Bensalem Woman Evicted on Valentines Day, Charged with Burglary & Stalking

Bucks County last month held a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the newly constructed Diversion, Assessment, Restoration and Treatment (DART) Center in Doylestown Township.

Expected to begin accepting residents this month, the 23,000 square-foot facility will serve adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use issues who are involved with the criminal justice system.

“We have wanted to do something about this problem – to get people diverted from the criminal justice system,” said Commissioner Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW. “But one piece of the puzzle was missing. It was this place.”

Through treatment and skill development, the Center will operate with the goals of diverting people from incarceration, reducing days of incarceration, reducing utilization of State institutions and reducing recidivism.

The DART Center houses three distinct tracks within this Residential Treatment Center for Adults:

• Short-Term Assessment and Stabilization – A safe transitional opportunity assessment and referral (up to eight individuals)
• Restoration of Competency Unit – For individuals involved in the criminal justice system who have been deemed Incompetent to Stand Trial (up to four individuals)
• Community Integration – A space for individuals in need of treatment and daily living skill development to support movement to more independent living in the community (up to 16 individuals)

At full capacity, the DART can simultaneously serve up to 28 people.

Bucks County has hired the GEO Group to manage day-to-day operations at the DART Center, with oversight from Bucks County BH/DP.

“Right now, there’s a person, maybe more than one, who doesn’t even know that the DART Center exists. They are somewhere hard, in a cell somewhere, trying to get through another day [in a world] that has told them they’re too complicated to help,” said Dr. Mathew Abraham, Senior Director of Treatment and Program Development for GEO. “That person is going to find their way here, and when they do, they will walk through a door that says, ‘we see you, you are worth all of this.’”

Located on the grounds of the former Women’s Community Corrections Center, construction on the DART began in late 2023.

Credit: Submitted

The total projected cost to build the facility is about $19.8 million. The County has paid for the construction with a combination of mostly federal and state funds, with about $1.8 million coming from the County’s General Fund.

“Today marks an important milestone for Bucks County, because we are not simply opening a building,” said General Services Director Bernard Griggs. “We are opening a pathway to a more compassionate, affective approach to mental health and criminal justice.

General contracting work on the project was performed by Magnum, Inc., with architecture services by USA Architects, engineering by Carroll Engineering and Windward, electrical work by the Farfield Company, mechanical services by Integrity Mechanical, Inc., plumbing services by Vision Mechanical, fire protection work by Guy M. Cooper Mechanical and construction management by Jingoli.

Commissioner Vice Chair Bob Harvie, speaking  to a crowd of County officials and community stakeholders gathered to mark the DART’s opening, reflected on the questions that drove the facility’s planning years before its construction.

“What could we do on this spot that could make a difference?” he said. “What can we do on this spot that has meaning for people who really need help at a time that might be the lowest in their lives, that serves a purpose, and helps law enforcement and the criminal justice system appropriately handle people who shouldn’t be in a prison, but end up there because there is nowhere else to go?”

The DART Center is just the latest effort by the County to improve mental health services for Bucks County residents, especially those whose illness brings them into contact with the criminal justice system.

One ongoing effort is the award-winning Human Services Co-Responders Program, which embeds social workers in police departments to assist officers when encountering people in need of social services. Since launching in 2020 with the Bensalem Police Department, the program has expanded to serve more than two dozen police departments countywide.

In partnership with the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas, the County has also established specialized court programs to address the unique needs of qualifying offenders, including Recovery Court, Wellness Court and Veterans Treatment Court. These programs have been nationally recognized and are instructive for similar programs across the country.

PHOTO: Jeff Contino, Director of the Diversion, Assessment, Restoration and Treatment (DART) Center, on Feb. 25, 2026, leads Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan, Sheriff Danny Ceisler, Prothonotary Donna Petrecco and others in a tour of the newly completed facility. Credit: Submitted

Bristol Twp Police Reports – March 3 to March 8 2026

Arrest 3-3-26, 2005 hours, Beaver Dam Road, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on a Bench Warrant out of Philadelphia and remanded to the Philadelphia Detention Center. Julien Freeman Fleetwing Drive Levittown, P

Arrest 3-4-26, 0608 hours, Tower Road, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on a Bench Warrant out of Bucks County and released to the Sheriff’s. Danielle E Grbas No Fixed Address

Arrest 3-4-26, 1116 hours, Ford Road, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on the charge of Criminal Trespass.  The subject was processed and arraigned by Judge Wagner.  Bail was set at $25,000/10% and released to the Constables. Craig C O’Connor Trenton Road Fairless Hills, Pa

Arrest 3-4-26, 1623 hours, Stonybrook Drive, Levittown, Pa. The below subject was arrested on the charge of a PFA Violation.  The subject was processed and arraigned by Judge Wertman.  Bail was set at $50,000/10% and released to the Constables. Lorrie Gadsby Stonybrook Drive Levittown, Pa

Arrest 3-4-26, 2106 hours, Foster Avenue Circle, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on the charges of Simple Assault and harassment.  The subject was processed and arraigned by Judge Galloway.  Bail was set at $5,000/10% and released to the Constables. Cashmeir Raniya Harris Foster Avenue Circle Bristol, Pa

Arrest 3-6-26, 0440 hours, Bath Road, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on a Local Warrant out of Bristol Township.  The subject was processed and arraigned by Judge Hughes.  Bail was set at $50,000/10% and remanded to BCP. Khalid Stubbs Cottman Avenue Philadelphia, Pa

Arrest 3-6-26, 1428 hours, Veterans Highway, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on a Bench Warrant out of Bucks County and released to the Sheriff’s. John Earl Cipollone Prospect Avenue Croydon, Pa

Arrest 3-6-26, 2251 hours, Newport Road, Bristol, Pa. The below subject was arrested on the charge of Defiant Trespass.  The subject was processed and arraigned by Judge O’Neil.  Bail was set at $10,000/10% and remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility. Kelly Lynn Minner Dunksferry Road Bensalem, Pa

Theft: Retail 3-3-26, 0918 hours, State Road, Croydon, Pa. On 3-3-26 at approximately 0915 hours an unknown subject removed several items passing all points of sale.  The estimated value is $17.00.

Theft 3-3-26, 1549 hours, Ford Road, Bristol, Pa. On 3-2-26 at approximately 1950 hours an unknown subject removed several items from three storage units.  No value given.

Theft 3-8-26, 1413 hours, Plymouth Avenue, Bristol, Pa. Sometime overnight an unknown subject removed a 1995 Mercedes.  No value given.

Bristol Borough Fire Chief Herb Slack on Tuesday morning released the following statement on last nights Dorrance Street Fire.

It’s only been edited for style:

Credit: Submitted

Credit: Joe Nelson