Upper Moreland to Appoint Acting Police Chief

Lieutenant Alex Levy will be appointed as the Acting Police Chief at tonight's meeting.

Last month Thomas Nestel accepted a job with SEPTA to create a vacancy for Police Chief in the Upper Moreland Police Department. Tonight, Lieutenant Alex Levy will be named the new Acting Police Chief by the township.  The Board of Commissioners will hold their regular meet tonight at 7 p.m. and the announcement of Levy's new position is first on the agenda.  Here is the complete agenda posted on uppermoreland.org: Presentations/Announcements Approval of Minutes – August 6, 2012, Regular Meeting                                                           Community Development Committee

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Upper Moreland Police Chief Starts New Job with SEPTA

The former police chief at UMPD, Thomas Nestel III started his new job this week.

It was announced last week that Upper Moreland’s Thomas Nestel III has accepted a job with SEPTA as its new police chief. Nestel, 50, leaves Upper Moreland after serving the township for the last four and a half years. He officially started his new job Monday, replacing Richard Evans. The former Philly cop began his career in 1982 as a Patrol Officer with the SEPTA Transit Police before becoming a member of the Philadelphia Police Department. He served in the 14th, 25th, 26th and 35th Districts, Highway Patrol, Northwest Detectives, Internal Affairs, Narcotics, and Intelligence. He earned 24 commendations for Merit, Heroism and Bravery. “Chief Nestel is a distinguished professional with 30 years of experience who brings a wealth of law …

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Gerry Dungan

9:43 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012

Hi, Chief! I second Tom's comment and thank you for always being straightforward and patient with me. I was grateful to work with you - Best of luck at SEPTA.   more ›

UMPD Reports Recent Thefts from Unlocked Cars

According to Upper Moreland Police Department, there is a reported rise of theft from unlocked cars within the last week.

In the last week, Upper Moreland Police reported unidentified person/s entering unlocked cars in your neighborhood. The person/s stole a GPS, wallet and change. The opportunists committed their crimes between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. "We have received some information that two white males may have been checking car doors at approximately 3:30 a.m.," UMPD chief Thomas Nestel, said in a Nixle report. "If you see this kind of activity, it requires a rapid police response. Please call 911 immediately!" Nestel said a good way to prevent this type of crime from occurring is to keep your belongings out of view in your car. The best way to prevent thefts from vehicles is to lock your doors when you leave your car unattended. "This is a …

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The Up and Up in Upper Moreland

Don’t Drink and Drive, Please!

One motorist’s start of the Memorial Day Weekend has left me stranded.

It seems like it happens with every long, holiday weekend. Folks tend to let loose, have a few drinks more than they should and get behind the wheel of a car. Impaired driving, distracted driving, reckless driving, they all run the risk of seriously injuring someone and damaging their property, leaving the innocent parties asking the question, “why?” Case in point: I live on a quiet little street in the Burholme section of Northeast Philadelphia. It’s a single-lane, two-way street, with cars parked on both sides. The traveling lane is so small that motorists have to pull over into a free parking space in order to yield to oncoming traffic. With such tight parking and living spaces, I feel fortunate to have such friendly and welcoming …

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Gerry Dungan

10:48 am on Monday, May 28, 2012

Thanks everyone for your sympathies! Just a brief update: Found out that the owner of the gold Maxima reported it stolen, and I'll have to wait 'till tomorrow to find out what my insurance company says about that - In any case, hope everyone's enjoying their Memorial Day weekend!   more ›

UMPD Urges Parents and Guardians to Talk About Child Safety

Upper Moreland Police encourage parents to help their children have a safety plan when outside their home.

Earlier this week, the Upper Moreland Police Department (UMPD) reported an incident involving attempted child luring in Hatboro. According to UMPD, young children were ordered by a Caucasian male to enter a white van with pvc piping on its roof. The children fled and informed adults of the incident. According to UMPD chief Thomas Nestel, while the incident is being investigated, he encourages parents and guardians to talk with their children about their safety outside the home. “Children should be told how to react when approached by strangers,” Nestel said in an e-mail. “Every child should know what to do in situations like this incident.” In recent years, such incidents have become an increasing concern for communities across the country…

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PA Texting and Driving Ban in Effect This Week

Upper Moreland Police call the ban a ‘good start’ to addressing distracted driving.

Starting tomorrow, March 8, Pennsylvania State law enforcement officers can pull drivers over for texting on their mobile phones. As reported in a previous Patch article, the new law, which was first considered in November of last year, will make it a primary offence to participate in text-base communication while operating a motor vehicle. In this new law, according to an ABC report, law enforcement officials can give a $50 citation for the text-based communication traffic offense, which includes sending or reading e-mails. And, while surfing the Internet is forbidden, the law does allow the use of smartphones as GPS devices. “I think that the texting ban is a good start to addressing distractions while driving,” Upper Moreland Police …

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Letter to the Editor: Thank You, Officer Curley

After 33 years of service to Upper Moreland, Police Officer Steve Curley retires from the force.

Editor's Note: Upper Moreland chief of police Thomas Nestel shares his thoughts on the retirement of police officer Steve Curley, who received a commendation by the township commissioners for his years of service in December. --- He was a fabulous officer who accumulated 7 Top Gun awards which are presented to officers who make 50 or more DUI arrests in a year. He had the highest conviction rate of any officer in the department. Even though he had 33 years of service, he went out every night answering calls and enforcing the motor vehicle code like an eager rookie.  For many of his years in the department he served as a K9 officer until his dog passed away in 2010. I was here at 6 a.m. when he was finishing up his last day to congratulate …

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Gerry Dungan

12:43 am on Friday, March 23, 2012

no easter bunny's comment was removed due to a breach of Patch Terms of Use. Please refer to http://uppermoreland.patch.com/terms for more information.   more ›

UMPD to Increase Officer Presence over the Holiday Weekend.

Upper Moreland Police Chief Thomas Nestel wants you to have a safe, happy and jail-free New Year!

The Upper Moreland Police Department has announced that there will be an increased police presence in time for the Holiday Weekend. "As has been our practice in Upper Moreland, additional officers will be patrolling for drunk drivers," UMPD chief Thomas Nestel said in a correspondence. "Getting arrested for DUI would be a bad start to a great year."  Nestel said that if New Year revelers choose to celebrate with alcohol tonight, don't finish the party behind the wheel of a car. According to a AAA report, A DUI can cost you your freedom and your money.  A first-time DUI conviction can result in a six-to 12-month jail sentence, more for repeat offenders and for impaired drivers who injure or kill someone in a crash. The report further states…

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Upper Moreland Police Praise State Legislature for New Texting While Driving Ban

Upper Moreland Police Chief Thomas Nestel approves of measures taken by state legislature to make texting while driving a primary offense.

According to the Office of State Rep. Josh Shapiro, yesterday Governor Tom Corbett signed S.B. 314, a measure proposed by Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, to make Pennsylvania’s roads safer by making it a primary offense to text while driving. Upper Moreland Police Chief Thomas Nestel said, in an e-mail, that he whole-heartedly approves of the new law. "I am thrilled at the possibility that texting while driving will be made a primary motor vehicle code offense. Driving in itself is a divided attention activity with the operator managing the gas and brake, the steering wheel, viewing the roadway and identifying potential hazards," Nestel said. "Add texting or any other distraction and the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle …

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Upper Moreland Takes the Next Step toward Live Stop

In a majority vote, the township board of commissioners approved a zoning ordinance that could create impound lots – the first step in initiating the Live Stop program.

Upper Moreland Township took the first step toward being the first in the region to initiating a Live-Stop program. In a vote of 7-2, the township board of commissioners approved the zoning changes relating to an existing ordinance, which regulates the creation of impound lots. Both this vote and its prior public hearing, took place at last night’s Regular Board meeting. The changes in the ordinance (No. 1603) will allow the conditional creation of impound lots and junkyards in industrial-zoned areas of the township. According to Kate Harper, the township’s solicitor, the majority of such lots may appear in a corridor that stretches from the Willow Grove Train Station to the Turnpike. A few members of the board of commissioners voiced …

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