It all started back in his childhood neighborhood in lower Bucks County. A new kid, Chris, moved in down the street whose father was a local police officer. The shine of the police car and the dignity of the uniform always caught his attention.
“[The life of a police officer] got my young mind running and thinking,” said Hatfield Township Police Chief William Tierney. “‘It looks good — maybe it is good.’”
Despite the initial inspiration, Tierney didn’t find his home with the police force right away. When work was hard to find in the early 1980s, he opted to join the United States Navy, as his father and uncles had done before him. Tierney served on the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier, spending 10 months out of the year in the Mediterranean.
After his time in the Navy, Tierney received word from his old friend, Chris, that there was an opening in the Hatfield Township Police Department. Tierney responded, “Where is Hatfield?” But at age 25, he claimed badge #19 as an officer in the Hatfield Township Police Department.
“I’m very-proud to be in Hatfield,” said Tierney. “I never wanted to be anywhere else once I got here.”
Over the years, Tierney climbed the ranks of the department, starting out as an officer in 1985 and working his way up to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, deputy chief, and finally, chief of police in 2013. His childhood friend, Chris, also excelled in the police force. More commonly known as Chief Engelhart, Chris rose to become the chief of police at the Hilltown Township Police Department.
Although he said he’s proud of his career and his personal accomplishments, Tierney added that he is more impressed by the department that’s been built over the last 35 years.
“I’m proud of the people that we have here, the understanding we have, the friendships we have and the relationship we have with the public,” Tierney said. “I could leave here today, and the good people are still here.”
The department doesn’t look the same as it did when Tierney first joined the force. Since Tierney has been chief, the department has diversified by hiring more female and minority police officers, in an effort to reflect the surrounding community. They have also made major policy changes like eliminating chokeholds, requiring officers to wear body cams and implementing high-quality diversity training for all officers.
Changes like those are being made by police all over the country in reaction to recent events of racism and injustice, but Tierney said he’s stayed ahead of the changes thanks to his foresight.
“Our policies are way ahead of the game,” Tierney said. “We are always on top of how we govern ourselves.”
The Hatfield Township Police Department is part of the 10% of police departments in Pennsylvania that are accredited, giving them an even higher standard of excellence than most agencies.
Not only has the department changed during Tierney’s time, but police work in general has changed, as well. A shift in mindset and purpose has taken place.
“We used to be in warrior mode,” Tierney said. “We’ve become much more like protectors, a shoulder to lean on, the people to come to with issues. We are not a military organization. We are an organization made to help people.”
Part of Tierney’s mission has been to build genuine, natural relationships with the public and the Hatfield community. The officers participate in reading programs with young students, food drives, “Coffee with a Cop” and meetings with religious and community leaders to put a face to the police department and connect with community members on a human level.
“Policing is really ‘peopling,’” Tierney said. “Everything we do boils down to how we present ourselves as people to people.”
Tierney has also sought out a personal relationship with the head of the local NAACP chapter, in an effort to understand an African American perspective better. Through visiting with store owners and calling friends to ask difficult questions, Tierney said he’s “always learning new things.”
“There are still many things to learn, even something in passing, about how other people see the world,” he added.
Tierney maintains that it’s not time to sit back and relax just yet. He still has great aspirations for himself and his department.
“As much as I’m proud of where we are, we always need to be examining ourselves and trying to be better,” Tierney said. “If you don’t examine yourself and look at where you’re at, you’re doomed for failure.”
As Tierney continues to lay the groundwork for the Hatfield Township Police Department’s future, he has some advice for the next generation of officers.
“Be more open-minded, work on common sense, employ empathy, and to the best of your ability, use the greatest tool you were given — discretion,” said Tierney. “Sometimes that discretion can help people out of a very deep hole and change their lives. We have that power. What more could you ask for in any job? To give somebody a better life — we can do that.”
This feature originally appeared in the most recent Hatfield Township newsletter. It has been reproduced here with permission from the township and Illustrated Designs.
See also:
Hatfield Police Announce Passing Of Retired Longtime Officer David McCreesh
Corporal Hanrahan Serves Final Shift With Hatfield Police
Photos: Montco SWAT Team Trains in Hatfield Township
North Penn Police Departments to Host Coffee With A Cop Event
Area Police ‘Go Pink’ For Breast Cancer Awareness Month
