Seven new officers join Wilkes-Barre Police Department
Dec. 19—WILKES-BARRE — As he welcomed seven new officers to the police force Monday, Wilkes-Barre City Chief of Police Joseph Coffay offered a little advice.
"This is not a job," Coffay said. "It's a calling. We ask that you always be professional and treat people the way you would want to be treated. You hold the line between chaos and order."
And with that Mayor George Brown swore in the seven new officers — two women and five men — bringing the police force to 81 members.
The mayor said openings remain due to retirements and there are plans to hire more officers. He said the approved departmental "labor load" is 87 police officers.
"This is one of the most pleasant duties of being mayor," Brown said at the start of the ceremony in City Council Chambers. "I 100 percent believe in our officers and our chief. I believe they are the very best. And all I ask our new officers is that you do your job."
The seven new officers are Dennis McKeown, Edward Urban, Anthony DeMark, Melissa Benson, Shawn Mulligan, Stephanie Wychock and Joshua McLeod.
—Benson, 29, graduated from Crestwood High School and in 2020, she obtained her bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from King's College and graduated from the Pennsylvania Police Academy. Prior to being hired by Wilkes-Barre PD, Benson worked for the Luzerne County Department of Corrections. Her father, Chris, and brother, Joseph, are current WBPD officers.
—Wychock, 25, graduated from Crestwood High School, and she is a recent graduate from the Allentown Police Academy. Wychock has an associate's degree in Criminal Justice from Luzerne County Community College; a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Bloomsburg University; and a master's degree from Marywood University in Applied Science of Criminal Justice. Prior to being hired by WBPD, Wychock did her internship with the WBPD and was a dispatcher at Luzerne County 911.
—Mulligan, 24, is a recent graduate from the Allentown Police Academy, and he has a bachelor's degree in Criminology from Wilkes University. Prior to being hired by WBPD, Mulligan was in private security for Allied Universal.
—McLeod, 34, is married to his wife, Arianna. He is a graduate of Haddon High School and a recent graduate from the Allentown Police Academy.
—McKeown, 30, is Act 120 certified, and he worked for the Luzerne County Sheriff's Department. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He was assigned active duty peacekeeping missions; in 2015 he was assigned to the Pope Francis visit to Philadelphia; and in 2020 he was assigned to the protests in Philadelphia.
—Urban, 54, is married to his wife, Krista Ann, and they have a son, Matthew, 19. Urban has a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University, and PA Act 120 training. He is a Pennsylvania State Police Academy graduate. His prior service includes patrolman with Wilkes-Barre City Police and 27 years as a trooper with the PA State Police. While employed by PA State Police, Urban served in patrol, Forensic Services Unit, Crime Unit and he retired from the Criminal Investigative Assessment Unit as a major case team investigator and assessment officer, conducting cold case and major case reviews, assessment and management. Urban is wiretap certified, blood spatter analysis certified, crime scene processing, photography, latent prints processing and analysis and wound interpretation. He has experience with interview and interrogation; basic and advanced homicide trainings; cold case homicide and prosecution training.
—DeMark, 24, is a Pittston Area High School graduate, Lackawanna College Police Academy graduate with ACT 120 Police Certification; and he studied criminal justice at Luzerne County Community College. He has approximately five years experience working in law enforcement, including time with Pittston City, West Pittston, West Wyoming, Duryea Borough, South Centre Township, and most recently Pittston Township, where he served as a TASER Instructor.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
