Launching health and wellness initiatives, adding drone equipment, upgrading communication and reinstating a K-9 program are all on the table next year for the Whitehall Police Department.

The aforementioned efforts are being made possible courtesy of a significant donation from the estate of a late entrepreneur who lived in the borough.

Police Chief Jason Gagorik and Mayor James Nowalk recently received a $250,000 check from the estate of Philip St. Moritz. The transaction was handled by estate executor Bill Ball and Brian Fiscus, chief financial officer of St. Moritz Companies.

Gagorik said it is the largest financial gift in the department’s history.

He has been with the Whitehall police for about 24 years, including the last four as chief.

“We are beyond excited and thrilled and cannot believe that someone would consider this size of a donation to our police department,” he said. “We want to make sure it goes to what’s going to be best for the department and the community.”

The check was presented at a Nov. 5 council meeting.

Whitehall, a mostly residential community in the South Hills, has a population of 15,000 within its 3.2 square miles. It’s home to the South Hills Country Club, with an 18-hole golf course.

The police department has 20 full-time officers, four full-time dispatchers and one administrative assistant. There are no part-timers.

Gagorik said he has some ideas on how to use the money, including replacing the department’s 21 radios and possibly getting a new police dog.

Those projects are projected to cost about $140,000 and $15,000, respectively.

The department has had multiple K-9 units throughout its history, but has been without one for at least two years.

Specialized equipment for patrol services, specifically drones, was on the list of possible purchases.

Those devices could be used in missing persons and other searches, as well as deployed on emergency calls ,where it would be more beneficial to send in a machine than an officer.

Gagorik said he expects to have multiple discussions with personnel and borough officials over the next few months on how to best use the money.

“We have been very fortunate because our elected officials have always supported the police department,” Gagorik said. “They put the safety of the community first and make sure we have the resources and funding that we need to provide the services. This $250,000 is going to help us enhance our services and also continue to do modernization so we can meet the modern needs of policing.”

Nowalk was overjoyed with the generosity.

“We are very honored to receive this generous gift from the estate of Philip St. Moritz,” the mayor said. “He was a wonderful person. I didn’t realize how much he had done in his life before he passed. It’s just so gratifying to know that a person of his caliber chose Whitehall to be the headquarters of all of his companies.

“He was both a military person and someone concerned about public safety, such that the executor felt that it would be a very appropriate gift for the estate to make to the borough police department.”

Brief donor history

St. Moritz was a graduate of New Castle High School and Allegheny College. He served as a first lieutenant in the Air Force prior to launching several businesses: St. Moritz Building Services in 1968, St. Moritz Security Services in 1982 and St. Moritz Labor Services in 1997. He purchased Bill’s Marine Service in Maryland in 2003.

All four companies flourished both regionally and nationally and continue to be recognized as industry leaders with more than 4,000 employees across the country, according to the corporation’s website.

St. Moritz died Nov. 13, 2021.

Fiscus said the group was originally planning to donate specifically toward a K-9 program, but plans expanded after discussions with the police chief.

“This will enable them to invest in some technology and it’s a good cause,” Fiscus said. “I think Phil would be very happy about the contribution, and we’re excited that the estate can contribute to the community.”

The corporate headquarters is about a half-mile from the police station and not far from Baldwin High School.

“To be able to honor Phil’s legacy by directing support to the law enforcement officers who protect this community every day is something I’m very proud to help carry out on behalf of his estate,” said Ball, the estate executor, via email.

“Phil believed that if you were fortunate in business, you had an obligation to give back in a way that truly moved the needle and made an impact.”

Other gifts

The police department donation is far from the only philanthropic effort by St. Moritz.

One of the most recent major gifts from the estate was a $35 million donation to his alma mater, Allegheny College.

The largest gift in the college’s history, it is funding the creation of the Phil St. Moritz Center for Innovation at Reis Hall.

College officials in March said it will transform one of its landmark buildings “into a teaching and learning nexus that benefits students from all academic interests.”

Helping people was a big part of St. Moritz’s life, Ball said.

“Phil was a tough, visionary businessman, but he was also one of the most generous, service-minded people I’ve ever known,” Ball said.

“He truly believed he had a God-given ability to help people, and he felt a real responsibility to use his success to support others. He cared deeply about Whitehall and about the safety of the communities where his companies operate. I have no doubt that he would be proud to see his estate helping the Whitehall Borough Police Department in such a significant way, and I view this donation as a direct reflection of his values and the kind of man he was.”

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