Falls Twp. Names New Police Chief

A longtime Falls Township police officer has been picked to lead the department.

The Falls Township Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously Monday evening at their virtual meeting to hire Lt. Nelson Whitney to replace Chief William Wilcox, who will be retiring by the end of the year. Nelson, an officer since August 1988, will earn $155,000 per year in his new role.

Whitney was among the first group of Falls Township officers to be cross-trained as an emergency medical technician to provide life-saving, pre-hospital care to residents. He served as an investigator in the cold case homicide unit, detective, supervisor in the detective division, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2013. In his time as lieutenant, he oversaw the detective unit and currently oversees the patrol division. 

“As lieutenant, Whitney instituted a program of data-driven, proactive policing to help address community issues related to drug abuse and traffic crashes. He also developed a training profile for new patrol officers emphasizing proactive patrol and increased training of patrol officers in responding to active shooter incidents,” the township released in a statement. 

Whitney has served as an instructor for the Falls Township Police Department Youth Police Academy, Falls Township Police Department Citizens Police Academy, the Bucks County Police Training Center, and Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) of Bucks County. He has also spoken before a number of school groups. 

Over his career, he has received numerous awards for his response to various incidents, including for the cold case of Terry Brooks, barricaded subjects, and life-saving efforts. 

In January 1995, Whitney was involved in an on-duty wreck where he crashed into a car driven by Louise Gribowich, 54, of Falls Township, at the intersection of Lincoln Highway and North Olds Boulevard when he was speeding back to the police station. The woman’s Ford compact car was determined to have turned into Whitney’s lane of travel, but he was also speeding, an investigation found. After a headline-grabbing dispute involving his discipline, Whitney was reinstated onto the force, according to articles published at the time by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Wilcox served as chief since October 2007. He began with the police department in July 1973 and earns $$149,492.72 per year.

The Supervisors accepted his separation agreement during the May meeting and said his last day of work was undecided, but that he would be retired by the end of 2020. 

Starting September 1, Whitney will serve as acting chief until officially being named chief on January 2021.

The agreement with Wilcox included a cash severance, extended health benefits, life insurance, and a payout for his sick time. The full details of the deal and payout amounts were not released.

To search for Wilcox’s replacement, the township worked with the Police Chiefs Association from Montgomery County, which had three members recommended Whitney for the job of the township’s top cop, Supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said.

“We look forward to working with him,” Dence said of Whitney, who already is recognizable in the community.  

“It has been an honor serving the community of Falls Township as a police officer for the last 32 years,” Whitney said. “I look forward to the challenges of this new position and thank the Board for their confidence in me. We have excellent officers in the Falls Township Police Department, and I am proud to serve with them.”

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