Chief's Corner

Earlier this fall, I accepted an invitation to take part in a podcast and videocast that focuses on wellness from a law enforcement perspective.

I had the pleasure of working with Paige Arnone, founder of Arizona-based Firstgevity, a virtual wellness program that supports the health and longevity of first responders.

For her "Words of the Wise" podcast, she interviewed me about leadership topics, including what I have done for officer wellness. I’d like to share some key points of our discussion with you.

During 39 years of experience in law enforcement, I have developed my leadership style from observing both poor leadership and good leadership. As chief, I have applied lessons learned to the South Fayette Township Police Department.

Boosting morale in a police department can be a slow process, but genuinely putting value on officers can improve their morale, safety, and physical and mental well-being. This, in turn, helps officers protect and serve our community.

Since I became chief in 2014, I have prioritized placing value on employees, which enhances the work environment and culture of the department.

I have worked to shift from the mindset of “this is how things were always done” to a practice of doing them better, or in a more efficient way. Breaking this cycle can make everything fairer for all employees, which benefits our department and the public.

Community policing is important to me. Maintaining communication with our residents builds trust with the people who pay our salaries—so we’re not just faces in the patrol car.

We encourage officers to treat citizens with the respect and professionalism that our community members deserve. How an officer treats someone during a difficult or negative encounter makes a
world of difference to that person.

At the end of the interview, Paige asked for words of wisdom. I thought a while about what I have told younger and newer officers, and it boils down to this: Our career is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to be your own person and keep your values even during the most challenging times.

If you’re interested in hearing more of our discussion, you can view the entire interview on the South Fayette Township YouTube channel @southfayettepa. Firstgevity is expected to publish the
interview in December on Spotify and YouTube @PaigeArnone.

With summer around the corner, I want to bring attention to our concern for the safety of people riding electric-powered bikes and scooters throughout South Fayette Township.

Our police department has observed e-bikes and e-scooters on township roads and streets, and we aim to educate people about the vehicles.

Most people riding them are young children and teenagers from 6 to 17 years old. Most riders stay within their neighborhoods, but occasionally, we have observed them on main roads and throughout our parks.

It is important to understand that even though e-bikes with pedals are legal in Pennsylvania, operators must obey all traffic laws—the same as bicycles—by using hand signals and ensuring proper lighting.

In addition:

• E-bikes that generate more than 750 watts and can travel more than 20 mph—whether they have pedals or not—are illegal, according to the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.
• You must be at least 16 years old to legally ride an e-bike in Pennsylvania.
• E-scooters are illegal to operate on roads or streets.

The township’s Parks and Recreation staff have witnessed e-bike and e-scooter riders weaving in and out of traffic at our township parks and not obeying traffic laws. These incidents include passing vehicles at high rates of speed and not stopping for stop signs.

Our officers frequently advise riders of the laws and speak to many parents regarding the dangers of allowing their children to ride on roads without helmets and proper behavior. It is important for parents to understand the dangers their children face when they ride on streets and roads without proper training.

If your child or loved one has an e-bike or e-scooter, now is the time to have a talk to educate them of the do’s and don’ts before there is a serious accident or even worse.

Thank you for your attention to this important safety matter.

Professionally,

John R. Phoennik
Chief of Police
South Fayette Township

South Fayette has grown significantly in the past 10 years. While population and retail growth are great for the township and provide residents and visitors with opportunities to visit amenities such as restaurants and retail stores, with growth come issues that police need to address.

For instance, there’s an increase in traffic, which creates congestion and unfortunately a higher rate of accidents on our roads. With more traffic and retail stores coming to our area, there also is the possibility of an increase in criminal activity. The South Fayette Township Police Department has striven to stay in front of these issues by creating two specialized units.

First, we have created an investigation unit with two full-time police investigators who focus on following up on crime, which naturally increases with growth. Second, we operate a traffic unit to focus on high-volume areas where there is more probability of vehicular accidents and complaints. This unit is in addition to our regular daily patrols throughout our neighborhoods 24/7. In addition, the department has installed approximately 50 traffic cameras at township intersections for officers to review footage of accidents and assist in identifying vehicles that possibly were involved in crimes. It is important to note that Pennsylvania law restricts police from enforcing traffic violations with these cameras, so this technology helps provide accurate information for investigations.

These special units have helped South Fayette Township rank as one of the safest communities in Pennsylvania. Our department patrols approximately 385 roads across 21 square miles all year to keep our community as safe as possible. We always try our best to provide quality service and protection that our residents and visitors deserve.

If you have traffic concerns about your neighborhood, become a victim of a crime or need any other assistance, please don’t hesitate to notify our department day or night. We all work and live in a wonderful growing community, and our officers depend on a partnership with our residents to keep South Fayette safe.

For anyone who might have any questions or concerns throughout the year, I hold periodic Coffee with the Chief gatherings in various locations throughout South Fayette. To find information on the next event, sign up for email or text notifications on our website.

Professionally,

John R. Phoennik
Chief of Police
South Fayette Township