A recently retired Altoona Police Department officer was honored Thursday by Operation Our Town with its Blair County Law Enforcement Award.

Sgt. Christopher Moser received the award during the Blair County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Club at The Casino at Lakemont Park.

The award is given annually to Blair County Law Enforcement individuals who have demonstrated their commitment, through their efforts, toward making the community a safe place to live and raise families.

Moser was honored in recognition of 20 years of outstanding service and commitment to the City of Altoona and the Blair County Drug Task Force from March 1, 2005, to March 1, 2025.

Moser began his law enforcement career with the Altoona Police Department as a patrolman. As soon as his one-year probationary status was lifted, he joined the Blair County Drug Task Force. Moser immediately displayed the passion and dedication that it takes to become successful in narcotics enforcement, said Thomas Brandt, regional director for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.

On March 18, 2013, Moser was promoted to the rank of corporal in the patrol division and was assigned to the narcotics division shortly thereafter. On March 18, 2015, Moser was promoted to the rank of sergeant and placed in charge of the Altoona narcotics division.

During his tenure as a narcotics investigator with the Altoona Police Department, Moser has often been referred to as “the premier task force officer in the state of Pennsylvania,” Brandt said.

Moser has made numerous multi-pound seizures of methamphetamine, hundreds of bricks of heroin/fentanyl and hundreds of thousands in U.S. currency. In one search warrant alone, he seized over $180,000. Additionally, for the last 19 years, Moser has either served as the lead investigator or played a pivotal role in every large-scale investigation conducted by the Blair County Drug Task Force, Brandt said.

Moser was involved in Operation Blood Clot, a cocaine and heroin ring, which made approximately $2 million from June 2006 to December 2007 operating in Blair County, and was broken up by narcotics agents from the Attorney General’s Office and local police officers.

“Since then I was hooked on narcotics work. Narcotics work has been my passion,” Moser said.

Moser thanked the many officers he worked with over the years.

“Chief Janice Freehling put her trust in me to always do what was right. I learned you are only as good as the team you surround yourself with,” Moser said. “I am accepting this award on behalf of every officer I worked with during my career.”

Meanwhile, Operation Our Town presented the 2025 Community Partnership Award to the City of Altoona.

“We are grateful to Operation Our Town for the partnership we have had with them for many years. They have been supportive with everything we have been doing in the city. We are very grateful for this award and looking forward to continuing the partnership,” Mayor Matt Pacifico said.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.