Memorial services to be held for Annville Township Police Chief Bernard Dugan

Annville Township Police Chief Bernard Dugan passed away on Thursday, Oct. 26. at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center surrounded by his wife and family at the age of 64, after fighting a short battle with cancer, which he was diagnosed with in late July.

Dugan served as the chief of police for Annville Township for 11 years, and had previously worked for Fairview Township Police Department in York County for over 30 years, retiring as chief in 2012 before joining Annville.

A service will be held on Friday, Nov. 3 with visitation starting at 5 p.m., followed by a prayer service held beginning at 6:45 at Parthemore Funeral Home at 1303 Bridge Street, New Cumberland.

A second service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4 at the St. Paul the Apostle Church located at 125 S. Spruce St. in Annville. Visitation begins at 9 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 10 a.m.

According to his obituary, Dugan graduated from Cedar Cliff High School in 1977, briefly worked security in security at the former Harrisburg Mall, and was hired by Fairview Township Police Department after graduating from the police academy at Harrisburg Area Community College.

Dugan's wife of 22 years with whom he resided in New Cumberland, Karen Dugan, described Dugan as a man who cared deeply about the communities that he worked in, always enthralled with the idea of developing and shaping the futures of the departments that he worked with. Along with that, he was a family man who was able to switch off when he got home.

"Bernie's philosophy all along in his police work was all about citizen service," she said. "He wanted his officers to know, when somebody has to finally call the police in their life, it might be the first time, and the only time. And that his men and women behind anything he taught should learn that that might be a scary process for people. And that their impression of police officers is all based on what kind of service they're going to be offering in that moment."

"That was his core philosophy for policing."

Along with his wife, Dugan is survived by their blended family consisting of Andre Joel Bower, wife Lee of Orange, Va.  Denise Alsted, husband Tom, of Etters, Pa., son Timothy Files of New Cumberland, Pa. Sarah E. Dugan, of Camp Hill, Pa. and Bernard W. Dugan and wife Andrea, of Etters, Pa.; his brother Patrick J. Dugan and wife Teri of Secane, Pa.; seven grandchildren; and his niece Katie Dugan.

Sgt. William Stickler had worked with Dugan since he became the chief of Annville Township Police in 2012, describing him as a trailblazer in the field for Lebanon County who turned the department around.

"He was still working up until the very end, doing what he could do. I mean he truly was probably one of the most dedicated people that I've known in this profession."

Stickler explained that Dugan came during a turbulent time for the Annville Township Police Department, after former police chief Michael Burdge was arrested for falsifying police overtime and citation records records and then having a part-time chief for some time, bringing with him a stability that the department hadn't seen in recent years.

Within three years of Dugan's joining, the police department became the first Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission accredited police department in Lebanon County.

"He brought structure and professionalism to the department," Stickler said. " He was one of those dedicated people, where he always put the town and his guys first. He had that way about him that he didn't even realize he was doing it, but he just did it."

Stickler also credited Dugan as one of the driving forces behind Palmyra and Annville townships' efforts to create a regionalized police force.

Palmyra Borough Police Chief Andrew Winters described Dugan as a book of knowledge who knew how to handle a wide variety of scenarios, someone that would give an honest answer when approached with new ideas.

"Definitely progressive, he was willing to look at different ways to address crime and disorder and problems in the community," Winters said. "Just in the short time that I knew him, I enjoyed working with him."

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to the PA Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors at www.concernsofpolicesurvivors.org/pennsylvaniacops or the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund at nleomf.org.

Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Annville Township Police Chief passes away after short cancer battle