Smooth Operator  9:32pm March 11 The Plains Twp. Police Dept. will be participating in the PA. Smooth Operator Program. The Smooth Operator Program is a public safety initiative, which aims to provide education, information and solutions for the problem of aggressive driving. Smooth Operator works to: stop aggressive drivers, reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities, protect everyone on our roads and make living, working, and playing safer for all of us. Some behaviors typically associated with aggressive driving include: exceeding the posted speed limit, following too closely, erratic or unsafe lane changes, improperly signaling lane changes and failure to obey traffic control devices(stop signs, yield signs etc...). Buckle-UP PA Patrols  3:25pm February 18 The Plains Twp. Police Dept. will be participating in the Buckle-UP PA. seat belt enforcement program from May 12th-June 1st. Pennsylvania's seat belt usage rate has reached an unprecedented high of 86.7% Lives are being saved as a direct result of law enforcement's committment to enforcing the seat belt laws. The goal in 2008 is to increase seat belt use in the Commonwealth to 88.5%. Restraint use is lower at night than during the day, and 80% of nighttime fatalities in our State are unbuckled. Crashes remain the leading cause of death in young drivers. Please buckle-up! Halloween Safety Tips  8:45am October 30 Halloween Safety Halloween is a cherished tradition but the excitement of the night can cause children to forget to be careful. There is no real "trick" to making Halloween a real treat for the entire family. The major dangers are not from witches or spirits but rather from falls and pedestrian/car crashes. Both children and adults need to think about safety on this annual day of make-believe. The National Safety Council urges motorists to be especially alert on Halloween. Watch for children darting out from between parked cars. Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs. Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully. At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing. Before children start out on their "trick or treat" rounds, parents should: Make sure that an adult or an older responsible youth will be supervising the outing for children under age 12. Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow. Know the names of older children's companions. Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an established route. Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger's home. Establish a return time. Tell your youngsters not to eat any treat until they return home. Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian/traffic safety rules. Pin a slip of paper with the child's name, address and phone number inside a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from the group. Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes. Costumes should be loose so warm clothes can be worn underneath. Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard. (Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries on Halloween.) If children are allowed out after dark, outfits should be made with light colored materials. Strips of retroreflective tape should be used to make children visible. Masks can obstruct a child's vision. Use facial make-up instead. When buying special Halloween makeup, check for packages containing ingredients that are labeled "Made with U.S. Approved Color Additives," "Laboratory Tested," Meets Federal Standards for Cosmetics," or "Non-Toxic." Follow manufacturer's instruction for application. If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings and large eye holes. Knives, swords and other accessories should be made from cardboard or flexible materials. Do not allow children to carry sharp objects. Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape if children are allowed out after dark. Carrying flashlights will help children see better and be seen more clearly. On the way Children should understand and follow these rules: Do not enter homes or apartments without adult supervision. Walk, do not run, from house to house. Do not cross yards and lawns where unseen objects or the uneven terrain can present tripping hazards. Walk on sidewalks, not in the street. Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic if there are no sidewalks. Treats To ensure a safe trick-or-treat outing, parents are urged to: Give children an early meal before going out. Insist that treats be brought home for inspection before anything is eaten. Wash fruit and slice into small pieces. When in doubt, throw it out. Next page of news...

About Us

Plains Township is a First Class Township, founded on November 10, 1851. The Township is located in the northeast portion of Pennsylvania and is in the east portion of Luzerne County. The City of Wilkes-Barre is southwest and borders Plains Township in that area. The Township has a 14.5 square mile land area, bi-sected at various points by Interstate Route 81, the PA Turnpike, and State Route 309, providing a direct access route to the PA Turnpike and Interstate 81 for communities in the western side of the Wyoming Valley. There are approximately 11,000 residents that live within the Township.

Our Mission

The Plains Township Police Department, working in partnership with the entire community, is committed to providing the highest quality police service to all of our citizens. Community Safety is our primary goal and we will seek a solution to any problem that creates fear or threatens the quality of life in our communities.

When a community works in cooperation with the police department and local government, it has a positive impact on reducing neighborhood crime, eliminates the fear of impending acts of crime, and promotes a feeling of assurance that our community is safe for all of our families.

Preventing crime is as important as arresting criminals; Preventing disorder is as important as preventing crime; and reducing both crime and disorder require that police work cooperatively in neighborhoods to:

1. Identify their concerns
2. Solicit their help
3. Solve their problems

The Plains Township Police Department is a first rate, full service police agency providing twenty-four hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year protection. We have a total of fifteen sworn officers and one unsworn clerical person. Our goals are to place a greater emphasis on community policing by identifying neighborhood problems and providing the resources with a positive solution. We will establish greater communication with community residents and business leaders.

COMMUNICATION + COOPERATION = IMPROVEMENT

Services We Provide

1. Educational Programs: focusing on prevention, bicycle safety, drug abuse, child safety, residential and business security.

2. Tours

3. Operation ID : offering engravers and warning stickers to protect your valuables

4. Bicycle registrations

5. Neighborhood Crime Watch

6. Police Ride-Alongs

7. Kid Care Photo and fingerprint identifications

8. Vacation home checks

Please browse our site and let us know what you think!