Crime & Safety

Upper Moreland to (Legally) Make Arrests Without Warrants

Police already arrest suspects for certain summary violations without warrants, but now the Upper Moreland Commissioners have approved an ordinance permitting them to do so.

Upper Moreland Police now have policy on the books permitting them to make arrests without warrants.

But, officials said the department’s so-called warrantless arrests were already being made for summary violations including disorderly conduct, underage drinking and public drunkenness: instances where a person’s behavior presents a danger.

After a public hearing that drew no comments from those in attendance or the commissioners, the governing body, during Monday’s meeting adopted an ordinance authorizing the police department to make warrantless arrests “under specific circumstances.”

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Resident Richard Booth argued that the adoption should have come at a later date after the community had a chance to learn more about warrantless arrests.

“I don’t see why this can’t wait another 30 days,” Booth said before the ordinance was adopted. “You’re sort of shutting out the public on this issue. I think it should be held for 30 days and give the public a chance to consider it.”

Find out what's happening in Upper Moreland-Willow Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Commissioners Chairman Sam Valenza said Upper Moreland is “not in accordance with state law” and that is the driving force behind the ordinance.

Upper Moreland Police Chief Michael Murphy told Patch previously that police can arrest people for any of the summary violations now without a warrant. But, having an ordinance on the books allows the department to "dot our i's and cross our t's."

 


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