- Professional Purpose and Core Value Statement
- History of the Kutztown Police Department
- Professional Responsibility
The Borough of Kutztown is located approximately 60 miles north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Police Department consists of twelve full time police officers serving the needs of the Kutztown area community.
Kutztown is in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and is also the location of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.
The Kutztown Police department serves a resident population of approximately 5,300 persons and a transient student population of 10,000.
Professional Purpose and Core Value Statement
The Professional Purpose of the Kutztown Borough Police Department is to create a community environment where the quality of life for both residents and business is enhanced. The foundation of the Police department will be based on the highest moral and ethical standards as well as a trained, professional, and progressive Police Force.
In order to accomplish this, the Kutztown Police Department will strive to ensure that:
- We will safeguard lives and protect property,
- We will uphold and enforce the laws of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Borough of Kutztown,
- We will make an unparalleled commitment to the Community by providing the best possible service,
- We will treat all persons with respect and courtesy,
- We will actively promote an atmosphere of mutual respect for each other’s differences,
- We will strive to be recognized as an organization of the highest ethical standards and unquestioned integrity and recognize that no one is above the law,
- We will maintain an internal environment where the free flow of information will be encouraged and exceptional performance will be the norm,
- We will operate as a team characterized by trust and mutual respect for each other’s responsibilities, functions, skills and experience,
- We will recognize exceptional contributions to the Community and to the Police Department,
- We will strive to develop and maintain professionalism, skills, knowledge attainment, and technological advancement within our police department to the highest degree possible.
History of the Kutztown Police Department
On January 7, 1924, the Kutztown Borough Council appointed George B. Kohler as police patrolman of the Borough of Kutztown. Kutztown Borough council deemed it necessary for traffic control and set a salary of $35.00 per month for Patrolman Kohler. Patrolman Kohler was also given a cap and overcoat to be worn when on duty that would remain the property of the Borough of Kutztown.
On February 7, 1961, Kutztown Borough Council officially established the Kutztown Police Department, under the direct supervision of the Mayor. It provided for a chief of police, sergeant and patrolman ranks. At the time of establishment, the police department had one car and a force of three policemen. A fourth policeman was considered, but the additional expense of $2500.00 per year was thought to be excessive for the additional services provided. Kutztown Borough Council did permit four emergency policemen to be appointed and utilized only as needed at a salary of $1.35 per hour. Police duties included checking the sewage disposal plant every two hours and checking the reservoir at midnight and 3:30 a.m. (In times of extreme rain, these areas were checked hourly.) Additional duties included protection for the school children crossing at Main and Noble Streets, and Constitution Boulevard and Normal Avenue. The school crossing duties were soon supplemented by local women working as part-time safety patrol officers.
Early Police Department records show drag racing on College Boulevard, making U turns on Main Street and College Boulevard, littering on Whiteoak Street and misusing the basketball court on Lambert Alley to be concerns. Additionally, any policeman using the new 1960 Buick Patrol car to push another car would be suspended without pay for two weeks.
The first location of the Police Department was the Old Town Hall with a lockup located in the back. In 1960, the police moved to 211-213 West Main Street. the Roeller Alley police station was added in 1971 due to the growth of the department and the need for additional room. In 1989 when the Borough Municipal Building was completed, the Police Department moved to its current location in the basement.
Today, the Kutztown Borough Police Department consists of twelve full-time police officers consisting of a Chief of Police, Sergeant, two Corporals, Criminal Investigator, seven Patrol Officers, a police secretary, and five Community Service Officers (CSO).
The Police Department is equipped with ten vehicles; six marked, two unmarked a CSO Vehicle and a Special Response Vehicle equipped to serve as a Command Post in emergencies. We also have several mountain bikes, a segway and a golf cart used for special events to increase visibility and reduce response times in large crowds. We also operate an automated records system, advanced duplex communications system, and an extensive video camera infrastructure.
The Kutztown Borough Police Department takes pride in the leadership we’ve demonstrated in the region and the positive impact it has on the safety of our community. We were the first police department in Berks County to integrate a state-of-the-art mobile data system that provides on-demand vehicle information and reports to the patrol units in the field — setting the standard for the county-wide mobile data system in use today. We were also the first police department in the county to carry Narcan, the lifesaving antidote for opioid overdose victims. Other Berks County police department firsts include the establishment of a safe exchange zone equipped with cameras to ensure a level of security for child custody exchanges and community members selling items privately through platforms like ebay and Craigslist. We were the first in the county to require every officer to wear body cameras full-time and carry tourniquets on their duty belt. We were the first in the county to provide an electric bike to enable greater visibility in the community and broader patrols. Working closely with the Kutztown Area School District, we were the first to introduce the “Crisis Go” App that links district officials with police cell phones and notifies our officers of any emergency at the school — again forging the way for the tech-enabled connectivity that is now used throughout Berks County by other school districts and police departments.
As we look to the future, it is with a growth mindset and a deep commitment to protect and serve the people who live, work, and play in Kutztown.
Professional Responsibility
When you have comments about police service
The Kutztown Borough Police Department is committed to providing the best police service possible. Citizen input is essential if the Department is to succeed in this goal. Because the Department strives for citizen involvement, several methods have been developed as a convenient way to encourage citizen input concerning Department operations or officer conduct. These methods include the Citizen Comment Form, telephone contact, or email to Chief P. Michael Clery Jr. at pclery@kutztownpd.org.
When you wish to comment about a Police Department employee
If you wish to commend a Department employee, make a complaint about an employee, make a recommendation concerning Department operations or simply make a general comment about the Department or an employee, you can:
- Telephone us; or
- Download the CITIZEN COMMENT FORM (PDF) and mail or email the completed form to us; or
- Email your comments or complaint to Chief P. Michael Clery Jr. or Mayor James F. Schlegel.
When using the Citizen Comment Form, please be sure to check off the appropriate block at the top of the form.
In instances of a complaint concerning a Department employee, it is suggested that the complaint be recorded on the Citizen Comment Form. Following receipt of the complaint, you will be contacted by the Chief of Police or a supervisor assigned to review your complaint.
Where to send and who to contact, when you have a commendation, complaint, comment or recommendation
If you have a question about Department Operations, wish to commend or make a complaint about a Department employee, or if you would like to make a recommendation on how we can improve police service:
You may call (610) 683-3545 and ask to speak with a Kutztown Borough Police Department supervisor. If a supervisor is not immediately available, your call will be returned as soon as possible.
OR you may complete the Citizen Comment Form and mail it to:
Chief P. Michael Clery Jr.
Kutztown Borough Police Department
45 Railroad Street
Kutztown, PA 19530
OR you may email the Citizen Comment Form or your comments to:
Chief Clery: pclery@kutztownpd.org
Mayor Schlegel: kutztownmayor@kutztownboro.org
