The Amity Police Department officially promoted Officer John Coe to corporal on Jan. 3.
Coe’s promotion was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors at their Dec. 21 meeting, and effective Dec. 25.
“My job is to put people into place that will run the police department well in my absence,” said Amity Police Chief Andrew J. Kensey about Coe’s appointment.
“We recently promoted to sergeant, and I am confident in this appointment,” said Kensey.
He said Coe is fair and impartial, and an excellent choice for the position, after scoring high on the police written exam.
Police Detective Jeffrey Smith was promoted to sergeant on Oct. 5.
Kensey said Coe started working for the Amity Police Department in 2009, after working for the Berks County Sherriff’s Department.
Coe also serves with the Berks County Emergency Response Team (BCERT).
He is a Marine Corps combat veteran and received the Purple Heart.
The police written exam was also to be administered on Jan. 5 to 22 applicants for the department’s new, full time police officer position.
Kensey said the police department was proud to participate in an anonymously given, Secret Santa experience on Dec. 22, for a local family.
“The parents had fallen on hard times from a job loss,” said Kensey, adding, “there should be more people like this in the world.”
The Board of Supervisors conducted its annual reorganization on Jan. 3, unanimously reappointing Kimberly J. McGrath as board chairperson.
Supervisor David Hackett was unanimously appointed vice chairman.
McGrath and Supervisor Richard L. Gokey were absent from the meeting.
The board met in executive session to discuss ongoing negotiations regarding the union’s collective bargaining agreement, which expired Dec. 31.
Board members approved resolution 16-29 on Dec. 21, establishing non-union 2017 salaries at the contractual three percent annual increase.
