The following press releases have been issued by the Lower Swatara Township Police Department. If you have any information relevant to the following investigations, you are urged to contact the Lower  Swatara Township Police Department.

July 1, 2008: New Police Cars

You may have already taken notice to the new look of our Police Cars. We are in the process of changing to black and white marked cars.

March 20, 2008: Senior Crime Prevention University

February 2, 2008 : Fatal Traffic Accident

We are currently investigating a single vehicle traffic accident that occurred on Eisenhower Blvd. in Lower Swatara Township around 10:00 AM on Saturday February 2, 2008. The accident closed down Eisenhower Blvd between Richardson Rd. and Route 230 until 2:00 PM. The victim was identified as Eugene Warner, 45 years of age. The Dauphin County Coroner was called to the scene and took control of the victim's body and the Dauphin County Accident Reconstruction Team was called in to assist us with the investigation.

January 25, 2008: Hit and Run

We are currently investigating a hit and run accident that occurred on Thursday 01-24-08 around 6:00 p.m.  The accident occurred on West Harrisburg Pike at the Airport Connector.  A grey Nissan sedan was stopped for a red light at the intersection and was rear ended by a black Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, causing moderate damage to the Nissan.  The driver of the Blazer, described as a white male in his 30’s or 40’s.

The white male then got back into his Blazer and left the scene, heading south on the Airport Connector, toward Harrisburg International Airport, possibly toward Middletown Borough.  Both the driver and the passenger of the Nissan did not have any injuries.  A registration of the black Chevrolet S-10 was not able to be obtained. 

The suspect vehicle is a black Chevrolet S-10, newer model, with possibly front end damage to the vehicle.  The driver is described as a white male in his 30’s or 40’s.  The suspect vehicle may possibly be in the Middletown Area.   

If you have any information; please contact the Lower Swatara Township Police Department at (717) 558-6900.

November 4, 2007: Deceased Persons Found

On 11/4/07 at approximately 0510 hours the Lower Swatara Township PD responded to a 911 call with an open line at a residence in the 200 block of Rosedale Avenue. The responding officers did find the two residents deceased inside their home. The residence was processed by the Dauphin County Forensics Team. There is no reason to believe that anybody else was involved in these deaths other than the two persons found inside. 

October 27, 2007: Bank Robbery

On 10/27/07 at approximately 1020hrs the Lower Swatara Twp Police Department responded to a bank robbery at the Mid-Penn Bank on Spring Garden Dr. in Lower Swatara Township. The bank was robbed by 2 males dressed in dark clothing wearing black ski masks. The suspects entered the bank, jumped the counter and ordered the bank employees to give them money from the vault and threatened to kill them if they didn’t comply. There were no weapons displayed by the suspects and the employees were ordered to lie on the ground. The suspects were seen leaving the area in a greenish blue colored sedan possibly a Dodge Intrepid with a “G” and a “4” in the registration. The suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of money and nobody was injured during the incident. The suspects were described as being athletic based on their build and physical actions inside the bank.

October 12, 2007: Bomb Threat / Arrest

On October 12, 2007 the Lower Swatara Township Police made an arrest of a 15 year old male in connection to several bomb threats made at the Middletown Area High School. Since the beginning of the 2007/2008 school year, the High School has experienced bomb threats written on walls of the school. Information from within the student body was instrumental in providing evidence that resulted in today's arrest. The investigation is still ongoing and is not closed at this time. The juvenile was reprimanded to the Shaffner Youth Detention Center. Charges of Threat to use weapons of Mass Destruction, Terroristic Threats, Recklessly Endangering, Institutional Vandalism, Causing or Risking a Catastrophe and Criminal Mischief were filed.  

October 2, 2007: Bomb Threat at the Middletown High School

On October 1, 2007, at 2:15 PM a student found a note written on a restroom wall indicating a bomb threat at the High School. A search of the entire building was conducted by Police with negative results. The crime scene was processed and interviews were conducted. The investigation is ongoing. On October 2, 2007 the students were evacuated and instructed to leave their bags behind. The school was again searched with seven local bomb dogs. This was a planned search by police and school officials. 

September 20, 2007: WANTED for Bad Checks / Theft By Deception

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department is looking for Patricia Emma Ortiz-Campos last know address was 146 Balls Lane in Middletown. If anyone has any information on the location of Ms. Ortiz-Campus please contact the Department or complete the on-line anonymous tips form located on this web site.

UPDATE to May 7, 2007

As a result of an incident that occurred in September 2006, the Lower Swatara Township Criminal Investigations Unit has obtained an arrest warrant for John R. Field, 31 of Lebanon PA. Field is being charged with Rape, Involuntary Deviate Sex, Indecent Assault, Unlawful Restraint and False Imprisonment stemming from an incident that occurred at the Hollywood Motel. Field will be arraigned on May 24. 2007. Field is accused of other sexual offenses in Susquehanna Township and Lebanon County. These separate cases against Field will all be heard together at the same District Justice venue on June 26, 2007.

May 7, 2007

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department is currently conducting a joint investigation of an alleged sexual assault of an adult female that occurred in 2006 involving John Russell Field. No other information can be released at this time.

April 12, 2007

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department was awarded a grant from the Department of Homeland Security to purchase video surveillance equipment. Congressman Tim Holden (center) presented the check in the amount of $7,400.00 to Sgt. Richard Brandt (left) and Det. Robert Appleby (right) at the Dauphin County Courthouse. Also awarded grants were The Derry Township Police, Lower Paxton Township Police and the Dauphin County Sheriffs Office.

New Vehicle Law in PA: Effective January 29, 2007

All motorists in Pennsylvania MUST turn on their headlights whenever they use their windshield wipers in inclement weather.

The law, Act 159 of 2006, was enacted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell in November 2006.  The new law requires headlights to be on when the vehicle’s windshield wipers are in continuous or intermittent use because of precipitation or atmospheric moisture, which includes rain, snow, sleet or mist.

State Representative Neal Goodman, D-Schuylkill,  said he believed the new law would greatly increase vehicular safety.  “This is a safety issue more than anything else,” he said. “In potentially treacherous conditions, it’s common sense to make your vehicle as visible as possible. If you are driving down a highway, you are more likely to see a car if its headlights are on.”

Pennsylvania now joins Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia in having a wiper-headlight law.

January 26, 2007: WANTED 

Patricia Emma Ortiz Campos last known address was 146 Balls Lane, Middletown, Pa. She is a W/F age 36 yrs. Warrants for Theft by Deception and Bad Checks

December 21, 2006: PURSE SNATCH

Lower Swatara Township is investigating a purse snatch that occurred in the area of Richardson Rd. and Summit Ridge Rd. on December 20th at approximately 3:30 pm.  An elderly female had her purse stolen.

The victim was walking in the area and was approached by a black male in his teens or early 20's. He grabbed her purse and fled on foot. He is described to be 6 feet tall with a thin build and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. The victim was not injured.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Lower Swatara Township Police at 939-0463 or you can complete our tip sheet located under our Forms link.

Several families were blessed this Holiday to receive gifts from our Secret Santa this year. The Police Department helped collect and distribute everything from toys to Christmas Dinner. We would like to extend a special thank you to the residents of Lower Swatara that helped us this year. They were a tremendous help!

We wish you all a very safe and happy New Year.