The Falls Township Police Department is inching closer to a full roster.
During Monday night’s Falls Supervisors meeting, the board voted unanimously to hire two new police officers, Peter Lees Jr., and Brendan Sheehy.
Lees, a resident of Trevose, had been employed as a Utility Technician by United States Steel in Falls Township, since 2020. He has a bachelor’s degree in art history from Pennsylvania State University. In 2021 Lees joined the U.S. Army National Guard and holds the rank of Sergeant in a Military Police Unit. Along with recent June hire, Sean Perry, Lees was recently deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Prior to his work at U.S. Steel, Lees had worked as a schoolteacher for five years.
Sheehy, of Middletown Township, has been employed as the general manager of the Fairless Hills Garden Center for the last six years. He is a loyal and trusted employee who started at the age of 16 putting mulch in customers’ cars before rising to becoming the general manager of one of Falls Township's busiest and most successful local businesses. Sheehy comes from a law enforcement family, as his father, Michael Sheehy, is a veteran Bensalem Township police officer.
When asked by a resident about several recent police department additions, Supervisor Vice Chairperson Erin Mullen said the new hires were needed because “we’re not at capacity.”
Falls Police Lt. Christopher Clark said a full roster encompasses 53 officers. The department currently employs less than 50 officers. He said the hiring of Lees and Sheehy is meant to fill open vacancies due to retirements.
Both newly hired officers will be participating in an orientation phase after which they will engage in ride alongs and training opportunities before beginning the Temple Police Academy on Oct. 7.
