A message from the Chief of Police
Bryan D. Ross

The Spring Township Police Department will reach its diamond anniversary (75 years of service) in 2013, having been established in 1938.  The Department has seen a number of changes over the 70+ years of its existence from the expansion of the office space available to the police department to the changes in sworn and civilian personnel.  We currently employ 27 full time sworn police officers and 2 administrative assistants. 

We continue our endeavor to live up to the Department’s mission statement “Proudly Serving the Community”.   We hold a number of community relation type events throughout the year such as the annual National Night Out celebration in early August at the Lincoln Park Community Pool.  In the fall the Department, in conjunction with the Wyomissing and West Reading Police Departments, hold a citizens police academy.  Various groups such as the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts take tours of our facility and meet officers. 
The Department makes every effort to handle calls for service from our community in a timely and professional manner.   To help assure what we are doing meets standards for professionalism, the Department enrolled in the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission’s accreditation program and became only the 36th police agency in the Commonwealth to earn this distinction in March 2006.  We were re-accredited in 2009 and will be assessed again in the near future to prove our commitment to professionalism.

It is my hope that the Department will continue to experience many new and exciting changes in the future.   Best wishes to all during the coming year and stay safe.

The Township of Spring Police Department began serving the residents of Spring Township in 1938. The first full time police force was established in January, 1946. In 1950 the Township reorganized the police department under the guidance of Police Chief Ralph Gring.  In 1960, Donald Schlegel was appointed Chief of Police.  In 1976, the department consisted of 12 full-time officers.   After the retirement of Chief Schlegel, Sgt. William Speth took over as Chief of Police in 1988.  Chief Speth retired in 2002 and Cpl. Michael Messner was appointed to the position of Chief of Police.  Upon Chief Messner’s retirement in 2007 the Board of Supervisors went outside the Department and hired Chief Bryan Ross (formerly the Chief of the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department) as its Chief of Police.  Chief Ross continues to this day as the head of the Department.