Despite Some Discord, Longtime Bristol Twp. Officer Fills Lieutenant Position

There is discord among the ranks of the Bristol Township Police Department after a longtime sergeant was promoted to the rank of lieutenant Wednesday evening.

In advance of the Bristol Township Council meeting Wednesday, township officials sent out a press release announcing that Sgt. Ralph Johnson would be promoted from the role of acting to lieutenant to full-time lieutenant. His appointment was to fill a command position left vacant after former Lt. Guy Sava retired in 2015.

Johnson, a Bristol Township resident and the department spokesman, will head up the patrol division and joins Lt. John Godzieba, who handles administrative services, and Lt. Terry Hughes, who handles the detective unit.

Johnson was sworn in on a bible with his son and Public Safety Director Robert Coulton standing nearby.

According to sources inside the department and comments made by council members, the discourse stems from the fact Johnson, who previously served as acting chief, scored in third place on the Civil Service Commission test for the lieutenant position. On the same test, Sgt. Chuck Burns and Sgt. Montgomery Moore scored higher than him. A Civil Service Commission member told LevittownNow.com the score difference between the three lawmen was not much different.

“Chuck should have been selected for the job. He scored highest, and the township has hired the first on the (Civil Service) list for as long as anyone can remember,” an anonymous officer said in a communication to LevittownNow.com.

The township legally is in the clear to hire Johnson as he came in the top three highest scoring individuals who took the civil service test. The Rule Of Three allows municipal officials to have some choice between the top scoring officers when deciding on promotions.

Burns and his wife were in attendance at the beginning of the meeting, with Burns leaving a few minutes after it started.

Johnson’s family attended the meeting but no other officers were in attendance, a rarity among police command promotion ceremonies in Lower Bucks County. In addition, Falls Township District Judge Jan Vislosky swore in Johnson.

A number of the members of the police force, which has seen its fair share of controversies and clashes with township management over the years, supported Burns being appointed due to the fact he scored the highest of all the applicants, officers said.

Burns, a military veteran and head of the township’s Traffic Safety Unit, and Johnson are both well respected in the community and have served on the department for many years. Johnson, a 30-year officer, has led area town watches, handled the fatal traffic investigation unit and was a member of the narcotics and vice enforcement units. In addition, Johnson has also worked as Bristol Township’s representative on a federal drug task force before being called back to the township.

“Ralph has done an excellent job at every level he has served the department,” Coulton said.

Bristol Township Councilman Patrick Antonello raised concerns following the appointment that he was the police liaison for council and Township Manager Bill McCauley wouldn’t tell him who he planned to hire for the position until Wednesday. He called McCauley’s emailed response that the matter was a “personnel matter” and refusal to answer the “height of unprofessional.”

McCauley rebutted by stating that Antonello just didn’t like his choice for lieutenant.

“Ralph Johnson is a great officer and has done great, “Antonello said. “Chuck Burns is a fine officer as well.”

During the exchange, Council President Craig Bowen alleged that police officers followed him outside his home.

Antonello finished by calling for  more transparency in Bristol Township government.