The Reporter (Lansdale, PA)

New police officer sworn in

Officer Christophe­r Bluem brings department back up to full strength

- By Dan Sokil dsokil@21st-centurymed­ia.com @dansokil on Twitter

TOWAMENCIN » The newest member of the Towamencin Police Department is now officially onboard, and the department is back to full strength.

Officer Christophe­r Bluem was sworn in by supervisor­s’ Chairman Chuck Wilson before a crowd of family, friends and fellow officers on Wednesday night.

“Mr. Bluem is filling the position a another officer, vacated by a retirement earlier this year,” said Wilson

“With his appointmen­t, that will bring our force up to the full

complement of 23 officers, so we’re very happy to be back to that level again,” he said.

Bluem, 27, is a native of Middlesex County, N.J., and is a 2008 graduate of South Brunswick High School and a 2012 graduate of Ryder University, with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and finance, concentrat­ing on fraud and forensic accounting, according to Wilson and Police Chief Tim Dickinson.

“Chris was a senior auditor for three years at an accounting firm, until he joined the Philadelph­ia Police Department in 2015,” said Wilson.

“He is a graduate of the Philadelph­ia Police Academy, and he has served as a patrol officer for the past three years,” Wilson said.

Bluem has also earned the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of American and has worked as a USA Hockey official since 2002, according to Wilson and Dickinson. Before Wilson administer­ed his oath, Dickinson urged the other officers in attendance to reflect on their own oaths to uphold the laws of the state, and to protect and serve the residents of Towamencin.

“All of the oaths end with ‘they will serve with fidelity.’ And I can tell you, fidelity means you will serve with honor and faithfulne­ss, and I’m very proud to say these people do that,” Dickinson said. New Towamencin Police Officer Christophe­r Bluem, right, is sworn in by supervisor­s’ Chairman Chuck Wilson during the supervisor­s’ June 13 meeting. From left to right are Police Chief Tim Dickinson, Supervisor Rich Marino (rear), Wilson, Supervisor­s Dan Littley and Laura Smith (rear), Bluem’s mother Patricia, and Bluem.

 ?? DAN SOKIL — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA ??
DAN SOKIL — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA

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