A longtime Salisbury Township Police Department officer was honored at the July 24 Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners meeting.

Cpl. Kevin Kress is retiring after 20 years with the Salisbury Police Department.

Kress and his wife, Carol attended the July 24 township meeting.

“I’ll probably relax for a few months. There’s plenty to do at the house,” Kress told a reporter for The Press of his retirement plans.

Before his employment in Salisbury, Kress was a Lehigh University police officer for 15 years.

Kress was presented with a framed proclamation and a retirement badge.

Salisbury commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to approve the resolution honoring Kress for his 20 years of service with the Salisbury Police Department. Kress’s retirement was effective July 7.

The resolution states, in part, the commissioners express their appreciation for Kress’s years of service to the township and its citizens.

“Corporal Kress, driven by a desire to protect and serve, graduated from the Allentown Police Academy in 1990 and dedicated 35 years of his life to law enforcement in service to the Lehigh Valley community, including time at Lehigh University and spending 20 years with the Salisbury Township Police Department.”

The resolution notes Kress’s achievements, including serving as community resource officer, D.A.R.E. instructor, public information officer and detective, “all positions vital in building relationships with the community and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.”

Kress received numerous awards during his career, the resolution states, including a Life Saving Award and Top Gun Traffic Safety Award; completing the FBI Leadership Trilogy courses, and “becoming a respected and instrumental leader within the department.”

The resolution states “Corporal Kress’s unwavering dedication, sharp sense of humor and extensive knowledge has been a cornerstone of the Salisbury Police Department’s operations and culture and will be deeply missed.”

The resolution concludes that “the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Salisbury, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, along with the staff and citizens of the township extend their appreciation and best wishes to Cpl. Kevin Kress for a long, fulfilling and well-deserved retirement.”