Pennsylvania Adds $500,000 to $28.3 Million Police Project

Gov. Josh Shapiro
Credit: Commonwealth Media Services

UPPER MORELAND TWP, PA — Pennsylvania is adding $500,000 to a $28.3 million expansion of the Upper Moreland Township Municipal Building, bringing state support for the project to $4.1 million as the township adds space for its police department and administrative operations.

Gov. Josh Shapiro visited the Montgomery County municipality Friday with law enforcement officers and local officials to detail the latest funding, which comes through the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

The Commonwealth previously awarded the project $2.85 million through RACP in October 2022 and another $750,000 in November 2024. The latest grant raises the state’s total contribution to roughly 14.5% of the project’s $28.3 million cost.

Construction and renovation will add two wings totaling 13,125 square feet, including 6,325 square feet for the police station and 6,800 square feet for municipal administration. The project is expected to be completed in October 2027.

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The latest state funding will support excavation and grading, stormwater management work, relocation of sewer, water and electrical service, paving and landscaping. The municipal building houses the Upper Moreland Police Department.

“For years, Upper Moreland’s dedicated public servants have known they were outgrowing this space,” Shapiro said, adding that the state funding would help provide law enforcement officers with a new facility.

The completed expansion is expected to provide additional space for police and township employees while improving public access to municipal services. Plans also include additional parking, upgraded HVAC systems, new entrances and more meeting space for community events.

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Upper Moreland Township Manager Pat Stasio said the RACP awards were critical to moving the project forward.

“Without the assistance of these RACP grants, this necessary project would not have been possible,” Stasio said.

Police Chief Scott Bendig characterized the expansion as an operational investment, saying officers need a “modern, safe, and efficient environment” to perform their work.

The Upper Moreland investment comes as Pennsylvania continues directing state money toward police staffing, training and violence-prevention programs. Across four state budgets, the administration has secured about $65 million to train more than 1,600 Pennsylvania State Police troopers and help recruit and train nearly 700 municipal police officers.

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The 2026-27 budget includes $16.2 million for four additional State Police cadet classes and maintains $62.1 million for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. It also provides $11.5 million for the Building Opportunity through Out of School Time program.

The administration reported that violent crime statewide has fallen 16% and homicides have declined 39% since Shapiro took office. Those figures were provided by the governor’s office as part of Friday’s announcement.

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