the montgomery county sheriff’s department
TRANSCRIPT
Montgomery County Sheriff Department Organizational Structure
EILEEN W. BEHR
MISSION STATEMENT…………………………………………………………………………….. ............................................................ 4
MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF’S SERVICES……………………………………….. .......................................................... 15
1. CIVIL ,PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDERS, SHERIFF SALES…………………………………………………..... ... 15,16,17,18
2. COURTS & SCANNERS……………………………………………………………..… ..................................................... 19,20,21
5. GUN PERMITS …………………………………………………………………………….. ............................................................. 25
1. BOMB SQUAD……………………………………………………………………….… ............................................................ 26,27
3. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (DUI) PROCESSING CENTERS…………………………..….… ................................ 29
4. DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION (D.A.R.E.)…………………………………………. ........................................... 30
5. GANG RESISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING (G.R.E.A.T) …………………..………… .................................. 31,32
6. SHADOW PROGRAM AND INTERNS……………………………………………………………………… .................................... 32
7. THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND DIRECTION (T.R.I.A.D)…………………………………….… ...................................... 33
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS ………………………………………..……..… ......................................... 34
1. HONOR GUARD……………………………………………………………………………… .......................................................... 35
CONTACT US……………………………………………………………………………..……… ............................................................... 37
Introduction Originally part of Philadelphia County, Montgomery County was founded in 1784. Montgomery County is the third largest
County in Pennsylvania, the second wealthiest county in the Commonwealth and the 51st wealthiest in the United States.
There are approximately 800,000 people living in 487 square miles of the County.
1 (Montgomery County Pennsylvania Township Maps)
The Office of Sheriff in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was established by the Constitution of 1788. In accordance with the
Pennsylvania Constitution the Sheriff shall be elected in each county for a four (4) year term. In 1789 the first election for
Sheriff was held in Montgomery County. Over the past two hundred and twenty nine (229) years there have been sixty four
(64) Sheriff’s.
The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the County and has a broad range of powers and duties. These duties and services range from providing safety and security along with public relations and education programs to the citizens of Montgomery County. These are a few of the services provided by the Sheriff’s department.
To provide Security in the Court House and other court related buildings
To provide services by the Bomb and Hazardous Device Disposal Unit, Emergency Response Teams and support county TACTICAL Teams
To serve bench warrants, protection from abuse orders, and civil papers throughout Montgomery County
To transport detainees safely and efficiently from their respective institutions to the courthouse and respective courtrooms
To provide processing assistance and booking services to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies through the five D.U.I. Processing Centers
To provide D.A.R.E and GREAT instructors to the elementary schools within Montgomery County
To organize and conduct sheriff’s sales in the courthouse
To provide services such as TRIAD, Senior Citizens Aid in Education, D.A.R.E., and Elementary Safety Education offered in conjunction with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department Citizen’s Advisory Council
1 http://www.usgwarchives.org/maps/pa/county/montgo/usgs/
COUNTY OF MONTGOMERY COURT HOUSE P.O. BOX 311 NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 19404-0311
To the Citizens of Montgomery County,
As Sheriff, I have the privilege to serve the citizens of this County with the dedicated men and women of our Sheriff’s department. I have a great respect for the abilities of our employees and I commend their tireless commitment in serving the community.
Often we work in conjunction with local township police departments, fire and ambulance personnel and emergency responder agencies to efficiently and effectively serve the community. I appreciate and commend the actions of all emergency responders, and the tremendous cooperation between all agencies to deliver quality results in extreme conditions and critical incidents.
I also want to thank the County Commissioners and Row Officers for their continuing support of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. It is through their support that we are able to provide a high quality of service to the County residents.
I feel it is important to let our citizens know how dedicated our staff is and the roles they are required to perform. With that in mind, on behalf of the men and women of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, I am pleased to present the Departments 2012 report. This report will provide an overview of the functions, activities and responsibilities of the department.
Sincerely,
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The Mission of the Sheriff’s Department To protect and serve the citizens of Montgomery County in the areas of law enforcement and public safety as
prescribed by the Constitution of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To carry out the
fiduciary duties and obligations prescribed by law with honesty and integrity, without bias, regardless of race,
color, sex, religious creed, sexual orientation, age, origin, ancestry, economic status, handicap, or disability, so that
the citizens of Montgomery County may be best served.
Montgomergy County
Sheriff’s Department
Vision Statement The Sheriff’s department will continue to strive to provide quality service to the citizens of Montgomery County by
utilizing high standards of professionalism, integrity and accountability. Through these standards we are
committed to perform our duties for the citizens we proudly serve.
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Pennsylvania is the first woman to hold the
position of Sheriff for Montgomery County.
She is a graduate of LaSalle University,
Montgomery County Community College,
National Academy, Session #209.
Management Board for “Mission Kids,” the
Montgomery County Child Advocacy
Advisory Board for Montgomery County
Community College and the Montgomery
County Municipal Police Training Program. She is a certified instructor for the Municipal
Police Officer Training Program.
Her career has focused on service to the community and collaboration with local
organizations and neighboring communities to achieve positive results by being
proactive in community relations and public education.
Sheriff Behr previously spent 34 years as a member of the Whitemarsh Township Police
Department. Her career began at the age of nineteen, as a dispatcher. She
progressively rose through the ranks working in the Traffic and Accident Unit where she
received 3 Pennsylvania Governor’s Traffic Safety Awards. Then she was promoted to
the Detective Division. As the Juvenile Detective she was recognized as Montgomery
County Juvenile Officer of the Year. She also served as a negotiator for the Tactical
team. She became the first female to serve as Police Chief in Montgomery County when
she was appointed to Chief of the department in 2003,
Among her many accomplishments as Chief, the Whitemarsh Police Department
became a fully accredited police agency and the department started their first K-9 unit
and first motorcycle unit. She was also the assistant Emergency Management Director
and a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force. As Chief of police,
she served as liaison to the District Attorney’s School Safety Committee for the
Montgomery Chiefs of Police. She is a former president and board member for the
Whitemarsh Police Association.
Sheriff Behr is married and a mother of three children.
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Chief Deputy Alfred Ricci
Chief Ricci is a veteran law enforcement officer. From 1966 to 2000 he served as a Norristown Police Officer.
Starting as a Patrolman and rising to the rank of Lieutenant. His assignments included him as a member of the first
K-9 unit with his partner ”Baron” and supervising the departments Drug Task Force, A-Platoon.
He began his career as Chief Deputy with the Sheriff’s Department 2000. With the sudden passing of former
Sheriff John Durante in 2010, Chief Ricci served as Acting Sheriff until May of 2011. After Sheriff Behr was
appointed he resumed his position as Chief.
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Organizational Structure
Administrative: (3) 2 Administrative Assistants 1 Administrative Analyst
Civil Administrative: (5) Civil Division: (28) Warrants/Courts: (75) Transportation: (15) 1 Lieutenant 1 Lieutenant 1 Lieutenant 1 Lieutenant 1 Sergeant 1 Sergeant 2 Sergeants 2 Corporals 1 Deputy 1 Corporal 5 Corporals 12 deputies 3 Civilians 11 Deputies 65 Deputies 14 Civilians 2 OSP
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Administrative
Pat has been with the department for 22 years serving as the
Administrative Assistant to 3 former Sheriff’s and now to Chief
Ricci. She earned her certificate in stenography from
Montgomery County Community College. She is also a certified
Notary Public, earning her Notary commission in 2000 from
Harrisburg. Among her many administrative responsibilities she
processes the court ordered prisoner transport documents.
Gayle is the part time Administrative Assistant to Sheriff Behr. She
has an Associates degree in Police Science from Montgomery
County Community College and has attended Continuing
Education courses for business at Penn State Great Valley. Gayle
has a vast array of responsibilities including developing and maintaining the department statistics.
James C. Saring is the Administrator and Analyst and is
responsible for managing the information technology needs of
the Sheriff’s Department. This includes day to day first line
troubleshooting, maintenance of existing systems and
databases, proposing and helping to implement solutions to
automate and improve processes, interfacing with vendors and
the county ITS department, training, web editing, image/video
editing, photography and writing media releases, and various
research projects. Mr. Saring has managed several critical
projects for the department, including the transition from a
largely paper-based Civil Process and Accounting system to an
electronic one, the transition to a new statewide License to
Carry system and several major hardware and software rollouts and upgrades. He graduated from Drexel
University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and minor in Philosophy and has served the
department since 2004. He has also taken graduate courses at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and
Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business along with numerous information technology classes.
Pat and Gayle
Lt. Thompson, Lt. McDonald, Chief Ricci, Lt. Womelsdorf, Lt. Gertenich
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Lieutenant Theodore Thompson Lieutenant Theodore Thompson is a twenty four (24) year veteran of the
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. During this time he was a part time
police officer for five years at the Conshohocken Police Department. He began
his career in 1989 as a Deputy Sheriff and was promoted to the rank of
Corporal in 1994. In 2010 he was promoted to Lieutenant in charge of the
Civil Division and main office.
He received his basic training at Dickinson Law School in Carlisle Pennsylvania.
He has completed Criminal Justice Training through the Temple University
Continuing Education program. He received Police Supervisory Training
(POSIT), and Police In-Service Training at Penn State. He has several
certifications in Firearms Training including, Firearms Training System, Stress
Firearms Course, State Police Certified Firearms Instructor and Advanced
Firearms instructor. He also, has training in Court Security Simulation and
attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico VA for Court Security training. He is a member of our Tri-County
Motor Unit.
Lieutenant Joseph Gertenitch Lieutenant Joseph Gertenitch is married and has four daughters. He holds an
Associate degree from Gloucester County College in New Jersey and has
attended Business Management courses at Ursinus College in Collegeville PA.
He received Police supervisory training through POSIT, POLEX, and Advanced
POLEX training at Penn State ACT 2 Academy. He is also a U.S. Army trained
sniper and a training member of the first tactical unit in Montgomery County.
Lieutenant Gertenitch is a thirty two (32) year veteran with the Sheriffs
department. He began his career in 1980 as a Deputy and rose through the
ranks to Corporal working in the Warrants, Transportation and Civil divisions.
He was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the Warrant division for 13
years. Currently, holding the rank of Lieutenant he is commanding the
Courts and Warrant division.
Lieutenant Thomas McDonald Lieutenant McDonald is in charge of the Transportation Division and has been with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department over nineteen years, starting his career as a deputy in the Courts Division in 1993. In 1994 he gained additional experience when he moved to the Transportation Division reaching the rank of Corporal in 2000 and serving in the Division until 2008. At that time he was promoted to Sergeant and re-assigned to the Courts Division. Shortly thereafter, in 2010 he was promoted the rank of Lieutenant in command of the Courts and Transportation Division. Lieutenant McDonald holds an Associate Degree from Montgomery County Community College and is a graduate of both the NJ and PA Municipal Police Officers Training Programs. In 1994 he graduated from the Deputy Sheriff Training program. He has attended many classes ranging from a Legal Issues Management Course to Terrorism Awareness and Domestic preparation. He also has an extensive background with weapons training and has multiple certifications. To name a few, he is a certified instructor in Pepper Ball Technologies, Chemical Munitions and a NRA Pistol and Shotgun instructor.
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Lieutenant Greg Womelsdorf
Lt Womelsdorf has been a department member since 1989, and has served as a Deputy Sheriff in various divisions throughout the department. He has held the positions of both Corporal and Sergeant, throughout his career. He was assigned to the Warrant Division and Transportation Division and later became responsible for supervising the division. In 2006 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and oversees the Special Services Division. His responsibilities include:
Lead Firearms Instructor
DARE / GREAT Unit
Real Estate Deputy Jane Castora Jane is an Alumni of Luzerne County Community College with an Associates
Degree in Business Management Technology and graduate of the Dale
Carnegie Leadership Institute. She joined the Sheriff’s Department in 2006,
after twenty-five years in retail management and customer service. In 2008
Jane was promoted to her current position of Real Estate Deputy – Supervisor.
Her responsibilities include supervising the Real Estate Division staff;
processing pre and post sale documents associated with monthly sheriff sale
auctions and answering pre and post sale inquiries.
Office Staff
Department Accreditation 2012
In 2010 during the tenure of the late Sheriff John P. Durante, the Montgomery County
Sheriff's Department became the first sheriff's department in Pennsylvania to be
accredited by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Accreditation Commission. Every three
years, the department must go through the re-accreditation process.
Over a two day period the deputies and their daily activities are observed by three state
assessors. The assessors also review the departments’ policies and operational standards. They review all the
equipment, tour the office area and detention area to ensure the department is operating within the policies and
guidelines of the law.
supervises the process and ensures that all policies and the
supporting documentation are current. There are approximately
330 professional standards and sub-standards under review during
the accreditation process. The accreditation demonstrates to the
public that employees of the department strive to meet
professional standards and every employee is expected to maintain
a professional attitude.
There are only three sheriff departments accredited in the state of Pennsylvania.
Sgt. Al Stewart and Sheriff Behr
Training Requirements
The Deputy Sheriffs' Education and Training Act was established in 1984, know as ACT 2. The training consists of a
minimum of 760 hours, the content of which is determined by Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency (PCCD). The Act states, it is the duty of the Sheriff to insure that each deputy employed, who does
not meet and exception, receives the training as required by the Act within one year of being hired as a deputy
sheriff.
In Montgomery County, all newly hired Deputies are required to complete a three week orientation that covers
department policy and firearms. They also are assigned a Field Training Officer (FTO) for six weeks of in depth
training. This training is specific in nature and covers a variety of topics such as:
Handling and searching prisoners
Prisoner Transport
Defensive Tactics
Firearms training
Each deputy must be re-certified in Defensive tactics and Firearms training every year.
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The Fleet The department has approximately fifty vehicles in its fleet. While the fleet mostly consists of cars it also includes
two buses, two motorcycles and seven bomb squad vehicles.
It is the responsibility of the Maintenance Managers to maintain
the fleet. They keep the cars operating and schedule all the
necessary repairs.
The Motorcycle Unit The unit has 6 qualified deputies that have completed the
required 80 hours of training. Every year each of these deputies
must have 24 hours training for re-certification.
Lt. Womelsdorf and Lt. McDonald
The motorcycle unit participates in Funerals, parades, dignitary escorts and is also used to patrol the Montgomery County walking trail.
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Montgomery County Sheriff Department Services
Civil Services Division The main purpose of this section is to serve legal documents to any person, company, or corporation designated by the courts in civil actions. These deputies serve an average of 30,000 legal documents per year, generating approximately 2 million dollars annually for the county.
Additionally, twice a year, this section serves a large amount of tax claim sales.
Tax Claim Notices Year End 2010 Year End 2011 Year End 2012
Services 3212 3409 2048
Documents Processed The personnel of this department process an ever-increasing amount of legal documents consisting of the following:
Action of Divorce
Actions for Support
Form of Subpoena
Joe Theresa Jen Carol Conrad Sherry Bob Mary
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section processes all
of the accounting
functions for these
groups and collects
follow the proper
guidelines of our
controller's office.
Protection from Abuse (P.F.A) Plaintiffs bring their paperwork to the Sheriff’s office to be time stamped and processed for service. Normally
there will be three copies to be time stamped, (two if PFA is denied). The office personnel will explain to the
plaintiff what he/ or she will need to do with each copy. There are four people in the office staff dedicated to the
PFA process.
1. Sheriff- Attempt service/serve papers 2. Police- Give to local police department 3. Plaintiff –Leave with plaintiff, carry copy
The Sheriff’s will use whichever one of these methods is necessary to serve the PFA, i.e.: deputized, certified/first
class mail or registered mail. Two thousand four hundred thirty one (2431) PFA papers were served by deputies in
2012.
In addition to explaining the paperwork the staff will clarify any questions the plaintiff may have about the hearing
process, custody issues and relinquishment of any weapons should they be involved. A plaintiff is advised to
appear for their hearing date regardless of service upon the defendant.
Personal Property This section is similar to real estate but sales are scheduled on a case-by-case basis.
Action Type
Total Service
Attempts & Trips
Civil Action (Deputize In) NA 1254 4096
Civil Action (Deputize Out) 1926 1870 1575
Civil Action (Out of State) 663 644 564
Claim for Exemption 2 1 5
Complaint in Ejectment 537 408 44
Court Order 2 1 1
Domestic Relations 544 545 568
Injunction 1 0 0
Possession Taken 258 308 313
Posting 418 256 38
Protection from Abuse 2787 2883 2431
Writ of Execution Attachment 36 4 0
Writ of Execution Garnishee 3507 4931 4960
Writ of Execution Levy 1779 2030 1750
Writ of Execution Real Estate 2850 2738 2723
Writ of Possession 518 697 539
Writ of Seizure 10 17 1
Period total 56691 53596 52569
Kathy and Judy, Joan is missing from photo
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Sheriff's Sales Sheriff sales are conducted once a month in accordance with a calendar prepared by the Sheriff's Department. Preparation and processing of legal documents for sheriff's sale are in compliance with rules of civil procedures.
Conditions of Sale
The down money, as advertised, must be paid to the sheriff immediately after the property is knocked down to the highest bidder; otherwise the property may be immediately put up again for sale. A second bid accompanied by the required down money may be registered in writing with the sheriff immediately after the property is knocked down to the highest bidder. Down money must be paid in cash or by certified check except in the case of members of the Montgomery Bar whose personal or endorsed checks will be accepted. The balance of the purchase money, together with the cost of preparing the deed poll and such other costs as are by law imposed upon the purchaser, must be paid in cash or by certified check to the sheriff within 10 days of sale without any further demand. In default thereof the sheriff may settle with the second bidder who has made the required deposit, upon receipt of the highest sum bid and the aforesaid costs less both deposits already made, within 10 days after the first bidder's failure to settle. In case no second bid be registered or no settlement made, the property may be sold again at the risk of the defaulting bidder, and in case of any deficiency on such resale he shall make good the same to any person injured thereby even though the down money required to be paid at the later sale shall have been increased by any charge in the conditions of the sale. The deposit or down money paid by any bidder who fails to comply with the above conditions shall be forfeited and applied on the purchase by any second bidder or, if the property is resold, to cost or any liens or equitable claims thereon discharged thereby but not satisfied out of the proceeds thereof including the right of the real owner to have the highest bid first made realized. The sheriff shall not be liable for loss or damage to the premises sold resulting from any cause whatsoever, and makes no representation or warranty regarding the condition of the premises. If the sheriff's grantee is to be other than the record purchaser, a written assignment must be filed or such fact certified by the attorney on the writ when he is the purchaser.
Sheriff Sale Posters Sheriff's sale posters are available in the Sheriff's Office:
Montgomery County Courthouse Swede & Airy Streets
First Floor Norristown, PA 19404
2275
Court Division
The Court Division handles both civil and criminal cases. The Deputy Sheriff’s in this division are responsible to maintain discipline and deliver defendants to court. They maintain security throughout the year for 23 Judges, 4 Senior Judges and 22 courtrooms.
In most cases, more than one deputy is required to maintain security, depending on the particular circumstances of individual trials. At times, as many as a dozen Deputies have been assigned to a high-risk trial.
Criminal Court
Criminal courts have the responsibility to adjudicate all criminal charges brought in Montgomery County. The role of the Sheriff Department in the criminal court system is an important one. Deputy Sheriff’s are assigned to each courtroom and have the responsibility of maintaining custody of incarcerated defendants who are required to appear before the court. Orphans Court
The department is responsible to get individuals who are considered for Court-order to be committed to hospitals or institutions. They are escorted by two specially trained Deputies at all times.
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Juvenile Court
This branch of the court handles cases involving individuals under the age of 18. All Deputies assigned to Juvenile court are selected for their abilities in handling juveniles and receive specialized training in this area. The Deputy is responsible with maintaining the safety of all court participants and also transporting in-custody juveniles to court. They also transport juveniles to and from various detention facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Family Court / Adult Section
The Adult section of family court has jurisdiction in family matters which involve such types of cases as nonsupport of spouses, indigent parents and children, complaints of custody or visitation rights, divorces and annulments, and protection from abuse. This area of the court is a very sensitive one due to the nature of the circumstances which bring individuals to the court. Emotions usually run high, and tempers are easily ignited in such an atmosphere. For this reason, Deputies assigned to this section are selected for their abilities to exercise tact and understanding in the performance of their duties.
Scanner Detail The scanner detail provides the first line of security for all citizens entering the Courthouse, the Domestic Relations
Office (DRO) and 321 The Custody Conciliations Office. The entrances at all three of these locations are manned by
both Sheriff Department deputies and Courthouse security officers. All the deputies in this detail are assigned
from the Courts division.
The Courthouse: Main Street location and Swede Street location. o 3 Scanner Deputies and 1-2 courthouse security officers
The Domestic Relations Office: One Montgomery Plaza o 2 Scanner Deputies and 1 courthouse security officers
Custody Conciliations Office: 321 Swede Street o 1 Scanner Deputy and 1 courthouse security officers
All individuals entering these locations must go through the scanners. Any item seen as a potential hazard or weapon are removed from the individual.
Going Through Scanner Returning Pocket Items
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Wand if scanner alarm beeps
In 2012 there were over 5000 items removed from people as they entered these locations.
Activity By Location 2012
Warrants Division
Warrants are issued by the Court of Common Pleas to the Montgomery County Sheriff for those individuals that
fail to appear at hearings and fail to follow the order of the court pertaining to their cases. The Sheriff has direct
power of arrest of these individuals which results in their INCARCERATION until the court schedules a hearing.
Sheriff Deputies are called upon to serve both criminal and civil warrants. For high profile warrants under the
extradition law, deputies may travel to any of the fifty states to bring the subject before the courts. The Sheriff's
Department uses a vast array of technology to research, track and apprehend those with warrants.
Year End 2012 Received Served Recalled (+/-)
Pending
Adult Probation Office 4479 4276 210 -7 890
Domestic Relations Office 728 559 128 41 270
Juvenile 257 45 155 57 725
Out of County 16 16 0 0 0
Others 49 26 8 15 107
Totals: 8324 7303 875 146 4516
In 2012 there were 639 people transported by the Warrant Unit to and from Adult Probation (APO).
Most warrants can be settled without incarceration by reporting to the Sheriff's Department Warrants Section to
settle those matters. This method saves, time, cost, loss of job and the embarrassment of confinement.
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Wanted Persons and To Submit a Tip on Wanted Persons
Find more information on persons who are wanted by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, including our top Criminal and Domestic Relations Warrants as well as lists of all active Criminal and Domestic Relations Warrants go to the County web site. http://www.montcopa.org. Under the Departments section, go to: Law Enforcement &Public Safety.
Warrants Hotline - 610-278-3340
Transportation Services Division
This section is responsible for the movement of individuals via court order within the State of Pennsylvania and, in
fact, throughout the continental United States.
All types of defendants are transported, from those who are accused of minor offenses to the more lurid high risk
cases. The importance of this work should never be underestimated. The Sheriff's Department transports
defendants for District Justices and local police departments helping our municipalities and increasing the
efficiency of transporting defendants in Montgomery County.
3 Year Comparison
Out of County Inmates 1682 1760 2077 4% 15% 19%
State Inmates 1079 1106 970 2% -14% -11%
Federal Inmates 5 2 12 -150% 83% 58%
Mental Health Trans. 172 190 113 9% -68% -52%
Juvenile Trans. 105 154 204 32% 25% 49%
District Justice 114 96 129 -19% 26% 12%
Out of State 76 86 101 12% 15% 25%
Grand Total: 12487 12424 12178 -1% -2% -3%
In the fourth quarter of 2012 there were 2061 inmates held in detention for transport.
Deputies from the Transport Division
Detention Area This area is part of the transportation section is used to temporarily detain and hold prisoners for court
proceedings.
Boarding bus for transport
The rules and procedures in this location are stringent, because even defendants accused of capital crimes are held
here before trial.
Entering Detention Area
Gun Permits Service
The Gun permit section issues Firearm licenses to the citizens of Montgomery County. Pennsylvania Law requires the Sheriff of Montgomery County to process all Applications for License to Carry Firearms. The Sheriff's Department is required under Pa. Law, Section 6109 (d) of Title 18 Pa C.S., to conduct an investigation into your application. Licenses are issued to all those who qualify, based on a background investigation done by the Sheriff's Office through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS). Once an application for license to carry is filed, the Sheriff’s Department has 45 days in which to complete the investigation and notify the applicant. The license is valid for 5 years. The Sheriff has the ability to revoke the license at any time for good cause. Gun permit activity has seen a steady rise over the past three (3) years and continues to increase in 2013.
YEAR END STATISTICS 2010 YR
End 2011 YR
End 2012 YR
NEW CARRY LICENSE 2355 3259 4553 28% 24% 48%
RENEW CARRY LICENSE 2451 2494 3261 2% 24% 25%
NEW SELL LICENSE 3 9 9 67% 0% 67%
RENEW SELL LICENSE 16 21 15 24% -40% -7%
PRECIOUS METALS 40 59 73 32% 19% 45%
REJECTED 71 85 118 16% 28% 40%
REVOKED 205 151 182 -36% 17% -13%
REVERSED 4 6 8 33% 25% 50%
REINSTATED 8 2 11 -300% 82% 27%
218 NATIONAL CARRY NA NA 20 0% 0% 0%
CLASS 3 LICENSE NA NA 9 0% 0% 0%
TOTAL ACTIVE PERMITS 23281 28440 36254 18% 22% 36%
The total Active Permits jumped from 36,254 at the end of 2012 to 38,371 as of the end of February 2013. This
represents a 6% increase to date.
Roger, Sgt. Kittredge and Deputy Petriga
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Montgomery County Sheriff Department Programs
Bomb Squad The Bomb Squad was formed in 1973 and has continued to support local, state, and federal officials and provides security clearance services when visiting dignitaries appear, including the President of the United States.
In 2012 the Bomb Squad responded to 122 Incidents and Activities.
Incident Type 2012 Year End
Explosion 5
Hoax 4
Recovery 49
SWAT/Robot Assist 3
Activity Totals: 31
Grand Total: 122
The Bomb Squad is composed of 8 Deputy Sheriff’s (5 Technicians and 3 Investigators). The squad is under the command of Sergeant Al. Stewart. There are 7 vehicles in the Bomb Squad fleet.
Deputy Sheriffs assigned to this unit must complete 6 weeks of training in Huntsville, Alabama. This is the only hazardous device training facility in the country. The deputies are trained extensively by the military in conjunction with the FBI.
1
Robot
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The Bomb Squad offers services on any request from a Fire department or Police department in Montgomery County. They also serve parts of Bucks and Chester County.
Members of the Bomb Unit with the Robot and the Total Containment Vessel
Display case of items recovered by the Bomb Disposal Unit, the equipment used to burn ammo and the Total
Containment Vessel that is used for Bio and Chemical hazardous material removal.
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County Emergency Response Team C.E.R.T.
The County Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) was developed in August 1996 to handle civil disturbances. It is a
joint collaboration between the Sheriff's Department and the Department of Corrections at Camp Hill,
Pennsylvania.
Team members were recruited on a volunteer basis with the stipulation that all training exercises are mandatory.
The team trains four to six hours every three weeks.
The 20-member team includes one team leader, two squad leaders, two snatch recovery team members, and two
chemical team members. The C.E.R.T. would be activated through the mutual aid program and/or strike
injunctions, riots, protests, and/or natural disasters.
They work as partners with the
Montgomery County Major
countywide team. This team
consists of specially trained
officers responsible for crowd /
traffic control at large-scale
events and emergency scenes
throughout the county. These
responding to major incidents,
Driving Under the Influence D.U.I. Fast Track Processing Centers
The first D.U.I center in Montgomery County was opened in December of 1987 operating with these goals in mind.
Reduction of and/or threat to life and property of Montgomery County residents by DUI subjects
Court and police operational cost reduction
Improved evidence in DUI cases
Increasing police patrol time by reducing time required by arresting officer for processing of DUI subject
Reduction of hearing and trial time by police officers and district attorney's staff
Vehicle involved in a DUI Accident
Currently there are five centers throughout the county that operate Friday and Saturday from 9:00pm to 5:00am. The centers are manned by two specially trained deputies. All deputies working the centers are certified breath operators and must attend a four day class (32 hours) and pass a written test. These deputies help the police department by conducting the Breath test on individuals believed to be driving under the influence (DUI). Once the Breath test is completed the offenders go through Live Scan Fingerprint process. All the tests are placed on DVD and may be used as evidence in court to portray the condition of the
defendant.
Held in Detention
In 2012 there were 485 offenders processed through the D.U.I. Processing Centers. This is a 4% increase from 2010.
Fast Track DUI Centers
Pottstown 105 106 80
Montgomery 73 62 94
Towamencin 155 123 144
465
447
485
420
430
440
450
460
470
480
490
Drug Abuse Resistance Education D.A.R.E.
D.A.R.E. is a preventative program. Its aim is to equip our youth with skills to resist
peer pressure to experiment with and use harmful drugs.
The D.A.R.E. lessons focus on providing accurate information about alcohol and
drugs, teaching student’s decision-making skills, showing students how to resist peer
pressure, and providing students with ideas for alternatives to drug use. The
program also provides tips for parents.
Establish family rules that make the use of drugs non-negotiable.
Educate yourself about drugs, so you can talk informatively with your children and answer their questions.
Since peer pressure is a major factor in teen drug use, know your children's friends.
Talk with other parents. Try to establish rules that make access to drug harder for your children and their
friends, such as curfew, the amount of spending money they receive, and their use of a car.
If problems arise, try to seek advice and counsel from someone both you and your child respect and can
relate to.
One of the unique features of D.A.R.E. is the use of deputy sheriffs as instructors. The program is supervised by
Sergeant Patricia Haas. There are currently two trained deputies involved in the D.A.R.E program and in 2012 they
visited seven schools and community events to promote the program. An estimated 100,000 children in
Montgomery County area have learned to “JUST SAY NO” to drugs, alcohol, and violence.
Cpl. Mesunas and Sgt. Haas
For more information feel free to contact us at 610-278-3331
Parents - Contact your school principals
Students - Contact your guidance counselor or the Montgomery County Office of Drug and Alcohol at 610-278-3630
31
The Gang Resistance
Education and Training
to immunize against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.
In this program the students learn to practice behaviors that will help them avoid violence, resist peer pressure,
resolve conflicts and understand how gangs negatively impact the quality of life. It also serves as a way to provide
students with a positive interaction with the Sheriff’s department.
The Sheriff’s department has two specially trained
instructors for this program, Sergeant Haas, a fourteen
year veteran and Deputy Wilson, a two year veteran. In
April of 2012 they both completed the 80 hour course of
instruction in Nashville, Tennessee to qualify as
instructors.
32
The G.R.E.A.T program began with the Norristown area middle schools in September of 2012 and has reached approximately two hundred students and is looking to expand to other school districts in the County in 2013.
Students participate in games at a G.R.E.A.T event
If you would like further information on this program please contact the Montgomery County Sheriff Department at 610-278-3331.
Shadow Program In February of 2012 Sheriff Behr created the shadow program for high school seniors interested in pursuing a possible career in criminal justice or law enforcement. The program is also extended to include any adult over the age 21 that is planning on attending an accredited law enforcement academy or pursuing a career in the field of criminal justice or law enforcement.
Qualified individuals will shadow deputies for one eight hour day and learn the roles they preform and the functions of the Sheriff’s department. In addition they will also learn about the Bomb Squad and their equipment. The Shadow program is under the direction of Sergeant Haas. Corporal Miles, Deputy Holman and Deputy Wilson assist with the program. In 2012 approximately 10 to 15 students have participated in the program. If you are interested in the program and meet the above requirements send your information showing your
qualifications along with your personal contact information to: [email protected]
Internship In addition to the eight hour shadow program the Sheriff department sponsored 2 interns in 2012. One intern was a Plymouth Whitemarsh high school student that worked for 10 weeks throughout each department as support personnel.
The second intern was a LaSalle student and worked for 6 months with Sergeant Stewart on the department accreditation material.
33
TRIAD The Right Information and Direction
TRIAD is a collaboration of the law enforcement agencies and older citizens in the county working together to
reduce and avoid criminal victimization of the elderly. This program uses community resources to enhance the
quality of life for our seniors, allowing them to enjoy dignity and security.
The TRIAD program also offers a variety of crime awareness presentations topics, including unscrupulous
telemarketers, credit card scams, mail fraud, home safety, 911 protocols, strangers at the door, auto theft, parking
lot savvy, muggings, purse snatching, and random violence to name a few.
Programs are presented by Deputy David Cavaliere, the Sheriff's TRIAD Coordinator. In 2012 Deputy Cavaliere
conducted 11 presentations about the TRIAD program throughout Montgomery County.
National Night Out Event
The refrigerator card, distributed by TRIAD to our seniors, provides emergency identification. This card can be a
lifesaver in the home when displayed on the refrigerator for first responders.
To schedule a crime awareness presentation call 610-278-3335 or Email:
[email protected]
The
TRIAD
National Sheriff’s Association
Community Involvement
PUBLIC RELATIONS and COMMUNITY EDUCATION The Sheriff department logged over one thousand 1000 hours participating in approximately 84 community events
in 2012. The events ranged from Community Night Out and Cop Camps to escorts for Funerals and Dignitaries.
Community QTY
Car Show 3
Security/Presidential/ U.S. Dignitary Protection 4
Community Day/ Family fair 5
Community Night 2
School Students QTY
Senior Citizens QTY
Youth Groups QTY
Shredding Event 1
Pal-Day 1
Columbus Monument
35
The Honor Guard The Honor Guard detail represents the Sheriff’s Department at special ceremonies and community events. The
events they participate in are determined by the Sheriff or the Chief. Seven deputies volunteer to be members of
the Honor Guard. Only six participate in each event.
2 rifle deputies
In 2012 the Honor Guard participated in eight events.
Swearing in of elected officials
St. Patrick’s Parade
Memorial Day
Conshohocken
Convention
36
Gotwals Anti-Bulling Rally
CONTACT US
Sheriff’s Department – Email [email protected] Courthouse First Floor P.O. Box 311 Norristown, PA 19404 Ph: 610-278-3331 Fx: 610-278-3832 Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:15p.m.
Applying for a Position – To apply for a position in the department, contact:
Human Resources Department One Montgomery Plaza P.O. Box 311 Norristown, PA 19404 Ph: 610-278-3052 Fx: 610-278-5959
D.A.R.E. Program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department welcomes your questions and comments. Call 610-278-3331.
Parents – Contact your school principals
Students – Contact your guidance counselor or the Montgomery County Office of Drug and alcohol at 610-278-3630
Real Estate Sheriff Sales Sheriff Sale Posters are available in the Sheriff’s Office: Montgomery County Courthouse Swede & Airy Streets First Floor Norristown, PA 19404 If you have additional questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact us by email @SheriffOfficemontcopa.org or phone at 610-278-3850
TRIAD – Programs are presented by Deputy David Cavaliere, the Sheriff’s TRIAD Coordinator.
To schedule a crime awareness presentation call 610-278-3335 or email [email protected]
Warrants – Submit a Tip on Wanted Persons
Do you know of someone that’s a wanted person in Montgomery County? Report it to the Sheriff’s Department: All tips are kept confidential and you are not required to give your name. WARRANTS HOTLINE – 610-278-3340
Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
Josh Shapiro, Chair • Leslie S. Richards, Vice Chair • Bruce L. Castor, Jr., Commissioner
Printed by the Montgomery County Print Department
MISSION STATEMENT…………………………………………………………………………….. ............................................................ 4
MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF’S SERVICES……………………………………….. .......................................................... 15
1. CIVIL ,PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDERS, SHERIFF SALES…………………………………………………..... ... 15,16,17,18
2. COURTS & SCANNERS……………………………………………………………..… ..................................................... 19,20,21
5. GUN PERMITS …………………………………………………………………………….. ............................................................. 25
1. BOMB SQUAD……………………………………………………………………….… ............................................................ 26,27
3. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (DUI) PROCESSING CENTERS…………………………..….… ................................ 29
4. DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION (D.A.R.E.)…………………………………………. ........................................... 30
5. GANG RESISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING (G.R.E.A.T) …………………..………… .................................. 31,32
6. SHADOW PROGRAM AND INTERNS……………………………………………………………………… .................................... 32
7. THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND DIRECTION (T.R.I.A.D)…………………………………….… ...................................... 33
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS ………………………………………..……..… ......................................... 34
1. HONOR GUARD……………………………………………………………………………… .......................................................... 35
CONTACT US……………………………………………………………………………..……… ............................................................... 37
Introduction Originally part of Philadelphia County, Montgomery County was founded in 1784. Montgomery County is the third largest
County in Pennsylvania, the second wealthiest county in the Commonwealth and the 51st wealthiest in the United States.
There are approximately 800,000 people living in 487 square miles of the County.
1 (Montgomery County Pennsylvania Township Maps)
The Office of Sheriff in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was established by the Constitution of 1788. In accordance with the
Pennsylvania Constitution the Sheriff shall be elected in each county for a four (4) year term. In 1789 the first election for
Sheriff was held in Montgomery County. Over the past two hundred and twenty nine (229) years there have been sixty four
(64) Sheriff’s.
The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the County and has a broad range of powers and duties. These duties and services range from providing safety and security along with public relations and education programs to the citizens of Montgomery County. These are a few of the services provided by the Sheriff’s department.
To provide Security in the Court House and other court related buildings
To provide services by the Bomb and Hazardous Device Disposal Unit, Emergency Response Teams and support county TACTICAL Teams
To serve bench warrants, protection from abuse orders, and civil papers throughout Montgomery County
To transport detainees safely and efficiently from their respective institutions to the courthouse and respective courtrooms
To provide processing assistance and booking services to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies through the five D.U.I. Processing Centers
To provide D.A.R.E and GREAT instructors to the elementary schools within Montgomery County
To organize and conduct sheriff’s sales in the courthouse
To provide services such as TRIAD, Senior Citizens Aid in Education, D.A.R.E., and Elementary Safety Education offered in conjunction with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department Citizen’s Advisory Council
1 http://www.usgwarchives.org/maps/pa/county/montgo/usgs/
COUNTY OF MONTGOMERY COURT HOUSE P.O. BOX 311 NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 19404-0311
To the Citizens of Montgomery County,
As Sheriff, I have the privilege to serve the citizens of this County with the dedicated men and women of our Sheriff’s department. I have a great respect for the abilities of our employees and I commend their tireless commitment in serving the community.
Often we work in conjunction with local township police departments, fire and ambulance personnel and emergency responder agencies to efficiently and effectively serve the community. I appreciate and commend the actions of all emergency responders, and the tremendous cooperation between all agencies to deliver quality results in extreme conditions and critical incidents.
I also want to thank the County Commissioners and Row Officers for their continuing support of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. It is through their support that we are able to provide a high quality of service to the County residents.
I feel it is important to let our citizens know how dedicated our staff is and the roles they are required to perform. With that in mind, on behalf of the men and women of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, I am pleased to present the Departments 2012 report. This report will provide an overview of the functions, activities and responsibilities of the department.
Sincerely,
4
The Mission of the Sheriff’s Department To protect and serve the citizens of Montgomery County in the areas of law enforcement and public safety as
prescribed by the Constitution of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To carry out the
fiduciary duties and obligations prescribed by law with honesty and integrity, without bias, regardless of race,
color, sex, religious creed, sexual orientation, age, origin, ancestry, economic status, handicap, or disability, so that
the citizens of Montgomery County may be best served.
Montgomergy County
Sheriff’s Department
Vision Statement The Sheriff’s department will continue to strive to provide quality service to the citizens of Montgomery County by
utilizing high standards of professionalism, integrity and accountability. Through these standards we are
committed to perform our duties for the citizens we proudly serve.
5
Pennsylvania is the first woman to hold the
position of Sheriff for Montgomery County.
She is a graduate of LaSalle University,
Montgomery County Community College,
National Academy, Session #209.
Management Board for “Mission Kids,” the
Montgomery County Child Advocacy
Advisory Board for Montgomery County
Community College and the Montgomery
County Municipal Police Training Program. She is a certified instructor for the Municipal
Police Officer Training Program.
Her career has focused on service to the community and collaboration with local
organizations and neighboring communities to achieve positive results by being
proactive in community relations and public education.
Sheriff Behr previously spent 34 years as a member of the Whitemarsh Township Police
Department. Her career began at the age of nineteen, as a dispatcher. She
progressively rose through the ranks working in the Traffic and Accident Unit where she
received 3 Pennsylvania Governor’s Traffic Safety Awards. Then she was promoted to
the Detective Division. As the Juvenile Detective she was recognized as Montgomery
County Juvenile Officer of the Year. She also served as a negotiator for the Tactical
team. She became the first female to serve as Police Chief in Montgomery County when
she was appointed to Chief of the department in 2003,
Among her many accomplishments as Chief, the Whitemarsh Police Department
became a fully accredited police agency and the department started their first K-9 unit
and first motorcycle unit. She was also the assistant Emergency Management Director
and a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force. As Chief of police,
she served as liaison to the District Attorney’s School Safety Committee for the
Montgomery Chiefs of Police. She is a former president and board member for the
Whitemarsh Police Association.
Sheriff Behr is married and a mother of three children.
6
Chief Deputy Alfred Ricci
Chief Ricci is a veteran law enforcement officer. From 1966 to 2000 he served as a Norristown Police Officer.
Starting as a Patrolman and rising to the rank of Lieutenant. His assignments included him as a member of the first
K-9 unit with his partner ”Baron” and supervising the departments Drug Task Force, A-Platoon.
He began his career as Chief Deputy with the Sheriff’s Department 2000. With the sudden passing of former
Sheriff John Durante in 2010, Chief Ricci served as Acting Sheriff until May of 2011. After Sheriff Behr was
appointed he resumed his position as Chief.
7
Organizational Structure
Administrative: (3) 2 Administrative Assistants 1 Administrative Analyst
Civil Administrative: (5) Civil Division: (28) Warrants/Courts: (75) Transportation: (15) 1 Lieutenant 1 Lieutenant 1 Lieutenant 1 Lieutenant 1 Sergeant 1 Sergeant 2 Sergeants 2 Corporals 1 Deputy 1 Corporal 5 Corporals 12 deputies 3 Civilians 11 Deputies 65 Deputies 14 Civilians 2 OSP
8
Administrative
Pat has been with the department for 22 years serving as the
Administrative Assistant to 3 former Sheriff’s and now to Chief
Ricci. She earned her certificate in stenography from
Montgomery County Community College. She is also a certified
Notary Public, earning her Notary commission in 2000 from
Harrisburg. Among her many administrative responsibilities she
processes the court ordered prisoner transport documents.
Gayle is the part time Administrative Assistant to Sheriff Behr. She
has an Associates degree in Police Science from Montgomery
County Community College and has attended Continuing
Education courses for business at Penn State Great Valley. Gayle
has a vast array of responsibilities including developing and maintaining the department statistics.
James C. Saring is the Administrator and Analyst and is
responsible for managing the information technology needs of
the Sheriff’s Department. This includes day to day first line
troubleshooting, maintenance of existing systems and
databases, proposing and helping to implement solutions to
automate and improve processes, interfacing with vendors and
the county ITS department, training, web editing, image/video
editing, photography and writing media releases, and various
research projects. Mr. Saring has managed several critical
projects for the department, including the transition from a
largely paper-based Civil Process and Accounting system to an
electronic one, the transition to a new statewide License to
Carry system and several major hardware and software rollouts and upgrades. He graduated from Drexel
University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and minor in Philosophy and has served the
department since 2004. He has also taken graduate courses at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and
Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business along with numerous information technology classes.
Pat and Gayle
Lt. Thompson, Lt. McDonald, Chief Ricci, Lt. Womelsdorf, Lt. Gertenich
10
Lieutenant Theodore Thompson Lieutenant Theodore Thompson is a twenty four (24) year veteran of the
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. During this time he was a part time
police officer for five years at the Conshohocken Police Department. He began
his career in 1989 as a Deputy Sheriff and was promoted to the rank of
Corporal in 1994. In 2010 he was promoted to Lieutenant in charge of the
Civil Division and main office.
He received his basic training at Dickinson Law School in Carlisle Pennsylvania.
He has completed Criminal Justice Training through the Temple University
Continuing Education program. He received Police Supervisory Training
(POSIT), and Police In-Service Training at Penn State. He has several
certifications in Firearms Training including, Firearms Training System, Stress
Firearms Course, State Police Certified Firearms Instructor and Advanced
Firearms instructor. He also, has training in Court Security Simulation and
attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico VA for Court Security training. He is a member of our Tri-County
Motor Unit.
Lieutenant Joseph Gertenitch Lieutenant Joseph Gertenitch is married and has four daughters. He holds an
Associate degree from Gloucester County College in New Jersey and has
attended Business Management courses at Ursinus College in Collegeville PA.
He received Police supervisory training through POSIT, POLEX, and Advanced
POLEX training at Penn State ACT 2 Academy. He is also a U.S. Army trained
sniper and a training member of the first tactical unit in Montgomery County.
Lieutenant Gertenitch is a thirty two (32) year veteran with the Sheriffs
department. He began his career in 1980 as a Deputy and rose through the
ranks to Corporal working in the Warrants, Transportation and Civil divisions.
He was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the Warrant division for 13
years. Currently, holding the rank of Lieutenant he is commanding the
Courts and Warrant division.
Lieutenant Thomas McDonald Lieutenant McDonald is in charge of the Transportation Division and has been with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department over nineteen years, starting his career as a deputy in the Courts Division in 1993. In 1994 he gained additional experience when he moved to the Transportation Division reaching the rank of Corporal in 2000 and serving in the Division until 2008. At that time he was promoted to Sergeant and re-assigned to the Courts Division. Shortly thereafter, in 2010 he was promoted the rank of Lieutenant in command of the Courts and Transportation Division. Lieutenant McDonald holds an Associate Degree from Montgomery County Community College and is a graduate of both the NJ and PA Municipal Police Officers Training Programs. In 1994 he graduated from the Deputy Sheriff Training program. He has attended many classes ranging from a Legal Issues Management Course to Terrorism Awareness and Domestic preparation. He also has an extensive background with weapons training and has multiple certifications. To name a few, he is a certified instructor in Pepper Ball Technologies, Chemical Munitions and a NRA Pistol and Shotgun instructor.
11
Lieutenant Greg Womelsdorf
Lt Womelsdorf has been a department member since 1989, and has served as a Deputy Sheriff in various divisions throughout the department. He has held the positions of both Corporal and Sergeant, throughout his career. He was assigned to the Warrant Division and Transportation Division and later became responsible for supervising the division. In 2006 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and oversees the Special Services Division. His responsibilities include:
Lead Firearms Instructor
DARE / GREAT Unit
Real Estate Deputy Jane Castora Jane is an Alumni of Luzerne County Community College with an Associates
Degree in Business Management Technology and graduate of the Dale
Carnegie Leadership Institute. She joined the Sheriff’s Department in 2006,
after twenty-five years in retail management and customer service. In 2008
Jane was promoted to her current position of Real Estate Deputy – Supervisor.
Her responsibilities include supervising the Real Estate Division staff;
processing pre and post sale documents associated with monthly sheriff sale
auctions and answering pre and post sale inquiries.
Office Staff
Department Accreditation 2012
In 2010 during the tenure of the late Sheriff John P. Durante, the Montgomery County
Sheriff's Department became the first sheriff's department in Pennsylvania to be
accredited by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Accreditation Commission. Every three
years, the department must go through the re-accreditation process.
Over a two day period the deputies and their daily activities are observed by three state
assessors. The assessors also review the departments’ policies and operational standards. They review all the
equipment, tour the office area and detention area to ensure the department is operating within the policies and
guidelines of the law.
supervises the process and ensures that all policies and the
supporting documentation are current. There are approximately
330 professional standards and sub-standards under review during
the accreditation process. The accreditation demonstrates to the
public that employees of the department strive to meet
professional standards and every employee is expected to maintain
a professional attitude.
There are only three sheriff departments accredited in the state of Pennsylvania.
Sgt. Al Stewart and Sheriff Behr
Training Requirements
The Deputy Sheriffs' Education and Training Act was established in 1984, know as ACT 2. The training consists of a
minimum of 760 hours, the content of which is determined by Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency (PCCD). The Act states, it is the duty of the Sheriff to insure that each deputy employed, who does
not meet and exception, receives the training as required by the Act within one year of being hired as a deputy
sheriff.
In Montgomery County, all newly hired Deputies are required to complete a three week orientation that covers
department policy and firearms. They also are assigned a Field Training Officer (FTO) for six weeks of in depth
training. This training is specific in nature and covers a variety of topics such as:
Handling and searching prisoners
Prisoner Transport
Defensive Tactics
Firearms training
Each deputy must be re-certified in Defensive tactics and Firearms training every year.
14
The Fleet The department has approximately fifty vehicles in its fleet. While the fleet mostly consists of cars it also includes
two buses, two motorcycles and seven bomb squad vehicles.
It is the responsibility of the Maintenance Managers to maintain
the fleet. They keep the cars operating and schedule all the
necessary repairs.
The Motorcycle Unit The unit has 6 qualified deputies that have completed the
required 80 hours of training. Every year each of these deputies
must have 24 hours training for re-certification.
Lt. Womelsdorf and Lt. McDonald
The motorcycle unit participates in Funerals, parades, dignitary escorts and is also used to patrol the Montgomery County walking trail.
15
Montgomery County Sheriff Department Services
Civil Services Division The main purpose of this section is to serve legal documents to any person, company, or corporation designated by the courts in civil actions. These deputies serve an average of 30,000 legal documents per year, generating approximately 2 million dollars annually for the county.
Additionally, twice a year, this section serves a large amount of tax claim sales.
Tax Claim Notices Year End 2010 Year End 2011 Year End 2012
Services 3212 3409 2048
Documents Processed The personnel of this department process an ever-increasing amount of legal documents consisting of the following:
Action of Divorce
Actions for Support
Form of Subpoena
Joe Theresa Jen Carol Conrad Sherry Bob Mary
16
section processes all
of the accounting
functions for these
groups and collects
follow the proper
guidelines of our
controller's office.
Protection from Abuse (P.F.A) Plaintiffs bring their paperwork to the Sheriff’s office to be time stamped and processed for service. Normally
there will be three copies to be time stamped, (two if PFA is denied). The office personnel will explain to the
plaintiff what he/ or she will need to do with each copy. There are four people in the office staff dedicated to the
PFA process.
1. Sheriff- Attempt service/serve papers 2. Police- Give to local police department 3. Plaintiff –Leave with plaintiff, carry copy
The Sheriff’s will use whichever one of these methods is necessary to serve the PFA, i.e.: deputized, certified/first
class mail or registered mail. Two thousand four hundred thirty one (2431) PFA papers were served by deputies in
2012.
In addition to explaining the paperwork the staff will clarify any questions the plaintiff may have about the hearing
process, custody issues and relinquishment of any weapons should they be involved. A plaintiff is advised to
appear for their hearing date regardless of service upon the defendant.
Personal Property This section is similar to real estate but sales are scheduled on a case-by-case basis.
Action Type
Total Service
Attempts & Trips
Civil Action (Deputize In) NA 1254 4096
Civil Action (Deputize Out) 1926 1870 1575
Civil Action (Out of State) 663 644 564
Claim for Exemption 2 1 5
Complaint in Ejectment 537 408 44
Court Order 2 1 1
Domestic Relations 544 545 568
Injunction 1 0 0
Possession Taken 258 308 313
Posting 418 256 38
Protection from Abuse 2787 2883 2431
Writ of Execution Attachment 36 4 0
Writ of Execution Garnishee 3507 4931 4960
Writ of Execution Levy 1779 2030 1750
Writ of Execution Real Estate 2850 2738 2723
Writ of Possession 518 697 539
Writ of Seizure 10 17 1
Period total 56691 53596 52569
Kathy and Judy, Joan is missing from photo
17
Sheriff's Sales Sheriff sales are conducted once a month in accordance with a calendar prepared by the Sheriff's Department. Preparation and processing of legal documents for sheriff's sale are in compliance with rules of civil procedures.
Conditions of Sale
The down money, as advertised, must be paid to the sheriff immediately after the property is knocked down to the highest bidder; otherwise the property may be immediately put up again for sale. A second bid accompanied by the required down money may be registered in writing with the sheriff immediately after the property is knocked down to the highest bidder. Down money must be paid in cash or by certified check except in the case of members of the Montgomery Bar whose personal or endorsed checks will be accepted. The balance of the purchase money, together with the cost of preparing the deed poll and such other costs as are by law imposed upon the purchaser, must be paid in cash or by certified check to the sheriff within 10 days of sale without any further demand. In default thereof the sheriff may settle with the second bidder who has made the required deposit, upon receipt of the highest sum bid and the aforesaid costs less both deposits already made, within 10 days after the first bidder's failure to settle. In case no second bid be registered or no settlement made, the property may be sold again at the risk of the defaulting bidder, and in case of any deficiency on such resale he shall make good the same to any person injured thereby even though the down money required to be paid at the later sale shall have been increased by any charge in the conditions of the sale. The deposit or down money paid by any bidder who fails to comply with the above conditions shall be forfeited and applied on the purchase by any second bidder or, if the property is resold, to cost or any liens or equitable claims thereon discharged thereby but not satisfied out of the proceeds thereof including the right of the real owner to have the highest bid first made realized. The sheriff shall not be liable for loss or damage to the premises sold resulting from any cause whatsoever, and makes no representation or warranty regarding the condition of the premises. If the sheriff's grantee is to be other than the record purchaser, a written assignment must be filed or such fact certified by the attorney on the writ when he is the purchaser.
Sheriff Sale Posters Sheriff's sale posters are available in the Sheriff's Office:
Montgomery County Courthouse Swede & Airy Streets
First Floor Norristown, PA 19404
2275
Court Division
The Court Division handles both civil and criminal cases. The Deputy Sheriff’s in this division are responsible to maintain discipline and deliver defendants to court. They maintain security throughout the year for 23 Judges, 4 Senior Judges and 22 courtrooms.
In most cases, more than one deputy is required to maintain security, depending on the particular circumstances of individual trials. At times, as many as a dozen Deputies have been assigned to a high-risk trial.
Criminal Court
Criminal courts have the responsibility to adjudicate all criminal charges brought in Montgomery County. The role of the Sheriff Department in the criminal court system is an important one. Deputy Sheriff’s are assigned to each courtroom and have the responsibility of maintaining custody of incarcerated defendants who are required to appear before the court. Orphans Court
The department is responsible to get individuals who are considered for Court-order to be committed to hospitals or institutions. They are escorted by two specially trained Deputies at all times.
20
Juvenile Court
This branch of the court handles cases involving individuals under the age of 18. All Deputies assigned to Juvenile court are selected for their abilities in handling juveniles and receive specialized training in this area. The Deputy is responsible with maintaining the safety of all court participants and also transporting in-custody juveniles to court. They also transport juveniles to and from various detention facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Family Court / Adult Section
The Adult section of family court has jurisdiction in family matters which involve such types of cases as nonsupport of spouses, indigent parents and children, complaints of custody or visitation rights, divorces and annulments, and protection from abuse. This area of the court is a very sensitive one due to the nature of the circumstances which bring individuals to the court. Emotions usually run high, and tempers are easily ignited in such an atmosphere. For this reason, Deputies assigned to this section are selected for their abilities to exercise tact and understanding in the performance of their duties.
Scanner Detail The scanner detail provides the first line of security for all citizens entering the Courthouse, the Domestic Relations
Office (DRO) and 321 The Custody Conciliations Office. The entrances at all three of these locations are manned by
both Sheriff Department deputies and Courthouse security officers. All the deputies in this detail are assigned
from the Courts division.
The Courthouse: Main Street location and Swede Street location. o 3 Scanner Deputies and 1-2 courthouse security officers
The Domestic Relations Office: One Montgomery Plaza o 2 Scanner Deputies and 1 courthouse security officers
Custody Conciliations Office: 321 Swede Street o 1 Scanner Deputy and 1 courthouse security officers
All individuals entering these locations must go through the scanners. Any item seen as a potential hazard or weapon are removed from the individual.
Going Through Scanner Returning Pocket Items
21
Wand if scanner alarm beeps
In 2012 there were over 5000 items removed from people as they entered these locations.
Activity By Location 2012
Warrants Division
Warrants are issued by the Court of Common Pleas to the Montgomery County Sheriff for those individuals that
fail to appear at hearings and fail to follow the order of the court pertaining to their cases. The Sheriff has direct
power of arrest of these individuals which results in their INCARCERATION until the court schedules a hearing.
Sheriff Deputies are called upon to serve both criminal and civil warrants. For high profile warrants under the
extradition law, deputies may travel to any of the fifty states to bring the subject before the courts. The Sheriff's
Department uses a vast array of technology to research, track and apprehend those with warrants.
Year End 2012 Received Served Recalled (+/-)
Pending
Adult Probation Office 4479 4276 210 -7 890
Domestic Relations Office 728 559 128 41 270
Juvenile 257 45 155 57 725
Out of County 16 16 0 0 0
Others 49 26 8 15 107
Totals: 8324 7303 875 146 4516
In 2012 there were 639 people transported by the Warrant Unit to and from Adult Probation (APO).
Most warrants can be settled without incarceration by reporting to the Sheriff's Department Warrants Section to
settle those matters. This method saves, time, cost, loss of job and the embarrassment of confinement.
23
Wanted Persons and To Submit a Tip on Wanted Persons
Find more information on persons who are wanted by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, including our top Criminal and Domestic Relations Warrants as well as lists of all active Criminal and Domestic Relations Warrants go to the County web site. http://www.montcopa.org. Under the Departments section, go to: Law Enforcement &Public Safety.
Warrants Hotline - 610-278-3340
Transportation Services Division
This section is responsible for the movement of individuals via court order within the State of Pennsylvania and, in
fact, throughout the continental United States.
All types of defendants are transported, from those who are accused of minor offenses to the more lurid high risk
cases. The importance of this work should never be underestimated. The Sheriff's Department transports
defendants for District Justices and local police departments helping our municipalities and increasing the
efficiency of transporting defendants in Montgomery County.
3 Year Comparison
Out of County Inmates 1682 1760 2077 4% 15% 19%
State Inmates 1079 1106 970 2% -14% -11%
Federal Inmates 5 2 12 -150% 83% 58%
Mental Health Trans. 172 190 113 9% -68% -52%
Juvenile Trans. 105 154 204 32% 25% 49%
District Justice 114 96 129 -19% 26% 12%
Out of State 76 86 101 12% 15% 25%
Grand Total: 12487 12424 12178 -1% -2% -3%
In the fourth quarter of 2012 there were 2061 inmates held in detention for transport.
Deputies from the Transport Division
Detention Area This area is part of the transportation section is used to temporarily detain and hold prisoners for court
proceedings.
Boarding bus for transport
The rules and procedures in this location are stringent, because even defendants accused of capital crimes are held
here before trial.
Entering Detention Area
Gun Permits Service
The Gun permit section issues Firearm licenses to the citizens of Montgomery County. Pennsylvania Law requires the Sheriff of Montgomery County to process all Applications for License to Carry Firearms. The Sheriff's Department is required under Pa. Law, Section 6109 (d) of Title 18 Pa C.S., to conduct an investigation into your application. Licenses are issued to all those who qualify, based on a background investigation done by the Sheriff's Office through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS). Once an application for license to carry is filed, the Sheriff’s Department has 45 days in which to complete the investigation and notify the applicant. The license is valid for 5 years. The Sheriff has the ability to revoke the license at any time for good cause. Gun permit activity has seen a steady rise over the past three (3) years and continues to increase in 2013.
YEAR END STATISTICS 2010 YR
End 2011 YR
End 2012 YR
NEW CARRY LICENSE 2355 3259 4553 28% 24% 48%
RENEW CARRY LICENSE 2451 2494 3261 2% 24% 25%
NEW SELL LICENSE 3 9 9 67% 0% 67%
RENEW SELL LICENSE 16 21 15 24% -40% -7%
PRECIOUS METALS 40 59 73 32% 19% 45%
REJECTED 71 85 118 16% 28% 40%
REVOKED 205 151 182 -36% 17% -13%
REVERSED 4 6 8 33% 25% 50%
REINSTATED 8 2 11 -300% 82% 27%
218 NATIONAL CARRY NA NA 20 0% 0% 0%
CLASS 3 LICENSE NA NA 9 0% 0% 0%
TOTAL ACTIVE PERMITS 23281 28440 36254 18% 22% 36%
The total Active Permits jumped from 36,254 at the end of 2012 to 38,371 as of the end of February 2013. This
represents a 6% increase to date.
Roger, Sgt. Kittredge and Deputy Petriga
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Montgomery County Sheriff Department Programs
Bomb Squad The Bomb Squad was formed in 1973 and has continued to support local, state, and federal officials and provides security clearance services when visiting dignitaries appear, including the President of the United States.
In 2012 the Bomb Squad responded to 122 Incidents and Activities.
Incident Type 2012 Year End
Explosion 5
Hoax 4
Recovery 49
SWAT/Robot Assist 3
Activity Totals: 31
Grand Total: 122
The Bomb Squad is composed of 8 Deputy Sheriff’s (5 Technicians and 3 Investigators). The squad is under the command of Sergeant Al. Stewart. There are 7 vehicles in the Bomb Squad fleet.
Deputy Sheriffs assigned to this unit must complete 6 weeks of training in Huntsville, Alabama. This is the only hazardous device training facility in the country. The deputies are trained extensively by the military in conjunction with the FBI.
1
Robot
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The Bomb Squad offers services on any request from a Fire department or Police department in Montgomery County. They also serve parts of Bucks and Chester County.
Members of the Bomb Unit with the Robot and the Total Containment Vessel
Display case of items recovered by the Bomb Disposal Unit, the equipment used to burn ammo and the Total
Containment Vessel that is used for Bio and Chemical hazardous material removal.
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County Emergency Response Team C.E.R.T.
The County Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) was developed in August 1996 to handle civil disturbances. It is a
joint collaboration between the Sheriff's Department and the Department of Corrections at Camp Hill,
Pennsylvania.
Team members were recruited on a volunteer basis with the stipulation that all training exercises are mandatory.
The team trains four to six hours every three weeks.
The 20-member team includes one team leader, two squad leaders, two snatch recovery team members, and two
chemical team members. The C.E.R.T. would be activated through the mutual aid program and/or strike
injunctions, riots, protests, and/or natural disasters.
They work as partners with the
Montgomery County Major
countywide team. This team
consists of specially trained
officers responsible for crowd /
traffic control at large-scale
events and emergency scenes
throughout the county. These
responding to major incidents,
Driving Under the Influence D.U.I. Fast Track Processing Centers
The first D.U.I center in Montgomery County was opened in December of 1987 operating with these goals in mind.
Reduction of and/or threat to life and property of Montgomery County residents by DUI subjects
Court and police operational cost reduction
Improved evidence in DUI cases
Increasing police patrol time by reducing time required by arresting officer for processing of DUI subject
Reduction of hearing and trial time by police officers and district attorney's staff
Vehicle involved in a DUI Accident
Currently there are five centers throughout the county that operate Friday and Saturday from 9:00pm to 5:00am. The centers are manned by two specially trained deputies. All deputies working the centers are certified breath operators and must attend a four day class (32 hours) and pass a written test. These deputies help the police department by conducting the Breath test on individuals believed to be driving under the influence (DUI). Once the Breath test is completed the offenders go through Live Scan Fingerprint process. All the tests are placed on DVD and may be used as evidence in court to portray the condition of the
defendant.
Held in Detention
In 2012 there were 485 offenders processed through the D.U.I. Processing Centers. This is a 4% increase from 2010.
Fast Track DUI Centers
Pottstown 105 106 80
Montgomery 73 62 94
Towamencin 155 123 144
465
447
485
420
430
440
450
460
470
480
490
Drug Abuse Resistance Education D.A.R.E.
D.A.R.E. is a preventative program. Its aim is to equip our youth with skills to resist
peer pressure to experiment with and use harmful drugs.
The D.A.R.E. lessons focus on providing accurate information about alcohol and
drugs, teaching student’s decision-making skills, showing students how to resist peer
pressure, and providing students with ideas for alternatives to drug use. The
program also provides tips for parents.
Establish family rules that make the use of drugs non-negotiable.
Educate yourself about drugs, so you can talk informatively with your children and answer their questions.
Since peer pressure is a major factor in teen drug use, know your children's friends.
Talk with other parents. Try to establish rules that make access to drug harder for your children and their
friends, such as curfew, the amount of spending money they receive, and their use of a car.
If problems arise, try to seek advice and counsel from someone both you and your child respect and can
relate to.
One of the unique features of D.A.R.E. is the use of deputy sheriffs as instructors. The program is supervised by
Sergeant Patricia Haas. There are currently two trained deputies involved in the D.A.R.E program and in 2012 they
visited seven schools and community events to promote the program. An estimated 100,000 children in
Montgomery County area have learned to “JUST SAY NO” to drugs, alcohol, and violence.
Cpl. Mesunas and Sgt. Haas
For more information feel free to contact us at 610-278-3331
Parents - Contact your school principals
Students - Contact your guidance counselor or the Montgomery County Office of Drug and Alcohol at 610-278-3630
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The Gang Resistance
Education and Training
to immunize against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.
In this program the students learn to practice behaviors that will help them avoid violence, resist peer pressure,
resolve conflicts and understand how gangs negatively impact the quality of life. It also serves as a way to provide
students with a positive interaction with the Sheriff’s department.
The Sheriff’s department has two specially trained
instructors for this program, Sergeant Haas, a fourteen
year veteran and Deputy Wilson, a two year veteran. In
April of 2012 they both completed the 80 hour course of
instruction in Nashville, Tennessee to qualify as
instructors.
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The G.R.E.A.T program began with the Norristown area middle schools in September of 2012 and has reached approximately two hundred students and is looking to expand to other school districts in the County in 2013.
Students participate in games at a G.R.E.A.T event
If you would like further information on this program please contact the Montgomery County Sheriff Department at 610-278-3331.
Shadow Program In February of 2012 Sheriff Behr created the shadow program for high school seniors interested in pursuing a possible career in criminal justice or law enforcement. The program is also extended to include any adult over the age 21 that is planning on attending an accredited law enforcement academy or pursuing a career in the field of criminal justice or law enforcement.
Qualified individuals will shadow deputies for one eight hour day and learn the roles they preform and the functions of the Sheriff’s department. In addition they will also learn about the Bomb Squad and their equipment. The Shadow program is under the direction of Sergeant Haas. Corporal Miles, Deputy Holman and Deputy Wilson assist with the program. In 2012 approximately 10 to 15 students have participated in the program. If you are interested in the program and meet the above requirements send your information showing your
qualifications along with your personal contact information to: [email protected]
Internship In addition to the eight hour shadow program the Sheriff department sponsored 2 interns in 2012. One intern was a Plymouth Whitemarsh high school student that worked for 10 weeks throughout each department as support personnel.
The second intern was a LaSalle student and worked for 6 months with Sergeant Stewart on the department accreditation material.
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TRIAD The Right Information and Direction
TRIAD is a collaboration of the law enforcement agencies and older citizens in the county working together to
reduce and avoid criminal victimization of the elderly. This program uses community resources to enhance the
quality of life for our seniors, allowing them to enjoy dignity and security.
The TRIAD program also offers a variety of crime awareness presentations topics, including unscrupulous
telemarketers, credit card scams, mail fraud, home safety, 911 protocols, strangers at the door, auto theft, parking
lot savvy, muggings, purse snatching, and random violence to name a few.
Programs are presented by Deputy David Cavaliere, the Sheriff's TRIAD Coordinator. In 2012 Deputy Cavaliere
conducted 11 presentations about the TRIAD program throughout Montgomery County.
National Night Out Event
The refrigerator card, distributed by TRIAD to our seniors, provides emergency identification. This card can be a
lifesaver in the home when displayed on the refrigerator for first responders.
To schedule a crime awareness presentation call 610-278-3335 or Email:
[email protected]
The
TRIAD
National Sheriff’s Association
Community Involvement
PUBLIC RELATIONS and COMMUNITY EDUCATION The Sheriff department logged over one thousand 1000 hours participating in approximately 84 community events
in 2012. The events ranged from Community Night Out and Cop Camps to escorts for Funerals and Dignitaries.
Community QTY
Car Show 3
Security/Presidential/ U.S. Dignitary Protection 4
Community Day/ Family fair 5
Community Night 2
School Students QTY
Senior Citizens QTY
Youth Groups QTY
Shredding Event 1
Pal-Day 1
Columbus Monument
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The Honor Guard The Honor Guard detail represents the Sheriff’s Department at special ceremonies and community events. The
events they participate in are determined by the Sheriff or the Chief. Seven deputies volunteer to be members of
the Honor Guard. Only six participate in each event.
2 rifle deputies
In 2012 the Honor Guard participated in eight events.
Swearing in of elected officials
St. Patrick’s Parade
Memorial Day
Conshohocken
Convention
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Gotwals Anti-Bulling Rally
CONTACT US
Sheriff’s Department – Email [email protected] Courthouse First Floor P.O. Box 311 Norristown, PA 19404 Ph: 610-278-3331 Fx: 610-278-3832 Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:15p.m.
Applying for a Position – To apply for a position in the department, contact:
Human Resources Department One Montgomery Plaza P.O. Box 311 Norristown, PA 19404 Ph: 610-278-3052 Fx: 610-278-5959
D.A.R.E. Program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department welcomes your questions and comments. Call 610-278-3331.
Parents – Contact your school principals
Students – Contact your guidance counselor or the Montgomery County Office of Drug and alcohol at 610-278-3630
Real Estate Sheriff Sales Sheriff Sale Posters are available in the Sheriff’s Office: Montgomery County Courthouse Swede & Airy Streets First Floor Norristown, PA 19404 If you have additional questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact us by email @SheriffOfficemontcopa.org or phone at 610-278-3850
TRIAD – Programs are presented by Deputy David Cavaliere, the Sheriff’s TRIAD Coordinator.
To schedule a crime awareness presentation call 610-278-3335 or email [email protected]
Warrants – Submit a Tip on Wanted Persons
Do you know of someone that’s a wanted person in Montgomery County? Report it to the Sheriff’s Department: All tips are kept confidential and you are not required to give your name. WARRANTS HOTLINE – 610-278-3340
Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
Josh Shapiro, Chair • Leslie S. Richards, Vice Chair • Bruce L. Castor, Jr., Commissioner
Printed by the Montgomery County Print Department