Lower Providence Welcomes New Police Sergeant

In a well-attended ceremony, William Hopkins was promoted to the rank of sergeant for the Lower Providence Township Police Department at the Nov. 15 township board of supervisors meeting.

Board chairman Richard Brown read aloud Hopkins’ career highlights and achievements.

Hopkins is a 1994 graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School, where he was president of the student council his senior year. He received his bachelor of science degree from Bloomsburg University in 1998.

In February 1999, he began his police career as an operations clerk with the Warminster Township Police Department, and simultaneously served as a part-time police officer with the Conshohocken Borough Police Department and the Ivyland Borough Police Department.

On July 31, 2000, Hopkins was sworn in as a police officer for the Lower Providence Township Police Department.

During his tenure at with the Lower Providence police, Hopkins served in the patrol and detective divisions, and is a member of the bicycle unit and the police honor guard.

Hopkins has served as a field-training officer and is one of the department’s certified firearms instructors. He is a member of the Montgomery County Major Incident Response Team and the county district attorney’s Drug Task Force.

He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Inter-County Detective training program.

According to Brown, Hopkin’s promotion to the sergeant is the result of a competitive process that involved 14 other members of the department, and included an administrative evaluation, written exam and oral board, which was composed of command-level personnel from three outside law-enforcement agencies.

As sergeant, Hopkins will take on the responsibility of a squad in the department’s patrol division.

 “Bill distinguished himself throughout the process,” Lower Providence Police Chief Francis Carroll said. “I congratulate Bill. I look forward to working with Bill.”

Carroll said that he was proud of not only Hopkins, but also his fellow officers who participated in the selection process.

With Hopkins' promotion, Carroll said that he excited for the future of the township.

Among those in attendance was State Senator John Rafferty (R-44), whom Brown called a friend to law enforcement and to the township. He was asked to provide remarks.

“Bill, I offer you my heartfelt congratulations as a state senator, more importantly, as a township resident, and most importantly, as a friend,” Rafferty said.

Rafferty, who came upon Hopkins’ invitation, said he was happy for the new police sergeant. He added, as a resident of the township, and a former member of the board of supervisors, Rafferty said that Lower Providence has a history of ensuring that the township has a first-class police department.

“They are continuing to do that, and I am very happy to be a resident of Lower Providence Township,” Rafferty said.

For the pinning ceremony, Brown invited Hopkins’ family from the audience, and asked Hopkins’ wife to do the honor of placing the gold badge on his uniform. Once pinned, audience members comprised of family, friends and fellow officers gave Hopkins a standing ovation.

In his own remarks, Hopkins acknowledged his supporters in the audience and especially thanked Carroll and Lower Providence Police lieutenant Stan Turtle.

He also expressed gratitude to the township board and staff, as well as to his police colleagues.

“I’m very fortunate to working with all of you,” Hopkins said. “And I look forward to working with you in this new opportunity that I have.”