New police officer is sworn in
UPPER GWYNEDD » The newest officer in the Upper Gwynedd Police Department is now officially on board, and has already passed at least one of the department’s entry tests.
“She already got Tasered. She got Tasered before she got sworn in, and took it like a trooper,” said police Chief David Duffy.
“We’re looking forward to having her here. She brings a lot to the department,” he said.
Officer Dana Hallam was introduced to the board virtually on Tuesday night, as commissioner Katherine Carter read a biography and Hallam swore
her oath, masked and in uniform, in the chambers of District Judge Suzan Leonard, followed by a friendly elbow bump with the judge.
A township resident, Hallam is a 2015 graduate of Misericordia University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, then completed a master’s degree in applied criminology from California University of Pennsylvania the next year. Hallam then worked at Foundations Behavioral Health in Doylestown in 2016-17, graduated from the Montgomery County police academy in December 2019, and was married in October 2020.
“Officer Hallam successfully passed a comprehensive civil service examination process, and a thorough background check, to qualify her as a police officer in Upper Gwynedd,” Carter said.
Hallam began her field training program on Jan. 4 and that training will last roughly four months, Carter added, based on a conditional approval granted by the board in December. She then made a formal motion to approve the hiring of Hallam as a provisional police officer, which the board approved unanimously, with applause for the new officer.
“We’re very fortunate, and very glad to have her,” board President Liz McNaney said.
In addition to the welcome for Hallam, Duffy and Upper Gwynedd Township Fire Department Chief Eric Geiger presented several commendations for police Detective Jonathan Kelcy, Officer Fred Lynch, North Wales police Officer John Foster, and firefighter John Brooke who helped rescue a township resident from a fire on Dec. 13.
“Without hesitation, Officer
Lynch and former Wissahickon volunteer firefighter John Brooke went into the burning home, and up a flight of stairs,” Duffy said.
“In a heavy smoke condition, they found a 62-yearold female resident, on a couch, unconscious. Brooke
dragged her feet, and Officer Lynch pushed her shoulders forward, to get her off the couch and onto the floor. They were both then overcome with smoke, and had to step outside to breathe,” Duffy said.
The two quickly returned inside with Kelcy and Foster assisting, and the four pulled her to the top of the stairs, despite heavy smoke filling the area.
“As seen in Officer
Lynch’s body-worn camera footage, the officers and Brooke were at the top of the stairs while the paint on the wall to their right is melting from the heat, and the smoke is getting worse,” Duffy said.
Firefighters were then able to get to the other side of the victim and help push and pull her down the stairs, where medical personnel began treating the victim, who was then flown to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.
“Unfortunately, despite these heroic efforts, the victim later succumbed to her injuries, but not before her family was able to be with her,” Duffy said.
Lynch and Kelcy were honored with department Meritorious Service Medals for their efforts with the rescue, while Foster and Brooke received formal commendations from the department. Geiger then read a similar set of awards from the fire company, recognizing Deputy Chief Greg Rosato, Lt. Joe Gordon and North Penn fire lieutenant Colin Beatty for leading the entry team that extricated the victim from the burning home.
“The immediate actions of Upper Gwynedd police Officer Fred Lynch, Detective Jon Kelcy, North Wales police officer Jon Foster, and civilian John Brooke, coupled with the efficient and professional response of Deputy Chief Rosato, Lt. Gordon and firefighter Beatty, brought great credit upon themselves and the fire department alike,” Geiger said.
Other emergency responders Geiger thanked that assisted at the scene included the Center Square, Colmar, Fairmount, Fire Department of Montgomery Township, Hatfield, North Penn, Towamencin, and Worcester fire companies along with the Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale, he said.
McNaney said she had been out for a walk when she saw the firefighters headed to the scene, and “when I got there, and saw the scene, it looked very organized, and people were working hard — it was pretty intense.”
Carter added that she happened to drive by, and thought the fire “looked like something you see on TV, unreal, but I truly appreciate all of the hard work, day in and day out.”
“You guys put your lives on the line for us here in Upper Gwynedd, so thank you and congratulations,” Carter said.