Police Chief Kelly Says Goodbye To Yardley

YARDLEY, PA —In a letter of resignation, Police Chief Joseph Kelly III bid goodbye to the borough on Tuesday night.

"After a rewarding career, it is time for me to step down, reflect on the countless advancements of the last decade, and begin what is sure to be the final chapter of my lifelong law enforcement career," said Kelly, whose resignation was accepted at Tuesday's Borough Council meeting.

Lower Makefield Township Supervisors are expected to approve Kelly's appointment Wednesday night as its next police chief.

Kelly addressed his letter to Yardley Borough Council President Caroline Thompson and Mayor Chris Yarding. Thompson has announced that she will run for mayor to replace Harding, who is not seeking re-election.

"During my tenure with the Yardley Borough Police Department, I’ve had the distinct honor of working with and mentoring an outstanding team, and together we’ve made meaningful contributions to both the safety of our community and the effectiveness of the department," said Kelly, who submitted his LEOSA retirement (non-economic) from the Yardley Borough Police Department.

Kelly's departure goes into effect on March 31.

Kelly touted some of his accomplishments as police chief:

• Fiscal Responsibility: We consistently operated within budget allocations for the entirety of my tenure, ensuring the financial health of the department while maintaining safe and efficient operations. Year after year we were able to provide professional services at one of the lowest costs per officer in Bucks County.
• Community Outreach & Engagement: In our tenure, we expanded numerous community policing and outreach efforts, including programs such as Coffee with the Chief, Cone with a Cop, Petal it Forward, Bag for Hunger, and Shop with a Cop. These initiatives, along with our social media platforms, helped strengthen our relationship with residents and created a more transparent and approachable police presence.
• Officer Retention and Department Growth: With the assistance of the Borough Council, we transitioned the department from a part-time model to a true full-time force, improving public safety through supervision and continuity.
• Diversity in Recruitment: Through intentional recruitment efforts, we increased diversity, welcoming officers of various races and gender to our ranks, enriching the department, and enhancing our connection to the community.
• Partnerships & Collaboration: We established critical public-private partnerships that added police officers at no cost to taxpayers. We added equipment and materials via donations and grants at no cost to the municipal taxpayers as well. We also partnered with local agencies, such as the Bucks County Major Incident Response Team and the South-Central Emergency Response (SWAT) Team, ensuring a high level of readiness for large-scale emergencies.
• Training & Development: We made substantial strides in providing continuous professional development for our officers, including specialized training in areas like crisis intervention, defensive tactics, FBI crime scene investigation, TEEX incident command, Northwestern University police command, active shooter, and incident response to terrorist bombings. We also worked to expand low and no-cost training opportunities through grants.
• New Initiatives: Launched were several new programs and initiatives, such as the Auxiliary Police Program, the Police Chaplain Program, the Police ‘Ride Along’, and the College Intern Program, all of which fostered community support, trust, and transparency.
• Department Enhancements: We led efforts to modernize and enhance our police vehicles, equipment, and facilities, including the acquisition of body-worn cameras, a police motorcycle, automated license plate readers (ALPRs), and improved security systems for the Police Headquarters. We also successfully secured funding for bullet-resistant glass, which further strengthened our security measures.
• Operational Excellence: We achieved significant improvements in policy updates, training programs, and response procedures. These included comprehensive updates to our operating policies, expansion of social media outreach, and the integration of the National Incident Command System to enhance event management.

"Throughout all these team-built accomplishments, what I valued the most was the opportunity to
work alongside and for dedicated men and women who share the same vision and mission of
serving our community; a vision centered on integrity, loyalty, courage, and respect," Kelly said. "As I
transition into my last policing chapter, I am confident that the Borough will continue to thrive,
and I look forward to witnessing this success in the coming years."

Kelly thanked Borough Manager Paula Johnson, past and present council members, the borough's staff, police officers, auxiliary officers, chaplains, and the community and businesses for their "unwavering support" during his tenure.

"You gave me, a man with a strange northern New Jersey accent a chance. Since that day we have worked together, laughed together, worried together, celebrated together, grieved together, and over time, we have been blessed to blur the lines between colleagues and family," Kelly said. "It has been a privilege to serve as part of such an extraordinary team, and I will forever carry the memories of our collective efforts to ensure a safer Yardley."

Kelly offered the borough his services during and after the transition period to ensure a "smooth and seamless" handover of his police chief responsibilities.