Background

The Upper Dublin Police Department, or more affectionately known simply as the UDPD, is a First Class Civil Service Criminal Justice System that operates under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its statutes. They are charged with protecting a 13 square mile (34 km²) radius that includes the town of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania and the Township of Upper Dublin. The UDPD is considered one of the finest law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County. The department employs 37 full-time sworn officers divided between two major divisions: Patrol and Staff. These divisions are then divided into three support areas identified as Communications, Adult Investigations, and Juvenile Investigations. Additionally, there are several specialized units identified as Tactical Response, Medical Response, Bike Patrol, Traffic Safety, and DARE education.

The department is a member of the Montgomery County 800 MHz Trunked Communications System and utilizes it for their dispatching purposes. Their Motorola Talkgroup ID number is 2320. Currently, the entire county is in the process of switching over to a completely digital radio system in order to add more features and increase reliability. For more information, please visit this website (http://www.montcopa.org/eoc/EDS/RadioSystem/trunkTRACKER.htm).

Patrol vehicle

The vehicle of choice for the Upper Dublin Police Department is the Chevrolet Tahoe Police Package Vehicle (PPV). The Tahoe PPV is a rear-wheel drive workhorse that is comparable to Ford's Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI) (http://www.cvpi.com/). However, what the Tahoe lacks in speed it makes up for in cargo room. For this reason, it is gaining popularity as the patrol vehicle of choice for departments around the country.

The particular Tahoe PPV that the UDPD drives features a paint scheme in the township's colors (green and orange), and starting in late 2004, has the words "In Memory of Sgt. James Miller" written above the rear quarter-panel. On the exterior, UDPD's Tahoes are additionally modified to include a rear lightbar with an arrow stick, emergency strobes on the rear quarter-panels, strobes on the deck lid, strobes on the front fenders, and strobes on the front push bar. These additional lights far exceed the State's requirements and are done so in the name of safety. The vehicle sits on 16 in (406 mm) wheels wrapped with 255/70R16 All-Season SBR Blackwall H-Rated shoes. It should be noted that in 2004, a bid was put in to outfit all patrol vehicles with 24 in (610 mm) chrome spinners, but the idea was rejected at a town meeting because it was considered too "bling bling" for the community's rather conservative relish.

On the interior, the front cloth seats provide spacious room for the officers and their equipment. The center console houses all the radio equipment, including the Motorola trunked communications system. A LCD screen mounted from the floor provides the officer with all the information they need while on the road. The back seats are vinyl to ease cleanup incase a suspect vomits while in transport to the station. The rear cargo area features equipment vital to performing the duties of an officer. On the QRS unit (Quick Response Service), an AED (automated external defibrillator) is placed additionally inside this cargo area. On that note, the QRS unit is actually a highly-modified Chevrolet Suburban (not an official PPV). It should also be noted that there is only one QRS unit in service in the UDPD.

Mechanically speaking, the Tahoe PPV has a top speed of 125 MPH and packs a powerful Vortec 5300 V-8 engine that produces 295 horsepower (220 kW) and 330 foot-pounds (447 Nm) of torque tied to a 4-speed Allison transmission. A 26 US gallon (98 L) gas tank fuels the engine, which can run on either 87 octane or E85 Ethanol Alcohol. A 160 watt alternator provides power for the vehicle, which includes recharging the heavy-duty 770 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) battery after the engine turns over. This alternator is also hooked up to a DC-AC inverter, which provides power to three 110-VAC outlets located throughout the vehicle.

The department's vehicles are serviced by Bryner Chevrolet, Inc. (http://www.brynerchevrolet.com/en_US/) of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.

Sgt. James Miller

On April 20, 2004, the Upper Dublin Police Department lost its first officer while on duty. A 28-year veteran of the force, Sgt. James Miller was working the night shift from 6 PM to 6 AM. He was driving a white unmarked Tahoe PPV (one of only two in UDPD's motor pool) when his vehicle was involved in a crash around 4:30 AM at the 1700 block of Dreshertown Road. The cause of the accident is still being investigated. Sgt. Miller was ejected from his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. It is common for police officers not to wear their seatbelts because it is necessary to get in and out of the patrol vehicle very quickly. It was not disclosed whether Officer Miller was wearing his seatbelt or not at the time of the accident. Sgt. Miller was 55 years old and is survived by his wife, Barbara, two grown children, and two grandchildren. He was well-liked and was considered an exemplary police officer.