Introduction by Chief T. Michael Beaty 3 Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation 4 Police Department Mission Statement 5 Whitemarsh Township

Transcription

1 Whitemarsh Township Police Department 2014 Annual Report

2 Table of Contents Subject Page Introduction by Chief T. Michael Beaty 3 Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation 4 Police Department Mission Statement 5 Whitemarsh Township Police Department Personnel Information 6 Personnel Assignments 7 Organizational Chart 8 Specialized Units 9 General Statistics 13 Training Courses 17 Community Relations Programs 18 New Hires 22 Recognitions & Awards 23 2

3 Introduction by Chief of Police T. Michael Beaty On behalf of the Whitemarsh Township Police Department, I am proud and honored to present to you our 2014 Annual Report. The information in this document provides a comprehensive summary of the services that the Department provides the Whitemarsh community. This report is a testament to the hard work and dedication that our officers and support staff invest in this community. This annual report contains a compilation of informative statistics and data on the variety of services provided by the members of the Whitemarsh Township Police Department. It is important to recognize the efforts of the sworn officers, professional staff and volunteers who make up the Whitemarsh Police Department, all who are committed to making a difference and keeping this community safe and prosperous. This report also reflects the integrity, quality and dedication of each members of the Department, and serves as a reminder of the value of maintaining a relationship with our community. The partnership that we have forged with our community is what allows this Department to continue the Township s vision of implementing programs that foster an environment of a safe and enjoyable community. The engagement with the members of our local community and the professionalism exhibited in the delivery of services are two core values that the men and women of the Whitemarsh Police Department strive to achieve daily. The Department s primary goal is to provide top quality public safety and law enforcement services to the residents and businesses of Whitemarsh Township. As we welcome 2015, the Police Department continues to work diligently and conscientiously to ensure that Whitemarsh Township remains a thriving community with safe neighborhoods and a flourishing business environment. As we look ahead, I am confident that the partnerships we have forged with our residents and businesses in the community will continue to grow. I thank all the citizens of Whitemarsh for providing the opportunity to uphold our mission of ensuring outstanding police services in our community. With their continued support, we will work tirelessly to ensure that the Whitemarsh Township Police Department continues to be a shining example of outstanding law enforcement in the region. The members of the Police Department continually seek to provide quality law enforcement services to the citizens of this community. We adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards, and are committed to continuing this tradition of excellence. Sincerely, T. Michael Beaty 3

4 Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC) The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association introduced the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program to the Commonwealth in July Since then, over 300 agencies have enrolled and approximately 83 agencies have attained an accredited status. On July 12, 2008 the Whitemarsh Township Police Department received initial status as an accredited law enforcement agency; and on April 8, 2014, the Whitemarsh Township Police Department was re-accredited by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. The members of the Whitemarsh Township Police Department are proud to have attained this distinguished status. Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping institutions evaluate and improve their overall performance. The cornerstone of this strategy lies in the promulgation of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating administrators then conduct a thorough analysis to determine how existing operations adapt to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of independent professionals are assigned to verify that all applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by an authoritative body that the institution is worthy of accreditation. 4

5 Mission Statement The mission of the Whitemarsh Township Police Department is to tirelessly protect the citizens of our great community, to serve those citizens without prejudice, and to defend our community under any circumstance. The unmitigated commitment of each member of this department reflects the true nature of the men and women who demonstrate exemplary conduct on and off duty. Through our service to the community we promote the quality of life and ensure justice. The men and women of the Whitemarsh Township Police Department strive to make Whitemarsh Township a great place to live and work. This goal shall be accomplished each and every day with honesty, respect and integrity. 5

6 Personnel Information Police Personnel Chief of Police 1 Lieutenants 2 Sergeants 7 Corporals 4 Detectives 3 Officers 16 Traffic Safety Officers 3 TOTAL POLICE PERSONNEL 36 Civilian Personnel Full Time Dispatchers 5 Part Time Dispatchers 7 School Crossing Guards 4 Clerical- Full/Part Time 4 TOTAL CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TOTAL PERSONNEL 56 6

7 Personnel Assignments Chief of Police T. Michael Beaty Lieutenant Christopher Ward Francis Wheatley Sergeants Sgt. Jeffrey Nowak- Community Policing Sgt. Greg Keenan Sgt. Chuck Swan Sgt. Brian Mack Sgt. Samuel Ditzler Corporals Cpl. Christopher Wilhelm Cpl. Howard Laskey Cpl. Michael Kolar Cpl. Amanda O Neill Detective Division Det. Sgt. James Cotter Det. Craig Cubbin Det. Gregory Lattanze Det. Richard Zadroga Traffic Safety Unit Sgt. Michael O Doherty Off. Richard Stemple Off. John Hartman Administrative Staff Heather Chiarlanza Sarah Goldbloom Margaret Young Lori Fair- Part Time Clerical Kenneth Stout- Part Time Evid. Tech. Patrol Officers Off. Michael Burton Off. Todd Burton Off. Stephen Cline Off. Jonathan Cooney Off. Kevin Galie Off. Michael Hannon Off. Lauren Hart Off. Emily Hopkins Off. Eric Householder Off. Christopher Hunsberger Off. Stephen Kerns Off. Vincent Mundy Off. Thomas Ryan Off. Matthew Stadulis Off. Adrian Stead Off. James Sweeney Off. Mark Williams Communications- Full Time Supervisor Siobhan Klinger Raymond Bowman Donna McCloskey Kenneth White VACANT Communications- Part Time Stephen Dallara Melissa Demchik Christopher Doyle Daniel Fox J.P. McHugh Nicholas O Connor Shannon Wiechec Crossing Guards Genevieve Alley Barbara Asztalos Joe Paris Jeanne Termine 7

8 Organizational Chart Chief Beaty Admin. Assist. Chiarlanza Clerical Goldbloom Lt. Wheatley Community Policing Sgt. Nowak Lt. Ward A SQUAD B SQUAD C SQUAD D SQUAD Detectives Traffic Safety Dispatch Sgt. Ditzler Sgt. Keenan Sgt. Swan Sgt. Mack Det. Sgt. Cotter Sgt. O Doherty Supv. Klinger Cpl. O Neill Cpl. Kolar Cpl. Laskey Cpl. Wilhelm Det. Lattanze Ofc. Stemple Bowman Ofc. Williams Ofc. Householder Ofc. Galie Ofc. Cline Det. Cubbin Ofc. Hartman McCloskey Ofc. Cooney Ofc. Sweeney Ofc. Hannon Ofc. Stadulis Det. Zadroga Crossing Guards White Ofc. Stead Ofc. M. Burton Ofc. Kerns Ofc. Hunsberger PT. Clerk Fair Alley Asztalos Paris Termine VACANT Ofc. Ryan Off. Hart Ofc. Hopkins Ofc. T. Burton Ofc. Mundy PT Evid. Tech. Stout PT Dispatch Dallara Demchik Doyle Fox McHugh O Connor Wiechec 8

9 Specialized Units CANINES 2014 marked Whitemarsh Township Police Department s 5th year in operation of the Canine Unit. The canine unit not only assists the Whitemarsh Community but they also respond to surrounding jurisdictions in and outside Montgomery County, as well as working with state and federal agencies. The canine unit has continued to serve Montgomery County successfully, which is documented by the calls of service. Both canine teams, explosives and narcotics, have attended their monthly update training and they have completed all required yearly certifications. Patrol: The Whitemarsh Township Police Department Canine Unit responded to 79 calls of service. These calls were in Whitemarsh Township, the surrounding communities in Montgomery County and other counties. Of these calls for service, 6 were building searches, 31 were tracks of criminals and/ or lost persons, and during those tracks 11 different crucial articles of evidence were located. The canines attended several public relation events including Whitemarsh Township Cop Camp, Citizen s Police Academy, Fire Prevention Expo, and several school programs. The canine unit was able to apprehend a total of apprehend 5 different suspects associated with committing serious crimes. Narcotics: Police K-9 Hugo # and K-9 Officer James Sweeney Badge #32K62 continued to assist many different agencies with narcotic searches. Police K-9 Hugo and K-9 Officer Sweeney continued to work closely assisting The Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET), the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Narcotics Investigation Division, and local municipalities. The K-9 team continues to assist the Department of Homeland Security and US Customs with the enforcement of dangerous illegal narcotics. The unit was sworn and designated with federal enforcement power to future assist Federal Government agencies. The 2014 statistics are as follows: Narcotics searches: 23 Marijuana seized: approximately 1250 pounds Heroin seized: 10 bundles Cocaine seized: 1/8 of an ounce Methamphetamine seized: 1 ounce Ecstasy seized: 250 tabs Total US currency seized from narcotic searches : $1.9 million Explosives: Police K-9 Brock Badge # and K-9 Officer Matthew Stadulis Badge #32K68 continued to work with many different agencies with explosives searches. Police K-9 Brock and K-9 Officer Matthew Stadulis worked closely assisting the ATF, FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, the Montgomery County Sheriff s Office Bomb Unit, and local municipalities in surrounding counties. 9

10 K-9 Brock and Officer Stadulis successfully passed the one day ATF explosives NORT test in Wilmington DE. The NORT test is a federal level certification of the canines ability to detect a series of small amount of hidden explosives. The test consisted of K-9 Brock being tested by ATF Chemist to ensure his ability to detect challenging explosives being used by terrorist. The K-9 team continues to respond to many different explosive calls and threats to ensure the safety of the public. The 2014 statistics are as follows: Building Searches: 8 School Searches: 4 Suspicious packages: 3 Public Transportation Searches: 3 Montgomery County Explosive Drills: 2 TRAFFIC SAFETY UNIT Traffic Studies/Speed Surveys Traffic studies are a review of applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, geography, traffic conditions and traffic restrictions used to improve traffic safety and traffic conditions in a designated area. Speed surveys are actual reports generated from a classifier. A classifier is a device that counts volumes, speed and classifications of vehicles. In 2013, studies/surveys were conducted at the following locations: - Camburn Road block of Sheaff Lane - Arlingham Road - W. Valley Green Road - Mill Road - Barren Hill Road and Harts Lane - Elm Street Accident Statistic Requests Review of the accident history of a particular location for the past three years. This is usually initiated by the Chief of Police or the Township to first determine if there are any accidents on the roadway and if there are, what factors caused the accidents and if there are ways to minimize accidents in these locations. - Barren Hill Road and Harts Lane - Elm Street - Camburn Road - Mill Road - Spring Mill Road and Red Rambler Road block of Sheaff Lane - Germantown Pike Assist Other Law Enforcement Agencies The Traffic Safety Unit at times is requested by other departments or agencies to assist with crime or accident scenes. - Cheltenham PD-Assisted with several CDR downloads and used the LTI laser to diagram the accident scene. 10

11 Township Serious/ Fatal Accidents The Traffic Safety Unit at times investigated the following serious/ fatal accidents within our Township. - On May 17, 2014, at Stenton Avenue and Joshua Road: Police involved accident - On May 23, 2014, at Ridge Pike and Butler Pike: Fatal Motorcycle accident - On September 6, 2014, in the 6000 block of Joshua Road: Fatal Motorcycle accident Traffic Safety Unit Details The Traffic Safety Unit conducts Motor Carrier Safety Enforcement Details throughout the Township and assists other departments in Montgomery County with their details. MCSAP details are conducted by certified officers who have successfully passed the Federal Regulations exams. At this time the Traffic Safety Unit has one officer who is trained to perform Level 1 safety inspections. The Traffic Safety Unit is also responsible for assisting with certain traffic related details which involve highways within Whitemarsh Township. In 2014, Sergeant O Doherty conducted the following inspections with the following results: 45 Level 1 inspections 24 Level 2 inspections 57 Level 3 inspections 82 Out of Service violations 279 total violations 142 total citations issued for federal regulation violations $34, total fines Signage Requests Requests are made by residents or initiated by the TSU to increase or improve signage at particular locations. The TSU reviews PennDOT warrants to determine if new signage will meet guidelines. If the roadway is a state road, information is gathered and a letter of request is forwarded to PennDOT block of Sheaff Lane- Added two additional signs indicating roadway/ shoulder ends Elm Street- Handicap parking spot added. - Elm Street and Righter Street- Additional No Parking Here to Corner, Do Not Enter and One Way signs installed. - Sandy Street and Hector Street- Reface current Do Not Enter and One Way signs. - Righter Street and Hector Street- Reface current Do Not Enter and One Way signs. - Ash Lane and Birch Lane- Added stop sign, stop sign ahead, stop bars and No Parking pavement markings. - Mill Road and Ensley Road- Added stop sign ahead signs, stop bars and refaced current stop sign. - Spring Mill Road at Red Rambler Road- Added No Parking Here to Corner sign. - Thomas Road at Whitemarsh Country Club- Added Golf Cart Crossing and Golf Cart Crossing Ahead signs block of Camp Hill Road- PennDOT added additional Curve Ahead/30mph signage for both directions upon Police request Lafayette Avenue- Added Hidden Driveway sign by request of home owner. 11

12 Safety Initiatives PECO Project- Hector St. TSU met with representatives of Peco and the construction companies and assisted with the coordination of traffic related issues for the project. AQUA Project- Hector St. and Elm St. TSU met with representatives of Aqua and the construction company regarding coordination of traffic related issues for the project. Speed Check Lines The TSU continues to conduct selective enforcements at locations in response to complaints received. Since the officers are not permitted to use RADAR, new speed timing lines needed to be painted to enforce speeding. These locations are marked by TSU and lines painted by the Township Highway Department. Variable Message Board and Speed Trailer The Traffic Safety Unit receives numerous requests for the variable message board and speed trailer. These tools are deployed at various locations throughout the Township for traffic complaints and special events. CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY SWAT TEAM The Central Montgomery Special Weapons and Tactics team (CMSWAT) is a multi-jurisdiction tactical team comprised of officers from 14 police departments in the central portion of Montgomery County: Ambler Lower Providence West Conshohocken Bridgeport Montgomery West Norriton Conshohocken Plymouth Whitemarsh East Norriton Royersford Whitpain Lower Gwynedd Upper Merion This team is staffed, trained and equipped to handle high risk situations involving armed individuals that are beyond the capabilities of traditional law enforcement. CMSWAT is available for response 24/7, 365 days a year. The members of this team must meet rigorous entry standards to become a member of the team and must continuously exceed these standards to maintain their status on the team. Members of this team must pass a physical fitness qualification twice a year and must pass monthly firearms qualifications to standards far above those set by most police departments. In 2014, the Whitemarsh Township Police Department had 5 officers assigned to CMSWAT. Two serve on the entry team, and two are assigned as marksmen/observers. One of our officers serves additionally as an element leader for CMSWAT. The fifth officer assigned to the team serves as a Crisis Negotiator, and has received negotiator s training through the FBI and has continual training with CMSWAT negotiators five times a year. These officers maintained both their regular duties with the Whitemarsh Township Police Department and their collateral duties with CMSWAT. 12

13 CMSWAT responded to 10 incidents in Five were high risk arrest or search warrant services. Four were subjects believed to be either armed, emotionally disturbed or both. In two of those incidents, there was clear evidence of a high powered rifle being discharged from the residence/apartment in question. One incident involved the suspect in six murders and the critical wounding of a seventh victim. CMSWAT was tasked with searching large open areas for a murder suspect in Pennsburg, PA. CMSWAT assisted North Penn Tactical Response Team with an armed subject standoff in North Wales Borough. In August 2014, CMSWAT began working with the North Penn Tactical Response Team in anticipation of their merger with CMSWAT, which is scheduled for January With the addition of NPTRT to CMSWAT, we will increase our personnel by 18 members and will increase our jurisdictional coverage to 25 different municipalities within Montgomery County. The transitional training included a three day training held at The Joint Base Maguire Dix Lakehurst (Ft. Dix) in New Jersey. With the merger we will now extend our coverage to the following jurisdictions effective January 2015: Franconia Township Hatfield Township Hatfield Borough Lansdale Borough Lower Salford Twp Marlborough Twp North Wales Borough Souderton Borough Telford Borough Upper Gwynedd Township Upper Perk District (East Greenville, Red Hill and Pennsburg) 13

14 General Statistics DEPARTMENT STATISTICS Total Incidents 13,252 15,400 15,267 15,386 19,774 Arrests Total Arrests 2,221 2,433 2,094 2,046 2,149 Criminal Arrests Non-Traffic Citations D.U.I Traffic 1,723 1,931 1,595 1,479 1,601 Accidents Total Accidents Reportable Injuries Fatalities Traffic Parking Violations Traffic Complaints Selective Enforcement Warnings 1,526 1,338 1,342 1, Alarms Total Alarms Juvenile Contacts Total Contacts Handled at Juvenile Court Handled at District Court Handled in house Other Homicide Rape Robbery Assault Burglary Larceny Auto Theft Arson

15 UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM- PART I OFFENSES Classification of Offenses Actual Offenses * Offenses Actual Cleared Offenses Offenses Cleared Criminal Homicide Murder and Nonnegligent Manslaughter Manslaughter by Negligence Total Criminal Homicide Sex Offenses Rape Total Sex Offenses Robbery Robbery by Firearm Robbery by Knife or Cutting Instrument Robbery by Other Dangerous Weapon Robbery- Strong Arm Total Robbery Assaults Assault- Firearm Assault- Knife or Cutting Instrument Assault- Other Dangerous Weapon Assault- Hands, Fist, Feet, Etc Total Assaults Burglary Burglary- Forcible Entry Burglary- Unlawful Entry- No Force Burglary- Attempted Forcible Entry Total Burglary Larceny Larceny- Theft Total Larceny Motor Vehicle Motor Vehicle Theft- Autos Motor Vehicle Theft- Other Total Motor Vehicle Arson Arson Total Arson Total Part I Offenses * Information from the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System is subject to continual edit and should not be considered complete until the Annual Report is complied. 15

16 UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM- PART II OFFENSES Classification of Offenses Actual Offenses * Offenses Cleared Actual Offenses Offenses Cleared Other Assaults Assaults- Not Aggravated Total Other Assaults Alcohol Crimes Driving Under the Influence Liquor Law Violations Drunkenness Total Alcohol Crimes Drug Violations Drugs- Sale/ Manufacture Drugs- Possession Total Drug Violations Property Offenses Forgery and Counterfeiting Fraud Stolen Property Vandalism Total Property Offenses Other Offenses Weapons- Carrying, Possession, Etc Sex Offenses- Adultery, Indecent Expos Offenses Against Family & Children Disorderly Conduct Vagrancy All Other Offenses (Except Traffic) Total Other Offenses Total Part II Offenses * Information from the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System is subject to continual edit and should not be considered complete until the Annual Report is complied. 16

17 Training Courses In addition to state mandated training programs the Whitemarsh Township Police Department continues to conduct relevant training for officers and staff. This is paramount to the security of the community and continues to promote the level of professionalism we encourage for our employees. During the past year we have provided training not only for officer s personal safety but a variety of other service trainings including emergency response, child advocacy services and implementing public relations programs. We continue to provide specialized training for the Tactical team, Traffic Investigation Unit, and Criminal Investigation Unit. Training Hours Advanced Supervision Trainings/ Supervisor Trainings- Fundamentals of Police Supervision, POSIT, etc. Collision Reconstruction/ Traffic Safety Training Courses 192 Motorcycle/ IPMBA Bicycle Trainings 240 Investigative Trainings 540 Canine Narcotics & Explosives/ Patrol Training 616 Firearms/ Specialized Patrol Rifle Training 720 Tactical Team Total Training Hours: 3,252 hours 17

18 Community Relations Programs COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAMS R.E.A.C.H. (Elementary Education) In 2014, the police department continued providing the R.E.A.C.H. (Realistic Education to Avoid Crime and Harm) program to the 5 th and 6 th grades of the St. Philip Neri School. This is a customized educational program to address the current issues affecting our children today. This new program provides twelve minute lessons on personal safety topics ranging from, the effects of alcohol & drugs to internet safety. The program includes topics such as communication styles, decision making skills and positive alternatives. This new program has the flexibility to be presented to any grade level. The R.E.A.C.H. program was presented to six (6) classes throughout the school year. Government/Constitutional Law/ Sociology Classes (High School/College) As part of the department s public relations/educational agenda, Lt. Wheatley and Sgt. Nowak continue to give lectures at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and Germantown Academy on the application of law and how it is directly related to the US Constitution, as well as the role of the police in our community and how crime, specifically juvenile crime, has evolved over the years. These classes allow the students to understand, analyze and scrutinize everyday laws; and how and why they are proactively or reactively enforced. The importance of these classes allows the department to build rapport with the youth and dispel some of the stereotypical beliefs that are held against law enforcement by the teenage population. Alcohol Awareness / Social Media / Wellness Classes (Germantown Academy) At the request of the Germantown Academy school counselors, Sgt. Nowak and Lt. Wheatley have conducted lectures to all of the freshman and sophomore classes at Germantown Academy as part of their wellness classes. These lectures focused on alcohol awareness and the potential legal ramifications of engaging in this high risk behavior. In the sophomore classes, the lectures also stressed the potential pitfalls of the use of Social Media, and how seemingly innocuous photos or blogs entries could eventually hinder college and job applications, and their general safety. Child Safety Programs The Police Department offers a wealth of resources on child safety issues. Primary among them is the "SafetyKids Inc. program called Charlie Check First, which features a character named Charlie. What was once Stranger Danger has changed and evolved over the years and today features a wider range of safety information. Other programs include internet safety, home alone and bicycle safety. An important aspect of the Child Safety Programs is the Home Alone Training for children and parents. The goal of this program is to have the parents and child develop their home alone safety rules and procedures for when the child is home alone. 18

19 PW/ GA Student Coalition The Whitemarsh Township Police Department has developed a community coalition to aid in the prevention of hazardous decisions that are stereotypically made by an alarming number of teenagers, including but not limited to alcohol/drug related incidents and vehicle-operator distractions such as texting and driving. This program has created a partnership between students at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and Germantown Academy in which an honest discussion about the prevalence of students high risk behavior in the community and the consequences of such actions are talked about. The coalition s goals include creating a community based dialogue about the problems of hazardous decision making and its consequences, creating programming and literature for area students, developing a mentoring program between high school and middle school students where student concerns about destructive decision making can be addressed in a safe environment, and reaching out to local businesses and officials to disseminate information about the danger of high risk behavior amongst the teen demographic and the local community. The Coalition has produced several Public Service Announcements, held school assemblies and brought in guest speakers to bring awareness to potential destructive behaviors, and have piloted a number of cooperative campaigns to help educate their peers about proper decision making. We have presented our program at a National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington DC. Victims Assistance Liaison Unit/ Senior Assist Program Whitemarsh Township Police Department s Victim Assistance Liaison Unit is a comprehensive system that allows victims of crime in Whitemarsh Township to receive important written information regarding their rights as a victim. Professional police staff in conjunction with trained volunteers provides important follow-up services to all victims to offer support and direction to the residents of the community who have been victims of a crime. The continual partnership with Montgomery County Victims Services ensures that every victim is aware of the numerous resources and services available to them within Montgomery County. The Whitemarsh Township Police Department s Senior Assist Program helps maintain the dignity and independence of seniors living in our community, by providing guidance to the respected senior population and acting as a bridge to the various programs offered by Montgomery County and Whitemarsh Township. These resources help fulfill the educational, health, recreational and social service needs of our senior or special needs residents. Cop Camp / Citizen s Police Academy Programs These two programs represent the corner stone of the Department s public relations agenda. The success of these two programs is directly related to the police personnel that take the time to participate in the programs. Once again the demand for the Cop Camp program continues to be extremely high, requiring the commitment of the entire police department as schedules are shifted to ensure proper manpower during the camp week. In 2014, the department had a total of 36 Cadets in the program and had over thirty kids on a waiting list for 19

20 the 2015 program. Lt. Wheatley and Sgt. Nowak continue to ensure that the goals of this program are achieved. Cop Camp Cadets are taught teamwork, lessons in personal safety, respect for themselves and respect for others, as they participate in exciting well-organized police activities. The result is solidarity and lasting friendships with their local police officers. The 2014 Citizen s Police Academy (C.P.A.) hosted thirteen citizens for ten classes from September to November. The main goal of the C.P.A. is to provide the residents of Whitemarsh Township with a higher level of knowledge and insight into the workings of their police department. The graduates of C.P.A. will have a deeper understanding of the men and women who are protecting their community. Sgt. Nowak took over hosting duties from Chef Beaty and Lt. Wheatley and helped direct the individual classes with support from members of the administrative staff, detectives, traffic safety unit and the patrol division. At the completion of this program, the majority of the graduates continue to support the police department by becoming a member of the Department s Volunteers in Police Service (V.I.P.S.). V.I.P.S. Program- Volunteers in Police Services The VIPS Program members have assisted the Police Department in its efforts to increase its activity with the community outreach programs in order to enhance the Departments capacity to respond better to situations that occur within the community. In 2014, activities that the VIPS members assisted the Department with include: Citizen s Police Academy, Cop Camp, Whitemarsh Day, Sobriety Check Points, Pumpkin Festival, Victims Assistance Liaison Unit, PLCB Grant and the PW/GA Student Coalition. School and Workplace Safety Programs Whitemarsh Police Sgt. Jeff Nowak and our Command Staff are actively working with many of the local schools and businesses located in the township to address workplace safety. Working with the various facility administrators and safety staff we collaborate on a security assessment of the facility and assist with developing plans for addressing dangerous events. The Police Department continually trains and is prepared to address active events as they unfold, but as we have unfortunately seen across the country, individuals need to be cognizant of their surroundings and have a personal safety plan of their own. Nationally, there are revised personal safety concepts that all of our residents should be aware of. Evacuate, Hide-Out, Take Action, also known as Run-Hide-Fight, both serve as personal and group action plans to address active assaults. The basic concept is that individuals have three main thought options for their personal safety and should exercise the one or combination of those that best fits the situation and the location that they are in at the time of the evolving incident. In 2014, this program was presented to the Colonial School District, St. Philip Neri School, Or Ami Synagogue and Day School, and McNeil Healthcare. For more information on these safety concepts please contact Sgt. Nowak at jnowak@whitemarshpd.org. 20

21 PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM HOURS Event Hours of Work Cop Camp Program 296 Citizens Police Academy 91 School Related Programs 269 REACH Programs 48 Constitutional Law 46 Safety programs 33 PW/GA Coalition Activities 112 All other school programs 30 Community Outreach Programs 147 Senior Assist Program 63 Victims Assist Liaison Unit 84 Programs for Community Organizations 324 Tours 26 Parades 65 Township Programs 80 Funeral Details- Police Officers 91 Educational Meetings/Events 62 21

22 New Hires OFFICER THOMAS RYAN Officer Thomas Ryan was sworn in as a Whitemarsh Township Police Officer on February 24, Before starting with Whitemarsh, Officer Ryan served as a police officer for the City of Philadelphia starting his career there in December of Officer Ryan also served in the U.S. Air Force on active duty from May 2002 to August 2003 and then joined the PA Air National Guard serving from , finishing his career with the rank of Staff Sergeant. Officer Ryan is currently enrolled at Arcadia University working towards a bachelor s degree in Business Administration. OFFICER LAUREN HART On July 21, 2014, Officer Lauren Hart was sworn in as a Whitemarsh Township Police Officer. Officer Hart graduated from the Montgomery County Municipal Police Academy in June Prior to that, she interned with the Department of Homeland Security, in Philadelphia; the Upper Dublin Township Police Department; and the Montgomery County District Attorney s Office, in the Detective Bureau s Homicide Unit. Officer Hart is a graduate of Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture, in Doylestown, with a bachelor s degree in Criminal Justice. 22

23 Recognitions & Awards Detective Lattanze and Detective Cubbin received a Unit Citation for their teamwork and perseverance in investigating a residential burglary that occurred on March, 4, The three suspects were subsequently arrested while committing another burglary. After months of investigation, it was determined that these suspects had committed multiple burglaries in multiple jurisdictions. Lieutenant Wheatley, Detective Sergeant Cotter, Sergeants Nowak, Keenan and O Doherty as well as Detective Lattanze, Detective Cubbin and Officers Hartman, Hopkins and Hart received a Unit Citation for their professional response and teamwork, which resulted in the apprehension of a burglary suspect and another wanted felon within an hour of the initial incident that occurred on July 21, A Citizen s Commendation was also awarded to the homeowner who interrupted the burglary and was assaulted by the suspect. Detective Zadroga, Officer Galie and Officer M. Burton received a Unit Citation for their teamwork and perseverance in responding to and investigating a motor vehicle theft that occurred on September 27, An extensive investigation was conducted that led to the arrest of five individuals connected with multiple thefts across the entire region. A Citizen s Commendation was also awarded to the township resident who reported the initial vehicle theft and was able to positively identify the individuals involved. 23