Three new police officers sworn in
Three new officers have now joined the Montgomery Township Police Department, as the department continues to get younger after the retirement of three veterans.
“We were very fortunate to find three excellent candidates during our hiring pro-
cess. While they have very big shoes to fill, we are confident they are ready for the challenge,” said police Chief Scott Bendig.
Andrew Bouch was born and raised in Northampton County, and graduated from East Stroudsburg University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in health service administration. Bouch graduated from the Allentown Police Department’s municipal police academy in December 2016, and has worked as a part-time officer for the Kidder Township Police Department in the Poconos and the Washington Township Police Department in Northampton County, according to Bendig.
Andrew Haber was born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Penn State in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and is currently working on a master’s degree in public administration, according to Bendig. Haber graduated from the Montgomery County Community College’s police academy in 2015 and most recently worked as a police officer for Penn State’s Schuylkill Haven campus, according to the chief.
Bins Thomas was born in India and moved to the United States with his family when he was 2 years old. He was raised in Nassau County, New York and became a United States citizen
in 2003. He attended the New York Institute of Technology and Nassau County Community College before graduating from the Philadelphia Police Academy in 2011. Since then, Thomas has served with the SEPTA Transit Police Department on a specialized crime interdiction team targeting high crime and problem areas, according to Bendig.
All three received their badges before friends and family Monday night, and were congratulated by township staff and the board of supervisors.
So far in 2017, the department has said farewell to longtime Sgt. Daniel Mitchell and Detective Michael Solis, both of whom retired after 32 and 29 years with the department, respectively. The department is also planning for the retirement of Detective Sgt. Joseph Bennis in June, according to Bendig, and therefore a recruiting process was started last September, in which more than 100 officers were interviewed for the three vacant positions.
The board also recognized township staff and officials who volunteered to appear in a free “Superhero Sunday” event at the township’s community and recreation center on May 7. An estimated 250 children attended with parents and enjoyed face painting, refreshments, gifts and prizes, along with photos with their favorite superheroes.
An action item was approved by the board to accept an adjustment to the
township’s 2016 audit, which was presented in detail last month. Since the board’s April 24 meeting, auditing firm Maillie LLP discovered an error in township records, in which a property that had been acquired as open space was classified incorrectly as an asset in the proprietary fund where the community center assets are listed.
“It was in there accidentally. It should have just bee posted to the general governmental accounts,” said township Manager Larry Gregan.
“There’s no technical impact to it, but since we’re getting ready to finalize the 2016 audit, we wanted to make sure the board was aware of the change,” he said.
The board also passed a motion recognizing National Public Works week and waived the permit fee for local Cub Scout Pack 229 to hold a rocket launching event at Spring Valley Park on June 11. Resident David Beaver of White Pine Drive was appointed to serve on the township’s Pension Advisory Committee, for a term ending Jan. 1, 2018, and the board approved an escrow release for a development project on Horsham Road.
Montgomery Township’s supervisors next meet at 8 p.m. on June 12 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.