Township
Manager Robert Zienkowski has appointed John P. Slavin as Chief of Police,
contingent upon Board approval. This appointment
will be brought to the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, July 20, for
consideration and confirmation.
“I am very proud to have been a part of this
Department for the past 30+ years and to have the opportunity to lead this
well-respected and accredited agency as Chief! I work with a group of dedicated men and women who work hard to
safeguard this community every day. I am
proud of the
accomplishments we have achieved here in recent years, especially attaining our
third Re-Accreditation with the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. We
will continue to strive to improve and to follow the best practices in the
police profession,” Slavin said.
Chief
Slavin has worked in Law Enforcement for the past 37 years, starting his career
as a Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff. Prior to being hired in Cheltenham
in July 1989, he had also worked as a Police Officer with the Rockledge Borough
Police Department. While he has spent a
large portion of his career as a patrol officer, he has also worked in a
variety of specialized assignments and ranks. His favorite assignment as
a Police Officer was his 18 years as a K9 handler, working with two separate
canine partners and becoming one of the Department's first specially trained K9
narcotics detection teams.
Throughout his career, Slavin has pursued degree
programs and specialized training to prepare for the challenges involved with
command level leadership. He earned his
Associate’s Degree from Montgomery County Community College and Bachelor’s
Degree in Criminal Justice from LaSalle University, followed by a Master’s
Degree in Public Safety Administration from Saint Joseph’s University in 2001. In addition, he is proud to be a graduate of
the FBI LEEDA Executive Development Course, Northwestern University School of
Police Staff and Command Training, and most recently, the prestigious FBI
National Academy in 2020.
Slavin was promoted to the rank of Corporal in 2004,
and Sergeant in 2006, shortly after which he was assigned to lead the Community
Policing Unit (CPU). In that role, he spent 10 years developing relationships
and programs designed to bring the police and community together in a positive
manner—efforts which he looks to build upon during his time as Chief. “My time in CPU had a tremendous impact on
me, my career development, and gaining the skills and experience necessary to
effectively lead this organization,” Slavin said.
He led the CPU until his promotion to Lieutenant in
2015. He then served as the Commanding
Officer for each division in the Department: Administrative Services,
Detective, Patrol, and Professional Standards and Training, before being appointed
Acting Chief of Police in fall 2021. Chief
Slavin said these experiences all molded him into a well-rounded and
experienced Police Administrator.
"In
my role as Chief, I will continue to build a strong partnership with our
community and to increase our level of positive community engagement with
residents. I am committed to improving our services with a community
policing approach and to advancing professionalism in our ranks. I look forward
to working with our Board of Commissioners, our residents, our Officers, and
staff in identifying community-directed priorities and concerns and developing
effective solutions. I am grateful for this opportunity to lead and look
forward to advancing the mission and standing of the Cheltenham Police
Department moving
forward!”