Falls Twp. Beefs Up Police Force, Hiring 5

FALLS TOWNSHIP, PA — Falls Township officially hired five new police officers Tuesday night, marking the department's biggest hiring spree since 1979.

Township supervisors unanimously approved the hiring of Daniel Matkowski, Michael Collins, Matthew Shannon, Robert Goodwin and Michael Mraw.

"The search has been on for a couple years now," supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said prior to the swearing in of three of the five officers.

With the new officers, the Falls Township Police Department has 55 sworn officers.

Matkowski, a Philadelphia County native, graduated from Central High School in Brooksville, Fla. in 2009. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2010 and graduated from Temple University with a business degree in 2019. A cadet at Temple University Police Academy, he will graduate on March 13 and will begin a two-week processing with the police department for firearms and tactical training.

From there, he will begin a 14-week field training officer program, according to Lt. Nelson Whitney.

Collins graduated from Abington High School in 2012. He graduated from Penn State Abington with a degree in Administration of Justice. He holds the rank of First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and is the executive officer at the U.S. Army recruiting station in Pittsburgh.

He will attend Temple University Police Academy this spring and will begin his two-week processing and subsequent 14-week field training following his November graduation.

Shannon graduated from Upper Merion Area High School. He attended West Chester University and graduated from Montgomery County Community College Police Academy in 2015. He has worked as a police officer at the East Norriton Township Police Department since 2016. His work with the Falls Township Police Department will begin on Feb. 19 with the two-week processing and 14-week field training.

Goodwin graduated from Bensalem High School in 2014. He graduated from Penn State Abington with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He graduated from the Philadelphia Police Academy in 2019 and has been employed as a Philadelphia police officer since 2019.

He will begin work with the Falls Township Police Department on Feb. 19 with the two-week processing and 14-week field training.

Mraw, a native of Hamilton, N.J., graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree and is enrolled in a master’s program. He served in the Army National Guard and rose to the rank of First Lieutenant. Mraw has worked for the last four and a half years as a police officer in Hollywood, Fla.

"This is the most officers we’ve had sworn in since 1979," Police Chief William Wilcox said. "This certainly helps us, and it looks like we have a fine crop of candidates.”

Supervisors Vice Chairman Jeff Boraski said the board and police are "looking forward and looking
ahead" to have replacements in place as long-time officers plan retirement in the coming years.

Additional officers could be hired this year if current active duty police officers retire, Whitney said.