By SARIT LASCHINSKY

Special to The Press

During the general business portion of the Jan. 4 Upper Macungie supervisors’ meeting, Police Chief Michael Sitoski conducted a badge ceremony and promotion announcement for one officer.

He also introduced two new members of the police force.

Lt. Cory Reader was promoted to the Patrol Division Commander position, which was previously vacated by Sitoski’s upon his promotion to chief.

The decision had been approved by supervisors at their December 2020 meeting.

A native of Elysburg, Reader earned his Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from East Stroudsburg University, and his Act 120 certification from Harrisburg Community College in 2001.

He began his law enforcement career in 2001 with the former Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department, advancing through the ranks of patrolman and corporal until joining Upper Macungie as a sergeant with the traffic division in 2012.

Reader was certified as a drug recognition expert in 2013 and, shortly thereafter, was also certified as a drug recognition expert.

In 2019, he became commander of the newly-formed Lehigh County Crash Reconstruction Task Force through the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.

Sitoski said the badge pinning ceremony was a long-standing law enforcement tradition which is done twice in an officer’s career - once upon graduation from the police academy, and the second upon being promoted.

Reader’s wife and daughters were invited to pin on his police badge, and Sitoski presented the new Patrol Division Commander with his certificate of promotion to enthusiastic applause.

“I look forward with the command staff in moving forward as we serve the community and the township,” Reader said.

Additionally, Sitoski welcomed new Upper Macungie Patrol Officers Anna Kahn and Julia Poapst to fill two vacancies within the department.

He noted their selection came after a rigorous testing process including written examinations, physical and psychological evacuations, background checks and polygraph tests.

Kahn, a 2016 graduate of Quakertown High School, earned her Associate degree in criminal justice from Bucks County Community College in 2018.

She completed her Act 120 certification from Montgomery County Community College in 2019.

Kahn worked full time at the Lafayette College Department of Public Safety, and part time with the Newtown Borough Police Department before joining Upper Macungie.

Poapst graduated in 2015 from Pennsbury High School, Bucks County; earned her Associate degree in criminal justice from Bucks County Community College, and a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California University of Pennsylvania.

She completed her Act 120 certification in 2020 from Montgomery County Community College.

The Upper Macungie Township Police Department is her first career in law enforcement.

Sitoski said both officers had taken their oath of office Dec. 22, 2020, in front of Magisterial District Judge Michael Faulkner, where they “swore to support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the laws of Pennsylvania and Upper Macungie Township, and that they will discharge their duties of office with fidelity.”

Kahn and Poapst’s families were then invited to pin on each officer’s police badge.

“These people will be the most important in the officers’ lives,” Sitoski said. “We are very excited to have Officer Poapst and Officer Kahn as part of our family.”