THE COMMAND STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT IS COMPRISED OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND A LIEUTENANT. CURRENTLY, LIEUTENANT DITTY SERVES AS THE ACTING CHIEF OF POLICE. 
 

Lieutenant:

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Lieutenant Braxton Ditty is a Central Pennsylvania native who graduated from Upper Dauphin Area High School in 2005. Lt. Ditty has over 20 years of experience in various forms of public safety to include Fire, EMS, Police and Emergency Management services.  In 2008, he attended Harrisburg Area Community College's police academy where he achieved the physical fitness award for his class.

Upon graduating from the police academy, Lieutenant Ditty was hired by the Newberry Township Police Department.

In addition to performing his normal duties, he formally instructed the T.E.A.M. program to students at Red Mill Elementary School and is now the program coordinator for the department.  He was also specially trained as a standardized field sobriety instructor and Drug Recognition Expert. In 2010, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigative Division as a Detective where he was responsible for investigating various crimes against persons and/or property with case preparation for the successful prosecution of offenders.  As a Detective,  he was also the Department's primary evidence custodian responsible for proper documentation, storage and destruction of evidence and property.  Lt. Ditty received the 2013 Officer of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Shield and Square Organization for his role in handling an armed, suicidal subject who was experiencing a mental health crisis. He also received the 2017 Officer of Year Award presented by the VFW Post 537. 

In 2015, Lieutenant Ditty was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, where he functioned as a patrol supervisor until December 2019.

In 2018 he was assigned as the Department’s accreditation manager and was, and still is, responsible for policy development, file maintenance and obtaining proofs of compliance for standards in policing.

In December 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, where he currently serves. Lt. Ditty's responsibilities include the operational oversight of both the Patrol Division and Criminal Investigations Division within the police department.

Lieutenant Ditty has attended numerous police supervisory trainings during his career and is a graduate of the 280th Session of the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, VA. Lieutenant Ditty is a certified Municipal Police Officer’s Education and Training Commission (M.P.O.E.T.C.) Instructor with a specialty in Emergency Vehicle Operation and teaches regularly at Harrisburg Area Community College's Police Academy.

Lt. Ditty also serves as Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for Newberry Regional EMA. 

In his spare time Lieutenant Ditty enjoys camping and golfing. Lieutenant Ditty is married with two children.