Allentown interim Police Chief Joe Hanna was honored last week with the 26th Annual Col. John K. Schafer Memorial Award at the Lehigh County Chiefs of Police Association annual luncheon at DeSales University.

Past award recipients submit the names of nominees. Each recipient has one vote. The award recipient is chosen based on criterion which includes a nominee’s integrity, initiative and motivation, honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and professional excellence.

“To receive an award in honor of Colonel Schafer, a man who was held in such high regard in the law enforcement community, is truly a high point of my career,” said Hanna. “To be recognized by my peers, many of whom I have tried to emulate throughout my career was a humbling moment for me.”

Colonel Schafer was a 23 year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police who rose thru the ranks to become Commissioner. He resided in Breinigsville and was the Commander of Troop M Bethlehem for many years. Schafer was appointed PSP Commissioner in January 1987 and succumbed to cancer in August 1987 at age 46.

Among the attendees at the luncheon were the Honorable William H. Platt, Senior Judge of the Superior Court of PA., Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin (who presented the award), and members of Lehigh County Law Enforcement.

Hanna joined the department in 1979. He joined the Criminal Investigations Division as a sergeant in 1988. As a lieutenant, he headed the Community Police/Crime Prevention Unit from 1997-2002 when he also briefly headed the Special Operations Group. In September 2002 he was promoted to Captain in the Patrol Division and was commander of Police Service Area III. In March 2005 Hanna served as Captain of the Vice and Intelligence Division and then assumed the added responsibility of Captain of the Criminal Investigations Division. He was promoted to Assistant Chief of Police-Operations in January 2006.

Hanna earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Moravian College. He holds a Certificate of Completion from the US Department of Justice FBI National Academy and has completed advanced police studies at Northwestern University Center for Public Safety.
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