James Bonner honored for 'exceptional year'
A first-ever honor has gone to one of Towamencin’s finest.
Township officials recently recognized Police Officer James Bonner as their inaugural Officer of the Year.
“Officer Bonner just had an exceptional year in 2025,” Police Chief Tim Troxel said.
As part of the department’s 50th anniversary celebrations last year, the chief told the township supervisors in late March, police leadership rebranded the department with a new patch that the chief described as a blend of old and new logos, a celebration last fall, and implemented their first-ever award to recognize one individual who exceeded their expectations and assignments.
Towamencin Police Officer James Bonner, center, poses with Chief Tim Troxel and his family after being recognized as the department’s 2025 Officer of the Year at the March 25, 2026 supervisors meeting. (Photo courtesy of Towamencin Township Police Department)“We would recognize an officer from the previous year, that’s gone above and beyond consistently, and exhibited all of the values we expect out of a police officer, and then some,” Troxel said.
In November, officers learned of the winner: Bonner, who joined the department in 2014 and was previously publicly honored in 2025 for a theft investigation the prior year, in 2017 for aiding a drug investigation that started the prior year, and in 2016 for helping respond to a fire at North Penn High School.
Troxel said the winner was chosen by himself and police Lt. Geoff Wainwright, who were “pretty much in lockstep” on the selection. As he spoke, the chief presented the honoree with a bronze replica casting of the department’s new patch, then said Bonner’s name would be the first on a wall plaque permanently displayed at the department’s station.
Towamencin Police Officer James Bonner poses with Chief Tim Troxel after being recognized as the department's 2025 Officer of the Year at the March 25, 2026 supervisors meeting. (Photo courtesy of Towamencin Township Police Department)“Every year, the new officer’s name will get added to it, and that will run in perpetuity, hopefully even after I’m not here to give it,” Troxel said.
During the past year, Bonner acted as the department’s “point officer,” who helped fill in where others needed assistance.
“A patrol officer volunteers to take on extra duty, on top of their patrol duties, and help the detective division. They get trained to do investigations; the ultimate goal is that they can help take some of the workload off of the detectives and give them more capabilities for their patrol squad,” Troxel said.
Bonner also served as a department bicycle patrol officer, on a county major incident response team, and helped colleagues wherever possible.
“Any little thing that needed to be done, he would do it, always with a smile on his face, always looking out for the community, always looking out for his fellow officers,” said the chief.
“Just a great example of what we want all of our officers to be,” he said. “And it wasn’t an easy decision, because we have a bunch of great people here.”
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