Police Department FAQ

Police Administration Office

The police department administration office is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM.  Outside of those hours a call box is located to the right of the public entrance.  This dials directly to 911, where an officer is notified that you need assistance.

Please use these link to find additional information.

Unused and expired prescription drugs can be disposed of by dropping them off in the lobby of the Butler Township Police Department at 290 South Duffy Road between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.

You can’t, because PA does not have “restraining orders”.  The only thing similar to that is a PFA (Protection From Abuse Order).  A PFA is only available to people where abuse was done to them by an (ex) husband, (ex) wife, sibling, parent, child, family member related by blood or marriage, a current or former sexual partner or intimate partner. Please visit the domestic violence page for details.

Call 911 IMMEDIATELY. 

Be observant and make mental notes.  Tell 911 if there are any weapons involved, the address, what the actors look like, how many people involved, and if they are on foot or in a vehicle.  Stay on the line with 911 whenever possible until the police arrive and stay safe.

If you are dealing with an insurance company due to vandalism, theft, or vehicle accident, please have the insurance company call and request the report.  Otherwise it is $15 and can be picked up at the police administration office.  Crime or incident reports are not released.  Reports can also be obtained via subpoena, court order or Right-To-Know.

Contact your local PA State Police barracks for a form or go on-line at www.psp.pa.gov/Pages for an on-line request.

Arrest warrants never expire and are only cleared when you are taken into custody and appear in front of the judge.

The Butler County Prison is located in downtown Butler, just off of Main Street near the Court House.

The phone number to inquire about all jail matters is (724)284-5256.

Call the office during business hours and submit a payment of $15.00.  If it’s for an insurance company, have the agent contact the office and pay the fee.

No, that is considered a civil issue and the police cannot be involved in it.  Please refer to the landlord/tenant page for more details.  However, if your landlord/tenant has committed a crime, such as, but not limited to; stealing or intentionally damaging your property, locking you out of the premises, extorting you for money, then call 911.

Yes, if it is connected to the 911 center by way of an automatic telephone dialing system or personally monitored by a company.  If the burglar alarm was installed yourself and is not connected to any alarm company, then no permit is required.

Contact the Butler County Sheriff’s Department.  They handle all CCP applications and background checks.

No, there is no discharging of any firearms in the township at this time, unless lawfully hunting. Target practice is only permitted at an authorized shooting range.

Not for recreational use, not even on your own private property.

Consumers can now purchase and use “Class C” or “consumer-grade” fireworks that include

  • firecrackers
  • Roman candles,
  • bottle rockets

and similar fireworks that were previously only available to out-of-state residents.

Display fireworks,” which are classified as

  • including salutes that contain more than two grains or 130 milligrams of explosive materials
  • professional-grade aerial shells containing more than 60 grams of pyrotechnic compositions

`are still only to be used by professionals with a permit from the municipality where the display will take place.

Anyone 18 years of age or older can purchase them.

They cannot be ignited or discharged

  • on a public or private property without express permission of the property owner.
  • from or within a motor vehicle or building.
  • toward a motor vehicle or building.
  • within 150 feet of an occupied structure, whether or not a person is actually present.
  • while the person is under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or another drug.

Yes, any time of day or year if it is a recreational fire and you are using clean, dry wood. 

If it is to burn leaves and other yard waste, you can only burn during the months of

  • March
  • April
  • September
  • October
  • November

aka “MASON” between the hours of sunrise and 5:00 PM on Mondays through Saturdays.

No, you can only be out with your parent of legal guardian.  Curfew is from 11 PM to 5 AM, 365 days a year.

First, attempt to settle the issue yourselves, you are after all neighbors.  So be neighborly and go speak to them in a friendly and respectful way. 

If that doesn’t work, then call the police who will come and investigate.

Call 911 and report it to the Police who will contact the dog officer if necessary.

No, neither the police nor the dog officer will come and take a cat off your hands or trap it. 

If you choose to capture the cat you will need to do so humanely (ie. Box trap) and deliver it to a humane society yourself, if they have room.

The vehicle has to have current registration and inspection, or it is considered junk or abandoned. 

If it is parked on the street, advise the police, if it is parked on private property, call the zoning officer. (724-283-3430)

The township parks close at dusk. No one should be in the parks after dusk unless it is an approved event.

When the police are responding to an emergency call we need to get there ASAP, so pull over at the nearest place that it is safe to do so.  We understand that there may not be anywhere to pull over right away so that we can pass you.  So just put your turn signal or hazard lights on so that we know you see us and watch for that safe place to pull over to the side of the road.  Traffic coming toward a police car is also required to pull over to the side until it is passed.
Same thing as above; slow down, flashers, pull over at the nearest safe place as far off the road as possible.  Turn off the car, radio, etc.  Turn on your interior light if it is dark.  Wait to take your seatbelt off until the officer comes up to your window.  Roll down the window the whole way.  Keep your hands visible, preferably on the steering wheel.  DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE unless the officer tells you to.  Once the officer comes up to you, then take your seatbelt off and get your driver’s license, vehicle insurance and registration cards.  If you don’t understand something ask for an explanation in a respectful manner.  If you disagree with receiving a citation, do not plead your case at that time, your point of view will be discussed in front of the judge at a later date and time if you desire.  Signing the citation is not an admission of guilt, it just means you received the citation.

Call the police if you or someone else is hurt and/or the vehicle is wrecked so bad it can not be driven (reportable traffic accident).  Most places outside of Butler Township will not respond to a crash when people are not hurt and all the vehicles can be safely driven (non-reportable accident).  Simply exchange all of the necessary information.  If there are any questions, call the Police.

No, the rock hitting your windshield was not the fault of the other driver due to their negligence, carelessness, recklessness or deliberate action, due to the rock coming from the road, not the vehicle load.  Even if you have their license plate, you will need to contact your insurance company to make repairs.

A citation is a ticket, it is the same thing.  The total amount you owe is over $100, but the fine itself is typically around $25.  The state and courts add on fees associated with each citation which bumps your total up.

On the back or bottom of the citation you were issued or mailed, it gives you detailed instructions on who, where, and when to respond to the citation.  The Magisterial District Judge must get your plea within 10 days or your driver’s license may be suspended and an arrest warrant for you will be issued.

Contact the Magisterial District Judge’s Office on the front of the ticket. 

You should treat the intersection as though it were a four-way stop sign. 

It is your responsibility to hang the placard from the rear view mirror where officers can clearly see it. The fact you are handicapped does not show up when we run your license plate or driver’s license.