Two Abington Officers Were Promoted; One Is the First Black Officer Ever Made Lieutenant

ABINGTON, PA — The Abington Township Police Department on Friday morning held a swearing-in ceremony for two of its officers who were recently elevated in rank.

Promoted were Joseph Blei and Drew Kent, both veteran Abington officers who were named the department's newest lieutenants.

The department said that Kent is the first Black officer in the history of the suburban department to achieve the rank of lieutenant.

The two officers were sworn into their new positions by Magisterial District Judge Juanita Price.

Abington Township Police Chief Pat Molloy said both men had completed a very competitive civil service promotional process during which they each spent countless hours preparing for a written exam, underwent a panel interview and made individual presentations.

Blei, Molloy stated, was the first officer to ever finish his written exam with a 99 percent score.

Kent, meanwhile, is being recognized as the first Black Abington officer to ever be promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

Kent, who was elevated from the rank of sergeant, previously served in the Philadelphia Police Department before being hired by Abington 13 years ago.

"While Drew has received a number of awards and commendations throughout his career, he is one of only a few in the Department's history who earned the Abington Police Medal of Honor for his extraordinary efforts back in March of 2018, where his courageous and decisive actions stopped a violent felon and saved the lives of multiple victims suffering from stab wounds," Molloy said in prepared remarks. "Sgt. Kent and all of the officers on scene that day did an extraordinary job, and much of that was clearly attributed to Drew's commitment to officer safety, roll call training on tactics, and leadership."

Molloy noted that Kent's actions in that case led to him and his team members receiving the prestigious "Bravery Award" from the Citizens Crime Commission.

"Please join me in congratulating the newest member of our Command Staff and the first black Commander/Lieutenant in Abington's history," Molloy stated. "There is no doubt that Drew will serve as a role model to so many others who aspire, not only to be police officers, but those who will lead police organizations in the future."

Kent is married to an elementary school teacher at Rydal Elementary in the Abington School District.

Blei, the other new lieutenant, is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served two tours of duty in Iraq before joining the Abington Police Department, according to a bio provided by the chief.

Molloy said that as he was preparing Blei's bio for the community and the press, he stumbled upon the fact that Blei had been a recipient of the Purple Heart for his bravery while serving overseas, something that the chief said Blei had never before mentioned, and which "illustrated Joe's humility ... and his indicative of the character of so many United States military veterans who served and sacrificed so much for us and this great nation."

Since he has been employed at the Abington Police Department, Blei has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, D.A.R.E. officer, patrol division sergeant, detective sergeant, field training officer program supervisor, master Taser and firearms instructor and more.

Blei is married with three children.

The Abington Township Police Department has just over 90 sworn officers, making it one of the larger Montgomery County suburban police departments.