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Politics & Government

Upper Macungie's New Police Force to Roll Out New Year's Eve

Upper Macungie named its new police officers, most from the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police force. The officers will be sworn in Dec. 28.

When the members of Upper Macungie Township's new police force are sworn in Dec. 28, all but five of the 28 will be from the current Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department, township officials said. 

Under the leadership of Chief Edgardo A. Colon, the new department will roll out beginning 6 p.m. Dec. 31 with new uniforms and silver patrol cars.

At Thursday's township supervisors meeting, Colon said arrangements were progressing well.

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"We've had the support of the community and the board," Colon said. "It will be a work in progress but at the end of the day our goal is to serve the community the best we can." 

Township Supervisor Chairman Edward Earley said the future department is well-prepared, thanks to Colon. 

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"Chief Colon has been spending ungodly amount of hours trying to get this organized," Earley said. 

The swearing-in and promotion ceremonies will take place at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28. The new police station will be officially dedicated at 10 a.m. Jan. 15. 

Last spring, Upper Macungie supervisors voted to leave the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department, which it shares with Maxatawny Township, Topton Borough and Lyons Borough. A major sticking point was that Upper Macungie was paying much more than the other municipalities but only getting the same 25 percent voting interest. 

The other municipalities decided to disband the Berks-Lehigh force, but Maxatawny filed suit over the distribution of the department's assets.  The Maxatawny manager told Upper Macungie Patch that his supervisors since voted to drop the suit. 

On Thursday, Supervisor Sam Ashmar said the township had yet to get word from Maxatawny that the suit was dropped. 

Here is the list of police officers and support personnel for the new Upper Macungie Police Department:  

-- Lt. Joseph B. Wilson, crime and administration division commander

-- Lt. Michael J. Sitoski, patrol division commander

-- Keri L. Diehl, office manager

-- Deborah M. Schnellman, clerical assistant

-- Sgt. William Easparro, patrol supervisor

-- Sgt. Daniel P. Fagan, patrol supervisor

-- Sgt. Joseph J. Geczi, staff sergeant

-- Sgt. Stephen J. Marshall Jr., patrol supervisor

-- Sgt. Peter V. Nickischer, patrol supervisor

-- Sgt. Cory S. Reader, traffic unit supervisor

-- Det. Adam X. Miller

-- Det. Darren W. Simmers

-- Det. Justin M. Wheeler

And patrol officers:

-- Michael A. Cardell

-- Robert G. Djevharian

-- Joshua R. Forrester

-- Donald M. Fregede

-- Matthew R. Gardner

-- Michael E. Holtz

-- Steven F. Kress

-- Pamela E. Mathias

-- Nicklaus J. Morris

-- Timothy J. Peters

-- Joseph L. Purfield Jr.

-- Ryan A. Rhoads

-- William J. Rohrbach

-- Dathan J. Schlegel

-- Michael J. Sinko

-- Adam S. Woodruff

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