Lower Burrell Police awarded $105,000 for SWAT Team funding

The Westmoreland District Attorney’s office recently awarded Lower Burrell police $105,000 to go toward equipment for the Westmoreland SWAT team.

The money comes from property seized from drug trafficking busts, which is forfeited to the DA’s investigative fund. It is distributed to law enforcement agencies to uphold the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.

Lower Burrell had requested the funding for use by the regional SWAT team.

The SWAT team includes police officers from New Kensington; Lower Burrell; Murrysville; Vandergrift; and Allegheny, Washington and Upper Burrell townships. It serves the seven communities that have members on the team, said John Marhefka, Lower Burrell police chief.

An eighth community is interested and might sign on in the future, said.

Other communities in the Alle-Kiski Valley rely on the State Police’s Critical Response Team or other teams, Marhefka said.

The Westmoreland team responds to a little over 18 calls a year, Marhefka said.

The calls usually involve barricaded situations, high-risk warrant service and civil disorder.

“The team is a very much needed and valuable component to law enforcement,” Marhefka said.

The money from the district attorney’s office will pay for replacing and updating protective and communications equipment for the SWAT team, he said.

“The team is very grateful for this funding to keep active and well equipped,” Marhefka said.

Local officials, such as Upper Burrell Supervisor Ross Walker, have said a regional SWAT team is instrumental for local communities because it provides quicker response times than the state police Critical Response Team.