The Perkasie Opinion Blog

Chief Dickinson Moves On

It's a sad day for Perkasie. I was sorry to learn a couple of weeks ago that Perkasie Police Chief Paul T. Dickinson had announced he's leaving his post in Perkasie to accept a new opportunity in Towamencin Township as their new Chief of Police. The last several Borough Councils have known that we had an outstanding chief, one who could have left at any time for a job practically anywhere if he had wanted. I, for one, am grateful he stayed as long as he has; he has left his imprint all over Perkasie, and the police department, in some very good ways. Of significant note over the last couple of years, he oversaw the move into the newly renovated and expanded police headquarters on Ninth Street, and the expansion of the police department to cover Sellersville Borough as well as Perkasie.

The Chief says (as reported in the News Herald) he's leaving because he's done what he could here, and this is a good career move for him. That may be true. But the current political climate in Perkasie certainly didn't give him any incentive to stay. With his departure the end of September, the current Borough Council will have caused or encouraged the change of every department head in the Borough since they took office in January 2004, with the exception of the Public Utility Department where politically savvy Phil Ivins holds onto his job.

The News Herald also reports that Borough Council will look inside the police department for Chief Dickinson's replacement. That would be very smart, and I'll applaud Council if they do that. We have some excellent officers with leadership skills in Perkasie, thanks in large part to the work the Chief has done here over his last 13 years in Perkasie. It would be great to have a new chief who already knows us and knows the department.

Good luck, Chief Dickinson -- we wish you and your family the best. We will miss you. Thank you again for all you've done for our community.
Bob Bergey on 08.21.05 @ 03:46 PM EST [link] [add a comment]