Marple police officers mourn death of one of their own
MARPLE » The Marple Township Police Department is mourning the loss of Officer Brian Niedelman, who served with the department for three and a half years before his death Tuesday.
The 31-year-old was found dead in his car in Thomas Field by fellow officers, according to Marple Police Chief Brandon M. Graeff. The chief said a thorough investigation by the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and its Criminal Investigation Division determined no foul play.
“There’s no arrangements scheduled yet,” the police chief said, adding that any funeral services will have to align with COVID-19 regulations. Graeff said Niedelman’s death was the first active-duty death for his department.
Prior to coming to Marple, Niedelman served four years with Amtrak police. He was married to his wife, Lacey and they had two children, a 6-year-old son and a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. They had recently moved to Chester County.
The chief described Niedelman as an impeccable police officer.
“He was such a professional - professional and personable beyond reproach,” Graeff said. “He had it together.”
The chief said the officer was involved in the Delaware County SWAT Team and he was one of Marple’s field training officers, an unusual feat for someone so relatively new to the force.
“We approached him … because of how well he conducted himself and how well he did the job,” Graeff said. “He did it like he did every thing else - with 100 percent professionalism.”
The chief said Niedelman had an even-keel demeanor and never raised his voice.
“He was just a consummate professional,” Graeff said.
He added that counselors were dispatched very quickly to the police station Tuesday and remained there Wednesday, as the force is a close group. The Records Division closed Wednesday and will remain closed until Monday, Dec. 14. Other police departments volunteered to fill in for Marple’s officers during this time.
Graeff released a statement Tuesday afternoon, which read, in part: “To our cherished community: Please know that the safety of your families, businesses, and places of worship remains a top priority. Numerous neighboring police departments immediately offered their support and assistance to us, and I graciously accepted. So, to allow all our officers and staff time to grieve, all emergency calls and requests for service will be handled by police officers from other jurisdictions for a limited time.
“Your Marple Police Officers and civilian staff are a tight group,” it continued. “Our hearts are shattered for our officer’s family, but we will remain at their side for as long as it takes and for whatever they need.”
Graeff said a fund had not yet been set up for Niedelman’s family, although one is expected to do so in the next week.
“He’s got a very strong wife who is dealing with this as you would expect but she’s an amazing woman,” the chief said. “The family’s going to need it ... She’s going to need it. She’s going to need all the help she can get.”
And, the chief said, the community - both inside the station and outside - want to assist.
“Between us at the police department and the township, there are dozens and dozens of people working behind the scene for her and her kids in the best interest of her and Brian to do right by him,” Graeff said. “The community is incredible and they want to do something. We want to honor them.”