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Human Interest - Falls Township

Grant Funds 1st Year of Falls Police Community Engagement Program

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Falls Township Police will be rolling out a new program that keeps 911 callers up to date on the status of their call via text message updates.

During Tuesday’s Falls Township Board of Supervisors’ work session, the governing body approved an agreement between Versaterm Public Safety US, Inc. and the Falls Twp. Police to implement an automated victim notification system to provide support for those impacted by or involved in the criminal justice process.

Through a grant from the Pennsylvania Community and Economic Assistance Program, the first year of the community engagement program will be fully funded. The funding covers all aspects of the project, including deployment, training, software integration and support services. There is no cost of participation for Falls Township.

Police Chief Nelson Whitney, II said he was “proud that we will be the first community in our area to get this amazing program.”

“The Community Connect program is an enhanced 911 program that will increase our engagement with citizens who call 911 for the police in Falls Township,” Whitney said.

“It can send automated text messages to citizens and keep them informed of our response to their calls for service.”

According to Versaterm, the software, which is available in all 50 states and Canada, sends more than 1 million monthly notifications to community members.

Versaterm’s software integrates with the police department’s computer-aided dispatch, records management system and case management system to automate 911 caller and crime victim updates.

“To help agencies avoid any communication gaps and potential delays, SPIDR Tech will send automatic notifications every time there is a change in the victim’s case,” the company said in its informational brochure. “Our platform helps integrate, automate, streamline agency communications and focus on victim care. Victims will feel empowered and informed due to having the autonomy on how they want their notifications (text, email, portal), whether they want to receive them and providing their feedback via customizable surveys.”

The system is also able to provide language translations.

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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Falls Twp. BOS Officially Welcomes All to Reimagined Municipal Building

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The Falls Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) held an open house, Monday evening, at the newly reimagined municipal building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours led by the board and Township Manager John Shepherd.

The public was in attendance along with the Twp. mascot -Archie-. Additionally,  Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, a former Falls Supervisor Chairman, former Falls Supervisors Jim Prokopiak and Phil Szupka were also in attendance.

Credit: Falls Township

Falls is a second-class township, but Harvie quipped of the building: “This is definitely a first-class township building.”

The building reflects the township’s past and accommodates its future growth. Construction started in October 2023 and continued through February 2026. Reconstruction and expansion maximized the available space to meet each department’s needs and accommodate future expansions, said a Falls Twp. official.

Credit: Falls Township

The BOS held their first meeting in the new municipal building on Monday, March 2 with Pennsbury’s JROTC and Men of Harmony welcoming the Supervisors and residents. 

The building now features brand-new mechanical, electrical, air conditioning, and plumbing systems. Energy-saving equipment and LED light fixtures have been installed throughout. This two-story, 61,056-square-foot building gives the police department more space by approximately 20 percent. It also features improvements to administration, code enforcement, fire marshal, finance, parks and recreation, police, clerks, tax collectors, and public works departments. It also features a transition from a public meeting room to a community room that can be used by residents and local groups. The municipal building also consists of shared conference rooms, incubator space for start-up businesses, support and amenity space. All municipal functions are conveniently located on the first floor, near the main entrance, for the convenience of seniors and other visitors with limited mobility. An elevator was installed to make accessing the second floor easier, authorities said.

Credit: Falls Township

This building is also more welcoming and easier to navigate, with an enhanced front vestibule and better signage, said an official.

The municipal building is located at 188 Lincoln Hwy in Fairless Hills.

Credit: Joanne Ames – Lower Bucks Source

 

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Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township

NJ Man Has Aggravated Assault Charges of Police Held Over for Trial

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A Millville, New Jersey man accused of stealing a vehicle and subsequently striking a Bensalem Police officer last year, when attempting to flee a traffic stop had all of his charges held over for trial at preliminary hearing last week.

Late last month Magisterial District Judge Michael W. Gallagher ruled there was enough evidence presented by the Commonwealth to sustain two felony counts of aggravated assault, felony fleeing, felony theft and related offenses filed against Devit Sanchez of New Jersey.

According to the probable cause, on Friday, August 8, 2025, Bensalem Township Police conducted a stolen vesicle investigation at the Sunoco Gas Station, located at 1432 Street Road,  The stolen vehicle was identified as a 2020 Acura ILX. white in color, bearing NIN97NMP, The vehicle is listed in NCIC as stolen out of Mount Laurel, NJ. Police were alerted to the stolen  vehicle traveling in the area of Bensalem Twp.

Police saw the stolen vehicle at the gas pumps of the Sunoco Station and a male entering the driver’s seat.

Officers pulled behind the stolen vehicle af the gas pumps and another Bensalem officer pulled in front of it, and the driver reversed the allegedly stolen vehicle rammed a patrol car causing the officer’s head to hit the interior roof.

Sanchez then fled the Sunoco Station at a high rate of speed traveling Eastbound on Street Rd. Bensalem officers pursued the vehicle that fled onto Northbound I-95 exceeding speeds of over 100 mph. The pursuit was eventually terminated and the vehicle got away.

Surveillance footage from the Sunoco Gas Station was obtained by the Bensalem Police, court records show.

Investigators circulated the video surveillance to other police agencies and to the public depicting the stolen vehicle and driver. Through investigation, a suspect was developed, identified as Sanchez, according to the probable cause.

On  October 7 , Police conducted an interview with Sanchez in which he allegedly admitted he was the driver of the stolen vehicle in this incident that hit an officer’s police car and fled.

An arrest warrant  was issued on January 27 for Sanchez and he was arrested on Feb. 2.

Sanchez remains in County Jail unable to post bond although a county judge reduced his his bail to half of the original set, to 10 percent of $100,000.00

He is scheduled for a formal arraignment in Doylestown on March 13 and is legally represented by the Bucks County Public Defender’s Office.

No trial date has been set as of publication time

 

 

 

 

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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Pig Iron’s Franklin’s Key Returns This Summer to Light Up Philly’s 250th

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Credit: Pig Iron Theatre Company

Celebrated for its jaw-dropping special effects, imaginative  stagecraft, bold costumes, and original score, Pig Iron Theatre Company’s Barrymore Award-winning  production Franklin’s Key returns this summer following last year’s breakout world premiere that  captivated audiences and critics alike.

Pig Iron remounts its hit sci-fi adventure June 11 to 28, 2026, at the intimate, 220-seat venue -Plays & Players Theatre- located at 1714 Delancey Street, Philadelphia.

Set across iconic Philadelphia landmarks and steeped in the city’s real scientific legacy, Franklin’s Key is  an ideal cultural experience as the nation celebrates the Semiquincentennial. The show transforms  Philadelphia’s history of invention, revolution, and curiosity into a thrilling live adventure, making it a  natural fit for theater lovers exploring the city during America’s 250th commemoration. Fans of The  Goonies, Stranger Things, Harry Potter, and National Treasure will enjoy the artistry and mystery of this  thrilling live, immersive stage production. Last year’s debut generated strong audience demand,  extensive press attention, and praise for its inventive storytelling and visual ingenuity. Broad Street Review called the show “visually mesmerizing,” highlighting its blend of history, science, and myth as “a  timely look at who wields power and knowledge.”

Co-Director Dan Rothenberg offers, “This love letter to Philadelphia brings together sci-fi fans, history  nerds, and science enthusiasts. We were so delighted to hear audiences say it was the one show that  they could bring grandparents and kids to, and nobody felt left out. While the show offers adventure and  humor that keeps younger audiences engaged, the intrigue of secret societies and a story rooted deeply  in Philadelphia’s culture is sure to fascinate audiences of all ages. Our goal is to offer everyone a wild ride  that makes history and science surprising and arresting and twisty.”

During the War of Independence, the British feared Benjamin Franklin could control the weather.  Franklin’s Key asks: What if that were true? A mystery unfolds for audiences in an alternate reality where  Franklin’s undiscovered technology has been hidden underneath some of Philadelphia’s most treasured  landmarks for centuries. Set in present-day Philadelphia, Franklin’s Key follows two teenage prodigies:  Temple (Jameka Monet Wilson), a self-taught scientist, and her brother Arturo (Alton Alburo), a gifted  musician. The two uncover an ancient mystery, setting off a chain of events that draws them into a secret  battle between rival factions seeking to harness the incredible yet volatile powers of Franklin’s long-lost  technology. Aided by a cast of misfit friends, Temple and Arturo traverse hidden tunnels under the city,  leading them from abandoned subway platforms to the iconic statue of William Penn atop City Hall and  the building-sized organ inside the old Wanamaker Department Store. With time running out, the team must navigate a labyrinth hidden underneath Philadelphia, evade powerful enemies, and unlock the  secrets Franklin left behind before his discoveries fall into the wrong hands.

Almost all of the original Barrymore Award–winning cast returns for Franklin’s Key, reuniting the  celebrated ensemble that first brought the production to life and earned widespread critical acclaim in  Philadelphia. Their return underscores the production’s impact and the continued collaboration at the  heart of Pig Iron’s work.

Franklin’s Key runs approximately two hours with a short intermission and is recommended for children  ages eight and up. Previews run from June 11 to 14, with an opening, invite-only performance set for  Monday, June 15, at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $45, with 20% discounts for patrons 18 and under or 65+, and group discounts are  available for parties of 10 or more. Click here to purchase tickets. To book a group of 10 or more  people, please email boxoffice@pigiron.org

Click here for more information.

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