Palmer Adds Two Police Officers

The Palmer Township Police Department is expanding.

Two new officers were sworn in during Tuesday night's Palmer Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

Jeremiah Santo is no newcomer to the force. Chief Larry Palmer said Santo was being promoted from part-time officer.

Michael Vangelo is a retired captain of the Easton Police Department who previously worked with Chief Palmer.

Vangelo was hired to serve as sergeant of the Office of Professional Standards, a position the chief said was created to help Palmer's police department reach and receive accreditation.

That goal was one of the first mentioned by Chief Palmer when he took over the department in April.

The two have a history together. Vangelo was essentially Palmer's second in command when Palmer was Easton's chief, and was considered a likely replacement for Palmer when he retired.

However, Vangelo left the department a few months before Palmer did, retiring to take a position with Lafayette College's Department of Public Safety.

District Justice Jackie Taschner did the honors of swearing in both officers.

Both officers, who had their families present, were greeted with handshakes from supervisors after taking their oaths.