Lower Marion swears in Sergeant Darren Swain as superintendent says department does not participate in federal '287' program

At the Feb. 4, 2026 meeting of the Lower Marion Township Board of Commissioners, Darren Swain was sworn in as a sergeant in the Lower Marion Police Department and several probationary officers were badged and sworn. Judge Steve O'Neill administered the oath while Superintendent Block and Township Manager Ernie McNeely offered remarks recognizing the officers and their families.

Superintendent Block presented the department's fourth-quarter 2025 activity report, saying the quarter included no homicides or sexual assaults and listing the major crimes recorded: 26 assaults, eight burglaries, 174 thefts, 53 thefts or attempted thefts from motor vehicles and 22 motor vehicle thefts. He also reported quarterly arrests including 31 DUIs and 33 retail-theft arrests, and said the department handled about 15,271 calls for service in the fourth quarter (about 174 calls per day on average).

Block highlighted community outreach and planned initiatives: automated red light enforcement camera installation at Remington and Lancaster expected to start Feb. 9 weather permitting, a Citizens Police Academy beginning Feb. 23, and a public campaign focused on preventing theft from and theft of vehicles. "Most of these vehicles are left unlocked during the overnight hours and valuables are left in there," Block said. "If our residents are informed to make sure they lock the vehicles, there'll be less threat of becoming a victim."

Several residents used the public-comment period to press the township for more formal protections and clearer responses after a Jan. 30 federal enforcement action in Penwyn. Adrian Seltzer urged the board to adopt a formal statement and policies to "quell that fear" in immigrant communities. A longtime resident asked what happens when she calls 911 and whether the police will act to protect naturalized citizens; she said she now worries a routine stop could lead to denaturalization. Reverend Barbara Abbott described contingency plans at the Ardmore Food Pantry and asked how officers would proceed if staff called 911 and locked patrons inside.

In response, Superintendent Block said callers to 911 in Montgomery County are handled by the county communications center in Eagleville and Lower Marion officers are dispatched to investigate and verify activity. Block said the department honors judicial warrants but does not recognize internal administrative warrants issued within a federal agency without judicial approval. "The Lower Marion Police Department does not participate in the federal 287 program," Block said, referring to agreements that deputize local officers for federal immigration functions. He added that the department will document incidents, work with the district attorney's office, and coordinate with federal partners when appropriate.

The promotion and badging of Sergeant Swain and the new officers concluded the police committee portion of the evening; the department invited officers and families to a small reception after the ceremony.