Mayor Ed Pawlowski is nominating interim Chief of Police Keith Morris for the job on a permanent basis.
Morris was sworn-in as interim chief last October to replace Chief Joel Fitzgerald, who was appointed chief of police in Fort Worth, Texas.
Chief Morris joined the department in 1997 and rose through the ranks before being promoted to Assistant Chief in December 2013. Morris was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in May 2007. He accepted the position of Assistant Hostage Negotiation Team Commander in December 2007. Morris assumed command of the Youth Division in December 2007. He was promoted to captain in January 2011 and began heading-up CID in September 2013. In 2013, Morris was named commander of the Hostage Negotiation Team and Director of Training of the Gerald M. Monahan Sr. Police Academy.
“Keith has done a fabulous job since taking command of the department,” said Pawlowski. “He has increased the visibility of the department and is working enthusiastically to cement the relationship between the department and the community. At the same time, the city’s crime rate has continued to improve under his leadership. He has earned the title.”
“I am honored that Mayor Pawlowski has been satisfied with my work and has chosen to officially nominate me for the position,” Morris said. “The first year has been marked by numerous successes and accomplishments, none of which would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the members of the Allentown Police Department. We have worked diligently to reach our full complement of officers, strived for diversity amongst our ranks, stressed the importance of police – community relations, and expanded our use of technology not only as a force-multiplier, but as a training implement as well. There is still a lot of work to do though, and I look forward to the continued challenge.”
Chief Morris holds a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from DeSales University. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the US Department of Justice FBI National Academy.
Chief Morris’ nomination must be confirmed by City Council.
--30--