Press Release

The Hummelstown Police Department is dedicated to the proposition that it is responsible for the health, safety and welfare of the residents it is sworn to protect.  The HPD has consistently updated its delivery of public safety services to meet professional standards and better engage its community.

Here are some concrete examples of HPD’s constant drive to improve what it does:

• For fifteen years, HPD has required comprehensive reporting of the use of force while on duty.  The policy was updated in July 2020 to include un-holstering of firearm or Taser.
• HPD has required officers to follow the Use of Force Continuum since 1995 that compels a strategy of gradual escalation rather than the wholesale use of force.
• De-escalation has always been a policy of the HPD and was the subject of mandatory training as recently as 2018 with updates expected in the next year.
• For 16 years—since 2004—HPD policy has banned the use of chokeholds and strangleholds except as a last resort under the Use of Force Policy.
• HPD has banned shooting at a moving vehicle in all but the most necessary cases since 2004.
•  HPD’s policies have been updated to require a warning before shooting in all cases where such a warning is practical.
• Additionally, HPD’s policies have been updated to require an officer to—where practical under the circumstances--exhaust all alternatives before shooting.
• Finally, HPD’s policies have been amended to make clear that officers have a duty to intervene when policies are being violated or where individuals under the care, custody and control of other officers need assistance.
• HPD has always provided mandatory counseling for officers after an event involving serious bodily injury or death.

HPD’s focus has not just been on policies related to the use of force.  HPD is interested in hiring the best candidates for this community.  HPD supports the enactment of legislation creating a database in which necessary information regarding police officers can be shared with other agencies.

This focus on hiring and support of personnel is not new.  For 25 years, HPD has made an extensive background review mandatory for all current and future personnel that include a physical and psychological examination as required by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission.  Since 2013, HPD has made mental health services available to all personnel so that their focus remains on serving the community.  Since 2017, HPD has mandated training on harms of bias based profiling and discrimination and required repeat training on a regular cycle.

Like any organization, HPD’s mission is to grow and change as required by the circumstances confronting it.  To that end, all of these policy changes have been adapted from leading professional organizations and represent the best practices of which HPD is aware which also promote officer safety.

However, the unfortunate reality is that no policy can be drafted that encompasses everything that occurs during any police officer’s shift.  This is why HPD’s focus is on effective recruitment, efficient training and improvement of each officer’s professional knowledge and judgment so that the connection between training and policy results in a safer officer and safer community.

Justin D. Hess

Acting Chief of Police