After 22 years with the department, including the last 15 as chief, Patton Township Police Chief John Petrick will be moving on to a new position with Penn State Police and Public Safety.
His last day with the township is Tuesday, and township manager Doug Erickson said he hopes to have a new chief in place in 90 to 120 days. Sgt. Sean Albright has been designated as the interim officer-in-charge.
For Petrick, it will mark the start of a new phase in a law enforcement career that started as an officer with the New York City Police Department for five years. During his time leading the Patton Township department, the agency attained accreditation from Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, a designation held by only about 10 percent of Pennsylvania’s departments. He also instituted new community policing efforts.
We talked with Petrick about what is in store for him in his new role and about his time with Patton Township Police.
What is your new position with Penn State and what will it entail?
Petrick: The new position will be director of administration for police and public safety. It will oversee the administrative components of University Police and Public Safety for the 22 campus locations.
Why did you decide now was the time to transition to a new phase?
Petrick: I thought this would be the next phase in my career. I’ve been in law enforcement now for 27-plus years. I was a New York City Police officer for five years, 22 years with Patton Township Police and the last 15 as chief. I saw this as an appropriate opportunity at the right time. It’s been an excellent career serving the residents of Patton Township. The officers are stellar and very devoted to the community that they serve.
It’s been an honor and a pleasure.
Looking back on your time with the township what are you most proud of?
Petrick: I look back at the growth of community policing within our agency. We have taken great efforts to build bonds with the three schools in our jurisdiction – Park Forest Middle School, Park Forest Elementary and Grays Woods Elementary. We really started a community policing effort that our officers are in the schools engaging students and making sure it’s safe.
When we first started this 15 years ago, there was great pause where students and staff would ask “Is everything O.K.?” And everything was O.K., but we initiated more of a community policing engaging the students. Quite honestly when we walk in the school we’re just like another person and member of the staff. We built bridges with our students and the State College Area School District.
We’re very proud of the annual safety fair we put on. That allows residents and friends to meet first responders in a non-emergency situation, getting to know first responders in an informal and friendly atmosphere. We’ve done that for 15 years. We also have the Junior Police Academy for high school students, again trying to build bridges and recruit good officers for the future. We’ve really worked on community policing quite a bit. Our officers conduct bike patrols. I’m just very proud of their engagement with the community.
They’re exceptional as far as their investigative skills. We had the Northbrook homicide numerous years ago where there was a murder conviction there. There was also a fatal hit-and-run accident our detectives worked feverishly to solve. I’m very proud of the community policing and our investigative efforts, and our dedication of our officers taking the initiative to promote community policing.
What do you think you’ll miss most?
Petrick:It’s a stellar agency. I enjoy walking into the schools on a daily basis, seeing the teachers and students and engaging. There are hundreds and hundreds of students that attend the schools within Patton Township and I enjoyed that on a daily basis.
I enjoyed working closely with the residents and working with the Patton Township Business Association. They’ve been very supportive of our agency. And I’ll miss the fine officers and staff of the Patton Township Police Department.
Overall it’s been an excellent career. It’s been excellent to engage the community, the students, the business association, and just helping guide the agency in police services. But I have to commend our officers and our police secretaries for their dedication to the community. I’m very proud of them, and so should be the community. We’ve had an excellent working relationship and I’m confident that will continue in the future.
