‘PROACTIVE AND ALERT POLICE WORK’
Montgomery Township cop commended for actions that led to drug, weapons case conviction
A Montgomery Township police officer’s “proactive and alert police work” helped lead to the arrest and conviction of a Norristown man on drug and weapons offenses and Montgomery County’s top law enforcer showed his appreciation with a commendation.
To show his thanks for a job well done, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele presented a commendation to Montgomery Township Police Cpl. Thomas Ward, whose traffic stop of a Norristown man led to searches that uncovered 192 bags of heroin, oxycodone, marijuana, crack cocaine and weapons.
“As a direct result of Corporal Ward’s proactive and alert police work, this subject pled guilty and was sentenced to five to 10 years in state prison,” Steele addressed Ward during a recent ceremony at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus in Plymouth Township. “I am pleased to honor you with this law enforcement commendation.”
A crowd of about 200 police officers, detectives and their families proudly applauded as Steele distributed a commendation and plaque to a smiling Ward. The commendation was one of 34 that Steele distributed, during the district attorney’s annual commendation ceremony, to law enforcers and civilians to honor them for “their extraordinary efforts and exemplary work in protecting and serving county residents.”
Earlier this year, Joseph Saleem Morris, 31, of the 200 block of Haws Avenue, Norristown, was sentenced to the state prison term after he pleaded guilty to charges of persons not to possess a firearm and possession with intent to deliver controlled substances in connection with the December 2016 incident along Knapp Road in Montgomery Township.
An investigation of Morris began about 10:45 a.m. Dec. 1, 2016, when Ward observed a Dodge Magnum vehicle, operated by Morris, traveling in an unsafe manner with a flat tire along Knapp Road near the entrance to Montgomery Square Shopping Center, according to the arrest affidavit.
“Corporal Ward pulled over this vehicle and as he asked routine questions, the driver appeared visibly nervous, was unable to make eye contact and his hands were shaking,” Steele told the crowd at the commendation ceremony.
Morris subsequently consented to a search of his vehicle and advised police he had drugs in the vehicle, according to the criminal complaint. Inside the vehicle, police discovered numerous prepackaged bags of heroin stamped “Versace” as well as crack cocaine and oxycodone tablets, according to court papers.
Police learned that Morris had been staying at the nearby Rodeway Inn and he consented to a search of his room.
During a search of the room, police found a stolen Kel-Tec P-11 9 mm handgun, a magazine containing ten 9 mm hollow point rounds as well as drug packaging materials and additional controlled substances, according to the arrest affidavit. Police also seized $2,814 in cash from Morris.
Authorities also searched a storage locker rented by Morris at a Norristown location and seized a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition and a large digital scale from there, court documents indicate.
When he was questioned by police, Morris admitted that he possessed the drugs and was selling them to make a profit.