1. Upper Macungie's new police force goes into service at 6 tonight, Dec. 31. It takes over from the Berks-Lehigh Regional police force, which will cease to exist at the end of the day.
2. The new Upper Macungie police department is located at 37 Grim Road, a stone's throw from the township municipal building.
3. In all, The officers were sworn into service Friday, and a promotion ceremony also was held.
4. The department's general patrol unit will serve four geographic zones in the township, designated by traffic and population. Patrol also will have traffic and canine units.
5. Steering the new department is Chief Edgardo A. Colón, former state police station commander at Troop M in Fogelsville and a Marine Corps veteran. He served with state police troops in Avondale, Lehighton, Philadelphia, Bethlehem and Fogelsville, in roles as a criminal investigator, patrol supervisor and crime unit supervisor. He took over as station commander of Troop M Fogelsville in April 2010.
