Devlin promoted to lieutenant post
With the top post in the Lansdale Police Department now officially filled, borough council moved Wednesday night to name a new second-in- command.
Sgt. Ryan Devlin was appointed to fill the vacant position of lieutenant Wednesday night, completing the department’s chain-of-command for the first time since a series of officer retirements last summer.
“Would it be appropriate to bring the rest of the police department in here?” joked councilman Jason Van Dame, referring to officers who left the council meeting after the formal swearing-in of new Chief Michael Trail.
“They all abandoned him,” replied council President Denton Burnell, as council member
Mary Fuller joked, “Where’s his cake?”
Devlin has worked in the department for nearly two decades, and has acted as a field training officer, D.A.R.E. officer, team leader of the North Penn Tactical Team, and on the department’s drug and DUI task forces, according to The Reporter archives. A Lansdale native, Devlin was promoted to sergeant in 2011, and was promoted Wednesday night as the latest in a series of changes to the department’s leadership: former Chief Robert McDyre retired in March 2017, former Lt. Alex Kromdyk followed in July, and former Sgt. Dean Miller called it a career in September. As council contracted a search firm to find the next chief, officials said the future of the lieutenant position would be resolved once a new leader was in place, and once Trail was formally named to be the next chief in February, he recommended promoting Devlin.
“I am happy to report that Chief Trail is recommending, and the committee supported, the promotion of Sgt. Ryan Devlin to the lieutenant position,” said councilman Tom Work, whose public safety committee recommended Devlin’s promotion on March 14.
That promotion was made unanimous March 28, as Devlin was the lone officer standing watch in council’s chambers while his colleagues celebrated Trail’s promotion.
“Congratulations, lieutenant - now go get that cake,” Burnell said.
Council also voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the purchase of two 2018 Dodge Chargers for the police department, which will cost roughly $40,000 each, were included in the department’s budget, and will replace vehicles that have gone past their useful life, according to Work. The department is currently working on exams for potential new officer candidates to fill the remaining positions left open with last year’s retirements, with a candidate list expected by June, Work reported to council.
An upgrade to the department’s phone systems is scheduled to occur on or around May 1, the department is planning a switch to an electronic ticketing system to reduce paperwork and streamline record keeping, and Officer John Albany has completed D.A.R.E training and is expected to graduate seven classes of students in three local schools by the end of this school year, Work said.