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Chief Morris Announces APD Promotions

02/05/2016
Chief Morris Announces APD Promotions

Allentown Police Chief Keith Morris today announced the promotion of two assistant chiefs and three captains, allowing him to finalize his entire police administration.

Glen Dorney was promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief of Operations. Assistant Chief Dorney was hired by the Allentown Police Department in 1997, and worked as a patrolman on the 3rd Platoon. He was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 2005 and assigned to the 4th Platoon, prior to being transferred as the Commander of the Power Shift. In 2010, Dorney was promoted to Lieutenant of the 3rd Platoon, before being transferred as the Commander of the 4th Platoon Night Shift. Dorney was promoted to Captain in 2012. He has been on the Emergency Response Team since 2000 and was named commander in 2007.

Assistant Chief Dorney has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Penn State University and is a 2012 graduate of the FBI National Academy Police Executive Program.

Gail Struss was promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief of Support Services. Assistant Chief Struss joined the Allentown Police Department in February of 1997. She began her career in patrol on the 4th Platoon. In 1999, she was transferred to the Vice and Intelligence Unit, and in 2004 she transferred to the Youth Division as a Detective. In 2005, she became a School Resource Officer, assigned to Raub Middle School. In January 2011, she was promoted to Sergeant, and was the supervisor of the Youth Division. She was then promoted to Captain in 2012.

Assistant Chief Struss graduated from Shippensburg University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. She is the first female Assistant Chief in the history of the Allentown Police Department.

Daniel Wiedemann was promoted to Captain of Police Service Area I. Captain Wiedemann was hired in June 1996 and was assigned to the 1st Platoon. He worked various details before being promoted to Sergeant in 2005. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2014 and was assigned as the commanding officer of the 3rd Platoon.

Captain Wiedemann holds an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Camden County College and served 11 years in the United States Air Force.

Steve Vangelo was promoted to Captain of Police Service Area II. Captain Vangelo was hired by the Allentown Police Department in July 1997. He served in the Patrol Division for the majority of his tenure as a police officer. Captain Vangelo was promoted to Sergeant in December 2006 where he was assigned to the Night Shift Division and, later, the Vice and Intelligence Unit. In 2014, he was promoted to Lieutenant of the Night Shift, and was then assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division in January 2015.

Captain Vangelo is a graduate of Trenton State College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Law and Justice.

Richard London was promoted to Captain of Administration. Captain London joined the police department in February 1997. He was assigned to the Hamilton Mall as a bicycle officer, the Traffic Unit as a traffic enforcement officer and collision reconstructionist and as a detective assigned to the Lehigh County Insurance Fraud Task Force. In 2007, London was promoted to sergeant and worked as a shift supervisor for four years before being transferred to the Office of Professional Standards in 2011. He was promoted to Lieutenant of Administration in 2014.

Captain London is the Assistant Commander of the Crisis Negotiation Team, a member of the International Association of Internal Affairs Investigators and a Business Administration Major at the Wescoe School of Muhlenberg College.

The promotions to assistant chief and captain are the first for Chief Morris who was promoted in October of 2015.

“It is with great pride that I announce these promotions to complete my full administration,” said Chief Morris. “I have worked side-by-side with these officers over the years, and have seen their dedication, leadership skills and work ethic. They have earned the respect of the rank and file and the command staff, and I have full confidence in their ability to perform their duties.”

“I want to congratulate the veteran and newest members of the command staff on their promotions,” said Mayor Ed Pawlowski. “They have accumulated a great deal of experience over the years through varied positions in the department. They will do a fantastic job.”

Pawlowski said, “I also want to single out the chief for the hard work he has done since assuming command of the department. In addition to directing the department and continuing to keep our crime rate down, Chief Morris has been very busy over the past four months interviewing to fill department patrol vacancies and making sure that tests were conducted to be able to make promotions. He also organized the gift card giveaway in December that rewarded two deserving students from each of the 23 schools in the Allentown School District. He is having a positive impact on the department and in the community.”

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