd.us. Registration ends May 6th, 2024. All applications will be reviewed prior to acceptance into the program. 

Each day the camp cadets will participate in exercise activities and obstacle courses. Included throughout the week are demonstrations by police personnel assigned to the following units, activities or specialties:

• Criminal Investigations
• SWAT 
• Bomb Squad
• K-9 Handlers
• Motorcycle Unit
• Bicycle Patrol Unit and Bike Safety
• Mock Court Trial

In addition, participants will be involved in exploring a mock crime scene and taking part in a mock trial with the local District Judge. They will also have the opportunity to meet with Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics from Ambler Ambulance and 2^nd Alarmers Rescue Squad, firefighters from the Fort Washington Fire Company, and the flight crew from a medical helicopter unit.

Cop Camp concludes with a graduation ceremony and presentation of diplomas from the Chief of Police. But more significantly, each cadet leaves having had positive and educational interactions with law enforcement and other emergency services providers.

Cop Camp is for residents of Upper Dublin Township only and registration is limited.

For questions concerning the Cop Camp, please contact Siobhan Klinger at (215) 646-2101 or email siobhan.klinger@udpd.us.

Citizens Police Academy

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department introduced the Citizens Police Academy to the Upper Dublin Community in 2023. The Citizens Police Academy is a robust 10-week community training program that provides members of the community with a better understanding of the operations and practices of the Upper Dublin Police Department. The Citizens Police Academy allows Upper Dublin residents to gain a deeper understanding of the skills and abilities that police officers bring to their work in the community and as a result, fosters enhanced police and community relations.

For questions concerning the Citizens Police Academy, please contact Corporal David Madrak at (215) 646-2101 or email david.madrak@udpd.us.

College Internship Program 

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department recognizes the importance of continuing education and pursuing programs for the furtherance of career opportunities. The Upper Dublin Police Department seeks to assist college students concentrating in Criminal Justice studies in fulfilling academic requirements, by allowing them to participate in the Department's Internship Program.

Eligibility Requirements:

• The intern must be enrolled in an accredited college or university
• The intern must be a minimum age of 18 years
• The intern must maintain an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 in their curriculum
• The intern must be enrolled in a criminal justice program or related course of study. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis
• The intern must be free of any Felony or Misdemeanor arrests or convictions.

Compensation

Interns are not considered employees of the Upper Dublin Police Department and shall not receive any compensation or benefits.

Application

Any person interested in participating in the Internship Program shall submit the following via email to Corporal David Madrak at david.madrak@udpd.us:

• A letter from the college or university detailing the institution's policy on participation in an internship program
• A letter requesting consideration for entry into the Internship Program
• A letter of referral from a current criminal justice instructor or advisor
• The student's resume

Project ChildSafe 

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department is committed to promoting firearm safety throughout the Upper Dublin Township community. To accomplish this task the Department has partnered with Project ChildSafe, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit charitable organization that promotes firearm safety among firearms owners through the distribution of safety education messages and free firearm Safety Kits. The firearm Safety Kits include a cable-style gun-locking device and a brochure that discusses safe handling and secure storage guidelines to help deter access by unauthorized individuals.

Project ChildSafe is a real solution to making our communities safer. More than 15,000 law enforcement agencies have partnered with the program to distribute more than 36 million firearms safety kits to gun owners in all 50 states and the five U.S. territories. Through vital partnerships with elected officials, community leaders, state agencies, businesses, the firearms industry, and other stakeholders, Project ChildSafe has helped raise awareness about the safe and responsible ownership of firearms and the importance of securely storing firearms to help reduce accidents and access by unauthorized individuals.

To learn more about Project ChildSafe, please visit their website by clicking here.

Project Safe Return 

The Upper Dublin Police Department offers a program called “Project Safe Return”. This program is geared towards our elderly, memory-impaired, and neurodiverse community members. The goal of Project Safe Return is to offer our community members and their families the ability to enroll their loved ones with our department in the event of contact with law enforcement.

To enroll, the community member and/or family members will need to complete a Project Safe Return form and submit it to the Police Department (form and instructions are listed below). The form will allow law enforcement officers to have immediate access to personal background information during an emergency. This information will help our officers make informed decisions on how to peacefully intervene to avoid those actions that will likely trigger fear, anxiety, or even a violent response.

If you would like to obtain more information on Project Safe Return, please contact Patrol Officer Devon Petaccio at (215) 646-2101 or email devon.petaccio@udpd.us.

Registration

To register a loved one for Project Safe Return, please download and complete the following form:

Project Safe Return Summary & Registration Form

Submit the completed form one of the following ways:

Email: udpd@udpd.us
-OR-
Fax: 215-628-8976

Lock for Life

Lock For Life is a program available through the Upper Dublin Police Department. It is intended to provide Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel access to your residence in the event of a medical emergency where you are unable to open the door, and force would be necessary.

A key to your residence will be stored in a secure metal storage device, similar to a realtor’s lock box, near the entrance to your residence. The access code to the lockbox will only be available to Police, Fire, or EMS personnel. The Lock for Life will only be used during an emergency when first responders cannot access your home.

The secure metal storage device, as well as the key to the residence, must be provided by the homeowner (or family member with the homeowner’s permission). Once a Lock for Life application is received, a police officer from Upper Dublin will do a home visit. This visit will consist of obtaining the resident’s storage device’s access code, as well as verifying proof of homeownership, and approval for secure device use.

In the event, that the Lock for Life is accessed by an unauthorized person, a representative from the Police Department will contact the resident and change the combination as an added measure of security. By participating in the Lock for Life Program, the homeowner authorizes the Upper Dublin Police Department and/or the Fort Washington Fire Department and/or local EMS services to enter their residence for emergency purposes only.

If you would like to obtain more information on Lock for Life, please contact Patrol Officer Devon Petaccio at (215) 646-2101 or email devon.petaccio@udpd.us.

Registration

To register for the Lock for Life, please download and complete the following form:

Lock for Life Summary & Registration

Submit the completed registration form one of the following ways:

Email: udpd@udpd.us
-OR-
Fax: 215-628-8976 

Vacation Notice & Home Checks

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department offers vacation house checks as a complimentary service to the residents of Upper Dublin Township.  The Upper Dublin Police Department will conduct periodic checks of your residence while you are away from your home, whether you are on vacation or on a business trip.

The Vacation Property Check Program has been tremendously successful over the years.  It provides the Police Department with an extra set of eyes in our neighborhoods to look after the homes of our residents who are away from their homes for some time – an all-too-common target for burglars.  It also provides you, the homeowner, with some extra peace of mind so you can focus on enjoying your vacation, having a successful business trip, or whatever takes you away from home, instead of worrying about how things are back at your house.

For questions concerning vacation notice & home checks, please contact Corporal David Madrak at (215) 646-2101 or email david.madrak@udpd.us.

Registration

To notify the Police Department of your vacation and request a house check, please download and complete the following form:

Vacation Notice Form

Submit the completed form one of the following ways:

Email: udpd@udpd.us
-OR-
Fax: 215-628-8976

Internet Purchase Exchange Location

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department’s lobby and the primary parking area for the police department at the Upper Dublin Public Library (520 Virginia Drive) serve as an Internet Purchase Exchange location. The public can utilize the Department’s lobby or the parking lot to conduct transactions generated from online websites. The lobby and parking lot are well-lit and monitored by a camera security system.

Upper Dublin Police Officers are not permitted to participate in transactions or act as witnesses, nor can they offer legal advice or settle civil disputes that might arise from these transactions. In addition, transactions involving weapons or any type of drug paraphernalia are prohibited from the Internet Purchase Exchange location.

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department, including the lobby, is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no need to notify Upper Dublin Police personnel about your transaction unless you believe police involvement is necessary due to a theft or any type of altercation.

Medication Collection

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department, in partnership with the Montgomery County District Attorney's office, has installed a Med Return Drug Collection Unit (Medication Drop-Box) in the lobby of the police department. This box will offer a safe way for residents of Upper Dublin Township and the surrounding communities to dispose of unwanted or expired medication anonymously

The purpose of the Medication Collection Program is to provide a consistent system for removing unwanted medications from homes and allowing for the proper disposal of these products.

For questions concerning the Medication Collection Program, please contact Corporal David Madrak at (215) 646-2101 or email david.madrak@udpd.us.

The medication collection is 100% anonymous and available 24/7

Upper Dublin Township Police Department
520 Virginia Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034

• Prescriptions
• Prescription Medications
• Prescription Ointments
• Prescription Patches
• Over-the-Counter Medications
• Samples
• Vitamins
• Medication for Pets

*Be sure to remove any personal information from bottles or packages before disposal*

• Aerosol Containers
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Illicit Drugs
• Inhalers
• Medication from Businesses or Clinics
• Needles (Sharps)
• Ointments, Lotions, or Liquids
• Thermometers

ReportIt 

The Upper Dublin Police Department encourages residents to take advantage of an online system, provided by the Township at no cost to residents, that will help keep track of valuable personal property. ReportIt is a free, secure online service that allows citizens to record serial numbers, descriptive information, and photos of electronics, jewelry, and other valuables. In the event of loss, whether as a result of a theft of damage, residents can then access this identifying information and provide it to appropriate authorities, including the Police and/or insurance companies.

ReportIt is a service of LeadsOnline, the only system that works with police across the country to track and recover stolen property that was sold to pawnshops, secondhand shops, and jewelry stores. The Upper Dublin Police Department has successfully used LeadsOnline in the recent past to locate and recover stolen property including jewelry, electronics, and other valuable belongings. The system allows detectives to search for items using a variety of parameters, including descriptions and serial numbers. When an item is sold to a pawn or secondhand shop, the product information is entered in the LeadsOnline database and is immediately viewable by participating law enforcement agencies across the country. 

Upper Dublin residents can create a free ReportIt account and enter up to 100 items including serial numbers, item descriptions, pictures, and scans of receipts so items may be more easily identified in the event of theft or loss.

ReportIt is a separate function of the LeadsOnline Database. The information entered into ReportIt is only viewable by the person who creates the account. Citizens wanting to participate in ReportIt can register for the free service at reportit.leadsonline.com and begin building their personal property inventory list.

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) – Underage and Dangerous Drinking Grant

Since the inception of the grants program in 1999, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has awarded more than $21.1 million in alcohol education grants to fund programs that focus on proven strategies to discourage and reduce both underage and dangerous drinking. The Pennsylvania Liquor PLCB is committed to providing financial support to address underage and dangerous drinking. Through the Alcohol Education Grant Program, the PLCB’s 2022-2024 Underage and Dangerous Drinking grant will be used to help fund prevention programs focused on underage alcohol consumption and support related law-enforcement activities. The maximum award for the two-year grant is $40,000. The PLCB has awarded more than $1 million annually in grants that fund programs that focus on proven strategies to discourage and reduce both underage and dangerous drinking. Grants are awarded to schools, community organizations, municipalities, law enforcement organizations, non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and for-profit institutions, and grant-funded initiatives have included increased police patrols, social norms campaigns, "Parents Who Host, Lose the Most" campaigns, college alcohol assessment surveys, online alcohol education programs, peer training, and more. 

The Upper Dublin Township Police Department was a successful recipient of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s Underage and Dangerous Drinking Grant. The Department has received $32,000.00 towards grant initiatives, including, but not limited to: community education, public service announcements, sworn personnel training, and underage and dangerous drinking patrols. The Upper Dublin Township Police Department has been a successful grant recipient for approximately 15 years.  The Department has been and will continue to be successful in preventing and deterring underage and dangerous drinking.

History

The Upper Dublin Police Department understands the importance of educating young people about the dangers associated with underage and dangerous drinking, while also recognizing that as a law enforcement agency, it is our responsibility to ensure that young people obey underage and dangerous drinking laws.

To accomplish each, the police department applied for and received the PLCB's 2022-2024 Underage and Dangerous Drinking grant. As a recipient of the grant, the PLCB awarded $32,000.00 to the Department to spend within the Upper Dublin Township community on initiatives directed at preventing underage and dangerous drinking.

Mission

To educate the public, UDPD has created this webpage that details the dangers associated with underage and dangerous drinking and will provide a community-based educational program to those organizations that provided Letters of Support to the Department as part of the PLCB Underage and Dangerous Drinking grant application process.

Regarding Underage and Dangerous Drinking Enforcement Details, Upper Dublin Police Officers will patrol via police bicycle areas that may be frequented by underage and dangerous drinkers, particularly at times of statistically higher instances of young people engaged in these activities.

The police department has approximately 20 police officers certified as bicycle police officers, which is a vital asset in preventing and deterring underage and dangerous drinking. The Bicycle Patrol Unit patrols those areas of Upper Dublin Township not accessible by police vehicles, which include Upper Dublin Township parks and recreation properties, Upper Dublin School District properties, golf courses and country clubs, and large wooded natural areas. UDPD will work closely with campus and school safety and security personnel as well as community leaders, residents, and merchants to prevent and deter underage and dangerous drinking.

Facts & Figures

• More than half of America's youths ages 12-20 have tried alcohol. Girls are nearly as likely as boys to experiment with drinking
  • The average age an American girl has her first drink is 13; a boy, 11
• Underage drinking is risky and can lead to car accidents, violent behavior, alcohol poisoning, and other health problems

• Drinking at a young age greatly increases the risk of being involved in violent behavior and developing alcohol problems later in life

• Talking to youths early and openly about the risks of drinking can help reduce their chances of becoming problem drinkers

• Alcohol is a major factor in fatal automobile crashes
  • About one-third of drivers ages 21-24 who died in a car crash in 2009 had a blood alcohol level (BAC) that was over the legal limit
• Drinking may have lasting health effects
• Those individuals who "binge" drink are eight times more likely than other students to:
• Alcohol poisoning is a severe and potentially fatal reaction to an alcohol overdose.
  • Never leave someone who may have alcohol poisoning to "sleep it off"
  • Call 911 immediately
  • Gently turn the person on his or her left side, using a pillow placed at the small of the back to keep him or her in that position. This will help prevent choking should the individual vomit
  • Stay with the person until medical help arrives

Additional Resources

• Center for Disease Control and Transmission – Underage Drinking
• Federal Trade Commission – Consumer Information – Dangers of Teen Drinking
• Montgomery County – District Attorney’s Office
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving – Underage Drinking
• Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board – Alcohol Education
• National Institute of Health – Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

For questions concerning underage and dangerous drinking, please contact Corporal David Madrak at (215) 646-2101 or email david.madrak@udpd.us.