Modernizing Bucks County Public Safety Programs

Bucks County government in its various capacities serves a population of 646,000 and an estimated 1.4 million daily commuters and annual visitors. This fact highlights the importance of routinely assessing physical and tactical needs of its safety programs and improving technical and security devices to ensure the County is fully able to deliver high caliber emergency and security services to protect its community at large; residents, tourists, courthouse visitors and prisoners, as well as employees. It is equally imperative County offices work together to provide more modern equipment for their employees charged with the task of keeping all individuals, including themselves safe and infrastructure secure.

To address this permeating situation, stakeholders from Bucks County Emergency Management Agency (BCEMA), Sheriff's Office (BCSO), Department of Corrections (BCDOC), and Communications (BCC) formed a collaboration to create initiatives aimed at the overall improvement and modernization of our public safety operations. The benefits of this endeavor will have widespread effects on the delivery of safety and emergency services across Bucks County, assisting responder agencies, over 39 police departments, County Corrections, Probation and Parole, Security, and the Sheriff's Office. 

Like many counties in the United States, Bucks County, PA is experiencing an unprecedented, and continuing, rise in crime. Bucks County, located 75 minutes from New York City, is bordered by the cities of Philadelphia, Allentown in Lehigh County, and Trenton, NJ, all known for high crime rates. The PA Crime Commission statistics speak volumes as to our ever-increasing crime rates and the challenge inherent to combating the problem. From 2021 to 2022 crime significantly trended upward and has continued to increase annually: Robbery by 22.7%, Sexual Assault by 17.1%, Burglary by 32.9%, Assault by 7.7%, Theft by 21.8%, Auto Theft by 30.6%, for a total increase of 18.7%. (More current statistics were not available.)

The Bucks County Sheriff's Office submits this proposal on behalf of the above-named County Departments, seeking funds for new Portable Batteries and Charges for the 5100 Portable Radios in service across all Bucks County Police, Fire and EMS agencies and Body (Worn) Cameras for Bucks County Correctional Facility Staff, Security, Sheriff's Office Deputies assigned to Domestic, Civil, Criminal Warrant Divisions and Transport of Criminals/Warrants. These improvements will help ensure the promptest call response times possible and to advance policing practices with video protection for all individuals, targeted training opportunities, and by aiding investigations.