Gov. Shapiro Invests Additional Commonwealth Dollars in New Public Safety Center | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Upper Moreland Township, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro visited the Upper Moreland Township Municipal Building with law enforcement officers and local leaders to announce a $500,000 investment through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) that will strengthen public safety and support Montgomery County's local law enforcement.

This RACP grant will be used to support the renovation of Upper Moreland Township's municipal building - which also houses the Upper Moreland Police Department - funding work that includes site excavation and grading, storm water management preparation, relocating sewer, water, and electric service, paving, and landscaping, among other improvements.

"For years, Upper Moreland's dedicated public servants have known they were outgrowing this space and now, thanks in part to the Commonwealth's investments, our local law enforcement officers will have a state-of-the-art facility to call home," said Governor Shapiro. "From day one, my Administration has worked to invest in our law enforcement officers and expand violence prevention initiatives - and that two-pronged approach to public safety is paying off as violent crime has decreased 16 percent and homicides are down 39 percent across the Commonwealth."

Recognizing the importance of this project to support local law enforcement, the Commonwealth previously awarded a $2.85 million RACP grant to this project in October 2022 and a $750,000 RACP grant in November 2024. Today's announcement of an additional $500,000 RACP grant brings total Commonwealth support to $4.1 million toward the $28.3 million expansion project.

"Upper Moreland is honored that, under Governor Shapiro's leadership, his Administration has selected Upper Moreland Township for funding totaling over $4 million for the Upper Moreland Township Building expansion and renovation project. Without the assistance of these RACP grants, this necessary project would not have been possible," said Upper Moreland Township Manager Pat Stasio. "The support the Governor, and others, have provided for this project highlight the importance of ensuring our residents live in a safe community and have full access to our township building by providing an environment that is safe, accommodating, easily accessible, and everything necessary to properly offer township administration and policing services."

Together, the Commonwealth's investments will have contributed to the construction and renovation of two new building wings that will add 6,325 square feet to the police station and 6,800 square feet to the administrative side. The full renovation is expected to be complete in October 2027 with a total of 13,125 square feet added to the building.

"The funding secured for this project is a meaningful investment in our community. It provides the critical support needed to move our police station from concept to construction. But this effort is about far more than building a facility. It's about giving our officers a modern, safe, and efficient environment: One that strengthens their ability to serve with professionalism, readiness, and pride," said Upper Moreland Chief of Police Scott Bendig. "Thank you to Governor Shapiro and our state and local officials for recognizing that investing in a police station is, at its core, an investment in the people of Upper Moreland. We are deeply grateful for your support, and we look forward to the day when this new facility opens its doors. This is an investment in our officers, an investment in our department, and, above all, an investment in the safety and future of our community."

Upon completion, the building's expansion will provide more adequate space for law enforcement personnel and administrative staff to strengthen public safety and effectively serve their community while providing residents with easier resource navigation, increased accessibility, improved parking, enhanced HVAC systems, new entrances, and additional meeting room space for community events.

Building on the Shapiro Administration's Strong Public Safety Record

From day one, Governor Shapiro and his Administration have used a two-pronged approach to combatting violence by funding and supporting law enforcement personnel while simultaneously investing in community violence intervention programs.

Across four budgets, the Governor has delivered funding to put 2,000 new police officers on the beat by securing approximately $65 million to train over 1,600 Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troopers and help recruit and train nearly 700 municipal police officers. The Shapiro Administration also removed PSP's college credit requirement for cadets graduating from the academy, increasing overall applications by 258 percentimmediately after implementing the reform.

More than $1 billion in funding through approximately 6,700 grants has been driven out by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) across the Commonwealth to address and prevent violence in our communities - and these efforts have delivered results. Since the Shapiro Administration took office, violent crime has gone down 16 percent and homicides have decreased by 39 percent.

The 2026-27 budget signed by Governor Shapiro builds on this progress:

• Invests $16.2 million to train four additional PSP cadet classes - delivering in full on a core promise the Governor made to put 2,000 more cops and troopers on the beat in our communities.

• Continues investing $62.1 million for PCCD's Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Program, which drives dollars out to community-based organizations to reduce gun violence.

• Includes $11.5 million for the Building Opportunity through Out of School Time (BOOST) Program to keep kids safe, supported, and engaged in after school programs.

"All of us deserve to feel safe in our homes, at work, and in our neighborhoods. That's why it's so critical that we continue to invest in our public safety infrastructure and in the people who put their lives on the line every day. And it's why I was so thrilled to work alongside Representative Guenst, our municipal partners, and Governor Shapiro, to deliver redevelopment grant funding to support this next phase of the police station project," said Senator Maria Collett, PA's 12th Senate District. "This project reminds us what is possible when our elected officials, law enforcement, and local residents come together and decide we deserve better."

"Our police officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our community safe. They deserve modern, secure, and functional facilities that allow them to do their jobs effectively and safely," said Representative Nancy Guenst, PA's 152nd House District. "This investment is a great example of what happens when state and local governments work together and investments like this aren't just about bricks and mortar; they're investments in our community, in our first responders, and in the safety of every person who calls Upper Moreland home."

Read more about the 2026-27 budget, view the Governor's remarks as prepared here, or watch the Governor's delivered remarks here.