Crime Enforcement and Forensic Services

In general, the police departments in Berks County are staffed by twenty-five or fewer sworn officers. The majority of these officers are assigned to patrol duties and have limited specialized training. These departments must balance their resources, manpower and finances with the concerns and demands of the community. Often it becomes difficult to stretch their available resources and address community issues.

In recent years, Berks County has experienced a population growth in its rural and small town areas, which growth is expected to continue in the future. Much of this growth can be attributed to the population migration out of big cities and into the rural communities. Rising crime rates are a common correlation to this migration into our suburban and rural communities, which places a great strain on the smaller police departments.

The Berks County Detectives work closely with police officers from over forty local Berks County police departments and state and federal law enforcement agencies. The majority of the Berks County Detectives are seasoned veterans with a vast amount of police experience and expertise, which they acquired from specialized schools and training. The Berks County Detectives offer their specialized services to those departments that do not have the expertise and or resources to successfully investigate a specific crime. The specialized units are listed on this page.