"I have been astonished by the amount of top-tier, quality talent that wants to come work for Souderton Borough"
In April, Souderton Borough Police Chief Brian Newhall resigned from his position after five dedicated years of service in order to pursue other professional law enforcement opportunities. At that point, Souderton Borough immediately began the search to fill the open Chief position.
We partnered with Aspirant Consulting Group, a consulting firm based in the West Chester area founded by active law enforcement officers. They help municipalities navigate complex policing needs. Hiring the next Chief of Police is a critical decision, and we want to make sure we are doing things the right way!
Thanks to Aspirant’s exceptional help, and Souderton Borough’s strong reputation in the region, we received an impressive 71 applicants for the role. The Chief Search Committee, made up of Councilors Matt Dinenna, Stephanie Hall, Matt Sholly, Borough Manager Sara Jarrett-Eaton, and me, reviewed and ranked each application. The top 24 candidates were asked to submit a video recording of their answers to specific questions. The committee reviewed each of those videos, and selected top six candidates to move on to in-person interviews, which were conducted by the committee on the evenings of June 3rd and 4th.
From here, the top candidates will move on to an interview with a board of professional law enforcement leaders from around the region. This panel will also include input from our former Chief of Police Jim Leary, who served in this exact position for more than a decade and still remains very active in Montgomery County policing. Ultimately, Souderton Borough hopes to make a final decision by early July or sooner.
I have been astonished by the amount of top-tier, quality talent that wants to come work for Souderton Borough. Though the final candidate has not yet been chosen, I can assure you that whoever it is will be a strong, community-oriented leader who understands the wants and needs of a tight-knit community like Souderton. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and to continue the tradition of excellence that our community has come to expect.
I would also like to commend Sergeant Jeff Lukens. Officer Lukens was promoted to sergeant just a few months prior to the resignation of Chief Newhall. He was unexpectedly thrust into a management position, and has met the challenge head-on. My sincere thanks to Sgt. Lukens for keeping our department running while we find the permanent Chief replacement!
For any further questions or input into the Chief selection process, please do not hesitate to contact our borough staff at 215-723-4371 or via email at [email protected].
(The views expressed are Yocum's own and are not representative of North Penn Now or Souderton Borough)
