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Crime & Safety

Lower Pottsgrove Reacts to Police Chief's Retirement

Michael Shade leaves the department after 28 years of service to take a detective job for Montgomery County.

 

With Lower Pottsgrove Police Chief Michael Shade set to retire at the end of the month, township manager Rodney Hawthorne spoke of the municipality's integral loss.

"Lower Pottsgrove is loosing a good chief and a good officer," Hawthorne said on Wednesday. "He's had a dedication to the township for 28 years and he is going to be missed - not only by the management and staff but by the board of commissioners."

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Shade started with the township January 23, 1984 and will retire the same day this year to work for Montgomery County.

"Chief Shade is joining the detective bureau as a county detective," Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said on Wednesday.

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Lower Pottsgrove Police Lt. Michael Foltz will serve as the township's interim chief. 

Shade served as an officer, investigator and detective before rising to the position of township police chief.

Lower Pottsgrove's board of commissioners accepted Shade's retirement on Tuesday. Hawthorne said the board will "sorely miss" Shade and wishes him "a lot" of luck.

"He is a stand-up guy," Hawthorne said. "A credit to the uniform."

In other Montgomery County police news, former Deputy Chief County Detective Edmund H.C. Justice this month will replace Chief Oscar Vance, who will retire following over 48 years in law enforcement and 30 years as chief. 

According to the Montgomery County district attorney's office website, Justice served in the U.S. Navy from 1966-1970 and started his local law enforcement career in 1971 as a patrol officer for the Horsham Township Police Department.  

In 1986, Justice took a job with the Montgomery County Detective Bureau where he served for 14 years as a homicide detective and six years as deputy chief. 

"While working in law enforcement, Ed attended school at night to advance his education," the site states. "In 1978, Ed earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Trenton State College. In 1995, he earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from West Chester University. He is known and respected throughout the region as a skilled polygraph examiner. Since 2006, Ed has owned and operated Justice Investigations in Harleysville."

Patch editors David Powell and Teresa McMinn contributed to this report. 

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