The Falls Supervisors approved the hiring of a new police officer at their first meeting of 2025 and discussed plans to launch their own testing process for the department.
Zach Sherman, a Bensalem resident and eight-year U.S. Army National Guard veteran, was unanimously approved by the board on Monday.
He was recently hired by the Philadelphia Police Department and began attending their academy in December, 2024.
“Prior to being hired by the Philadelphia Police Department Sherman was a Corrections Officer with the Bucks County Department of Corrections, where he most previously held the rank of Administrative Lieutenant.
Sherman served eight years in the US Army National Guard and holds an Associate Degree in Police Administration from Bucks County Community College.
He begins the Delaware County Community College Police Academy Monday, January 13.
As well as his associate’s degree in police administration from Bucks County Community College, Sherman holds academic credits from Temple University and Holy Family University and graduated from the Philadelphia Police Department’s academy last month.
Supervisor Jeff Boraski said that other municipalities have their own testing process for onboarding police officers and Falls should also.
“We want to hire the best of the best,” Boraski said. “As a board we can do better for our residents and start running our own process.”
“I agree,” Chairman Jeff Erin Mullen, the board’s vice chair, said that none of the board members objected to changing the hiring process.
In Abington and Plymouth townships, officials said police departments received several hundred applications for openings.
Officials said they will work to refine the police hiring process.
Interim President of the Police Association of Falls Township Sgt Steve Reeves applauded the planned move.
“All options of hiring qualified individuals should be assessed. Running your own test has shown to provide a better pool of candidates. We commend the Board of Supervisors and police administration for taking these steps.”
