Schwenksville Man Among 36 Cadets Graduating From Montco Academy

SCHWENKSVILLE, PA — Thirty-six new police officers, part of Class 1702, graduated from Montgomery County Community's College's Municipal Police Academy on Wednesday night, the school announced. A Schwenksville man was among them.

Before the ceremony, which was held in Blue Bell at the College's Science Center Theater, a moment of silence was held for the Lukens family in the wake of the tragic fire on Wednesday morning that took the lives of two young children. Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputy Bryan Lukens, their father, graduated from the Academy in 2012, the school said.

"You will be the calm before the storm, the voice of reason and the authority that makes things better," North Coventry Township Police Chief Robert Schurr, who has been teaching at the Academy for nearly 18 years, told students during the ceremony.

MCCC President Kevin Pollock, Montgomery County Commissioner Chair Valerie A. Arkoosh, and County Commissioner Joseph Gale were all on hand for the ceremony.

The class was lead by valedictorian Alexander Pratt, who held an average of 97.6 throughout the program, according to the school.

For their service project, Class 1702 raised $3,000 for Abington Township's Officer Bryan Rickards, who is a 1997 graduate of the Academy and is battling Lou Gehrig's Disease.

The Academy, which awards an associate's degree in Criminal Justice, has trained more than 3,500 cadets since its establishment in 1973.

Graduates include Michael Archutowski, Montgomeryville; Ryan Crescenzo, Holland; Layla Cruz, Macungie; Christopher Daly, Chesterbrook; Felicia DelliGatti, Collegeville; Kyle Gallen, New Britain; Daniel Gilbert, Upper Darby; Stephen Hickey, Chesterbrook; Tyler Jaworowski, Norristown; Samantha Kaisinger, Langhorne; Sarah Kallatch, Perkasie; Sean Kelly, Horsham; Matthew Kopenits, Langhorne; Connor Kreston, Horsham; John-Michael Laraio, Douglassville; Tyler McGuigan, Limerick; Keith McKay, Harleysville; Alexis Miller, Spring City; Benjamin Moller, Warrington; Evan Nafziger, Pottstown; Shea Nolan, Plymouth Meeting; John O'Brien, Conshohocken; Matthew Oliver, Harleysville; Morgan Pfaff, Wyncote; Alexander Pratt, Ambler; Thomas Reinhardt, Quakertown; Thomas Rolon, Lansdale; Thomas Schiliro, King of Prussia; Veronica Schimpf, Worcester; Ryan Sloan, Pottstown; Nathaniel Smyrl, Hatfield; Michael Tantorno, Richlandtown; Nicholas Vuotto, King of Prussia; Zachary Wedemeyer, Schwenksville; Alexander Weldie, Trevose; and Lee Yochum, Hatboro.

Images via Lou Ligouri