SAFE KEEPING
Municipal honors: Officers, prosecutors recognized for their response to church shooting and other incidents throughout year
MONTGOMERY TWP. >>
Eleven Montgomery Township police officers and four Montgomery County officials were recognized Monday for doing their part to make the township safer over the past year.
“Thank you all for keeping us safe,” said supervisors’ Chairwoman Candyce Fluehr Chimera.
Montgomery Township officers James Matlack, Jeff DePolo and Taylor Jones, along with Montgomery Township Detective Todd Walter, Montgomery County Detective Paul Bradbury (since promoted to lieutenant), county Detective Edward Schikel, and Assistant District Attorneys Laura Bradbury and Kristen Feden were all recognized for their work on, and after, a shooting at Keystone Fellowship Church on April 24, 2016.
On that day, Bendig said, Matlack, DePolo and Jones were the first to respond to the church after a report of an active shooter incident, and upon arriving the three learned that congregation member Robert Braxton III had been shot by fellow congregation member Mark Storms.
“Officers assisted in rendering medical aid to the victim, detained the shooter, and began the initial investigation, identifying witnesses,” Police Chief Scott Bendig said.
Bradbury and Walter then worked as the lead investigative team, while Schikel processed the crime scene at the church, according to Bendig.
Braxton passed away from injuries from the shooting, and after a lengthy investigation Storms was arrested, charged and convicted of voluntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and other charges.
“Montgomery County Assistant District Attorneys Laura Bradbury and Kristen Feden led the prosecution of Mr. Storms, culminating with a guilty verdict on all counts,” Bendig said, and on April 18 Storms was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison.
The team of responding officers and investigators were thanked by the township supervisors at the start of Monday night’s board meeting, and received official certificates and a round of applause from the board.
Others honored included a team of Cpl. Thomas Ward and Officers Brian Gerrard and Peter Byrne, who Bendig said received official letters of commendation
for their actions as they responded to a report of an unresponsive subject on Blue Ribbon Drive on April 30, 2016.
“Officers arrived on scene and found the patient not breathing, with no pulse. CPR was initiated on the patient, and while performing CPR, officers learned that the individual may have ingested opioids,” Bendig said.
The officers administered Naloxone to counteract the opioids, and the patient was stabilized by members of the Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale before being taken to Abington Hospital: Lansdale, where he fully recovered, according to the chief.
“Gentlemen, thank you for your outstanding work,” Bendig said.
Also receiving a letter of official commendation was Officer Timothy Woch, who responded to Abington Hospital for a report of an assault on Nov. 5, 2015. The victim, a resident of Montgomery Township, had sustained serious injuries to her face, including several
broken teeth, according to Bendig.
“During an interview, the victim was uncooperative, stating her injuries resulted after she struck a tree,” Bendig said.
After interviews with associated people and a search of the victim’s neighborhood, additional evidence was found, and the victim’s boyfriend was subsequently charged with aggravated assault and related domestic violence charges.
“On Aug. 10, 2016, the defendant was found guilty of simple assault and harassment. Thank you for your investigative work — great work,” Bendig said.
Officers Andrew Dalton and Michael Jenkins received official commendations for lifesaving actions they took on March 26, 2017, when they responded to a report of a choking resident at the Brookside Assisted Living Facility.
“Officers arrived on scene and found that the patient, who was now unconscious, was not breathing and had no pulse. Officers initiated
and continued to perform CPR until the patient was stabilized” by VMSC paramedics, Bendig said, and that patient has also fully recovered.
Ward received an individual certificate of commendation for his investigation after a vehicle stop on Knapp Road on Dec. 1, 2016, when he stopped a driver for equipment violations. Ward noted the driver’s “nervous behaviour, evasive answers to questions, and conflicting statements,” Bendig said, and a search of the vehicle revealed why.
“A search of the vehicle produced 192 bags of heroin, Oxycodone, Alprazolam, marijuana, PCP, crack cocaine, and packaging material related to drug sales,” he said.
Further investigation revealed that the driver was staying at a local motel, and after the driver gave consent to search the room, officers found a handgun that had been reported stolen in Norristown, and an additional 60 grams of heroin. The driver was later found
to have rented a storage locker in Norristown, and after granting consent to a search, officers found an illegally altered shotgun, drug paraphernalia and ammunition, according to the chief.
“The driver was arrested for firearms violations and violations of the Drug Act, including possession with the intent to deliver,” he said.
Last but not least, Dalton, Jenkins and Officer John Rushin received official commendations for heroism for their response to a call on Nov. 26, 2016, when an armed subject was reported in a home on Signal Hill Court.
“Officers were advised that the caller’s father was intoxicated and was aiming a handgun at family inside,” Bendig said.
When the officers arrived, they met with the caller outside, who said her father had a gun and was going to kill her family. Officers went into the home, found the father armed with a handgun and struggling with his son on a staircase,
and disarmed the father and took him into custody.
“No one in the home was harmed, and the father was charged with violations of the Firearms Act, assault, and related offenses,” Bendig said.
The township supervisors unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the various officers, and passed another resolution formally designating May 1420 as the township’s Police Week. The department will mark that national milestone with appearances of various officers and equipment at an Emergency Services Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 20 at the Montgomery Mall, according to Bendig, and three new officers will be sworn in at the board’s next meeting.
Montgomery Township’s supervisors next meet at 8 p.m. on May 22 at the township administration building, 1001 Stump Road. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.MontgomeryTwp.org or follow @MontTwp on Twitter.