Charles Handerhan
Charles Handerhan
Age: 48
Place of birth: Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Where you live: Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Job Description: Patrolman, South Fayette Township Police Department. Member of Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force.
Why I chose this career: To protect and serve the resident of Allegheny County. When done with integrity, law enforcement is the most noble of professions.
The proudest moment of my career: Receiving badge, upon graduation from the City of Pittsburgh Police Academy. Man of the year honoree Pittsburgh Police Emerald Society, 2012.
I celebrate my Irish heritage by: As a member of AOH Division 32 Carnegie, Pennsylvania, as Pipe Major of the Pittsburgh Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, the Pittsburgh Police Emerald Society. I am a yearly participant at the National Conference of Emerald Societies, National Police week parade and memorial service. I play the bagpipes for Echoes of Erin masses and events. I assist in instructing and training entry and intermediate level members of the Emerald Society pipe band. I am a yearly participant in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Biography
Chuck Handerhan was born in Carnegie, PA. He is a 1982 graduate of Chartier Valley High School in Bridgeville, PA. In 1989 Chuck applied to and was accepted to the Allegheny County Police Academy graduating in November of the same year. After graduation, Chuck was hired by the Heidelberg, PA Police Department where he worked until April of 1993. While serving in the Borough of Heidelberg he was also a member of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Drug Task Force. He led all patrol officers in arrest during his tenure in Heidelberg. In April 1993 Patrolman Handerhan was hired by the City of Pittsburgh Police Department. After graduation from the Pittsburgh Police
Academy he was assigned to the Zone 4 West End Station. He worked in the West End Station until January of 2000 when he was transferred to Zone 5, East Liberty Station. He served in the 5th until June of 2003, when he transferred to the South Fayette Township Police Department where he serves to this day. During his tour with the City of Pittsburgh, Handerhan was briefly assigned to the Vice and Narcotics unit and spent most of his time working the “10” cars/gang prevention car. The “10” cars were sent to high crime areas throughout Pittsburgh to curb gang violence. Chuck received several awards and commendations during his employment in Pittsburgh. These include a Mayoral Service Award for his performance during the Mt. Washington Tornado disaster in 1998. After being hired by the South Fayette Township Police Department., Ptlm. Handerhan was assigned to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s drug task force as well as the South Hills DUI task force. He is also a firearms instructor and certified intoxilyzer operator. In April of 2009, Chuck was given the daunting task of lead bagpiper and Mass band coordinator for the funeral services of Eric Kelly, Steven Mahle and Paul Sciullo II who were ambushed and murdered in a domestic dispute. More than 300 Bagpipers and drummers along with 25,000 law enforcement officers from around the nation attended the funeral service, making it the largest police service funeral other than the 9/11 services in New York City. Handerhan was also the lead bagpiper and coordinator in several law enforcement funerals including the December 2005 funeral of Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Joseph Pokorny, Jr. Corporal Pokorny’s funeral was the first in western Pennsylvania honored with an entire pipes band/Inspectors funeral. Chuck is also the Midnight Piper at the National Police Week in Washington, D.C. He was selected in 2010 to replace Chicago Police piper Jimmy O’Connell who tragically passed away earlier that year.