A Brief History
The Township of Spring Police Department began serving the residents of Spring Township in 1938. The first full time police force was established in January, 1946. In 1950 the Township reorganized the police department under the guidance of Police Chief Ralph Gring. In 1960, Donald Schlegel was appointed Chief of Police. In 1976, the department consisted of 12 full-time officers. After the retirement of Chief Schlegel, Sgt. William Speth took over as Chief of Police in 1988. Chief Speth retired in 2002 and Cpl. Michael Messner was appointed to the position of Chief of Police. Upon Chief Messner’s retirement in 2007 the Board of Supervisors went outside the Department and hired Chief Bryan Ross (formerly the Chief of the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department) as its Chief of Police. Chief Ross continues to this day as the head of the Department. In December of 2020, Stephen Powell, who previously served as a Captain with the Reading Police Department and Chief with the West Reading Police Department, was hired as the Township of Spring's first ever Deputy Police Chief.
1976 POLICE DEPARTMENT
Front Row Left to Right: Detective Lloyd Hartman, Ptlm. Henry Doutrich, Chief Donald W. Schlegel, Ptlm. Lewis Anuszewski, Ptlm. Byron Burns. Back Row Left to Right: Ptlm. Stephen Dougherty, Ptlm. John Wilson, Ptlm. Charles Montgomery II, Ptlm. Robert Tomaszewski, Ptlm.William Speth, Ptlm. Robert Rehrer.
