Crime & Safety

Fateful vehicle stop leads to three police commendations

UMPD officer Frank Gallagher and Montgomery County Police Communications employees Kevin Frank and Michael Wintersteen were honored for their quick thinking while performing their duties.

Upper Moreland Police Chief Thomas Nestel awarded commendations to a UMPD officer and two Montgomery County Police Communications dispatchers Monday night.

Nestel presented the commendations before the township’s assembled board of commissioners and a large audience of residents at the township building.

Before the commendations were made, Nestel publicly recounted the actions of the police officials.

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According to Nestel, on Oct. 8, 2010, UMPD officer Frank Gallagher observed a vehicle driving the wrong way on York Road, near Bally’s Total Fitness. After stopping the vehicle, Gallagher noticed suspicious items in the back seat.

During Gallagher’s investigation, he heard a report of a nearby robbery in progress.

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Kevin Frank, a Mongtomery County Police Communications dispatcher, gathered the information from the person who called 911 to report the robbery.

Michael Wintersteen, also a Montgomery County Police Communications dispatcher, sent the robbery-in-progress report to responding UMPD units.

Gallagher opted to respond to the robbery, advising the driver of the vehicle that he did not have a valid license and telling the driver that it was illegal for him to move the car from that location.

Frank heard Gallagher’s instructions to the driver over an open phone line – the same phone line from which the robbery call had been made.

Frank immediately alerted Wintersteen, who informed Gallagher that the caller reporting the robbery was in the car that he had stopped.

Further investigation revealed multiple credit card thefts and fraudulent purchases exceeding $14,000. As the investigation continued, it was discovered that the offenders travel all over the country to commit thefts.

Nestel said it was an honor to present Gallagher, Frank and Wintersteen with the commendations.


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