Hoeffel Honors Lieutenant James Leary

HONORING LIEUTENANT JAMES P. LEARY -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 25, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL
OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2004

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lieutenant James P. Leary who is celebrating his retirement from the Abington Police Department after nearly 30 years of faithful and devoted service.

Lt. Leary has served in many different capacities during his tenure on the Abington force, working as Watch Commander, Platoon Commander, K-9 Commander, and Auxiliary Service Commander. After joining the department in 1974, he quickly ascended the ranks, receiving a promotion to Sergeant in 1979 and then to Lieutenant in 1981.

His dedication to the community has never faltered, even during his toughest assignment in 1996. In that year, Abington Township fell victim to a severe flood and Lt. Leary worked tirelessly with residents, community leaders, and municipal government agencies to help the area recover. Lt. Leary faced another difficult challenge when he and five patrol officers rescued two severely burned children from a burning building. Bringing those children to safety has been the proudest accomplishment of Leary's career.

In addition to his service to the Abington community as a member of the Police Department, Lt. Leary served his country as a Sergeant in the 5th Special Forces Airborne in Vietnam. He and his wife Martha are the proud parents of four sons and two daughters. Lt. Leary actively participates in the community, where he enjoys spending time with family and friends, and has served for 15 years as the Defensive Coordinator and League Commissioner for the CYO Football Program.

Our community has been privileged to have such a devoted servant and it is my pleasure to congratulate Lieutenant Leary on his retirement. I wish him all the best as he moves on to his new position as Chief of the Rockledge Borough Police Department.

END