Brief History

Old HTPD pic 2

The Hampden Township Police Department was established in 1959. The Department consisted of three Police Officers with Leonard Lotrick as the Chief of Police. In 1969, Kenneth Fetrow was officially appointed Chief of Police and served in that role until retiring in 2005. Upon Chief Fetrow's retirement, Michael A. Andreoli was appointed as Chief of Police and the department has grown to twenty four officers. Chief Andreoli retired in January 2010. Harry K. Clay, Jr. was appointed as Chief of Police in February 2010 and retired in December 2013. Chief Steven R. Junkin was appointed to the position in 2014 and retired in 2022.  The current Chief of Police, Jason Yerg, was appointed in 2023.

The Hampden Township Police Department serves the largest residential population of Cumberland County with twenty-six sworn officers.

In 1985, Hampden Township was the host agency for the first local Drug Task Force in the state, known as Tri-County Drug Task Force. The Tri-County Drug Task Force consisted of local Police and members of the state Attorney General's Office and covered Northern York, Cumberland, and Perry County.

In 1987, Hampden Township became a member of the first multi-agency Forensic Task Force, known as the WE Team, which involved Dauphin and Cumberland County. Hampden Township was one the two Cumberland County Departments involved.

The Hampden Township Police Department became accredited by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC) in 2009 and was re-accredited in 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2021. By achieving and maintaining accreditation status, the department demonstrates its commitment to adhering to and promoting high professional standards.