The Upper Dublin Police Department has announced the passing of retired Chief of Police Terrence “Terry” Thomason, who was with the department from 1975 to 2017 and served as chief from 1992 to 2017.

Below is the announcement:

It is with great sadness that the Upper Dublin Police Department announces the passing of retired Chief of Police Terrence “Terry” Thompson. Chief Thompson passed away yesterday at the age of 75, with his family and friends at his side. Terry was hired by the Upper Dublin Police Department on February 20, 1975 and had a long and distinguishing career that spanned greater than four (4) decades. Terry quickly rose through the ranks of the police department from Patrol Officer to Sergeant to Lieutenant and in 1992 was appointed to Chief of Police.

Chief Thompson is credited with transforming the Upper Dublin Police Department with his unique insight on the importance of community policing. Under his direction, the police department developed a “Community Oriented Policing” philosophy and as such implemented several community outreach programs. Chief Thompson was responsible the department instituting a Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E.) and the Junior Police Academy. Chief Thompson also established a school Safety Officer who worked closely with the Upper Dublin School District and private schools within the Upper Dublin community to evaluate and identify safety concerns in specific buildings. In addition, he also developed the department’s Bicycle Patrol Unit, Highway Patrol Unit (Traffic Safety), and Quick Response (QRS) Unit with police officers trained as Emergency Medical Technicians.

One of Chief Thompson’s most significant accomplishments included the implementation of a professional standards officer within the police department. That position was created with the ultimate goal of making the Upper Dublin Police Department an accredited law enforcement agency. The Upper Dublin Police Department did become one of the first accredited police agencies in Montgomery County through the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation program that is administered through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

Chief Thompson was a member of the Police Chiefs Association of Montgomery County and worked hard to improve police professional standards in the County.

Chief Thompson retired from the Upper Dublin Police Department on February 20, 2017 and spent a great deal of time after his retirement with this family and enjoying his vacation home along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

Chief Thompson was a great friend and mentor to many in Upper Dublin Township and the Upper Dublin Police Department wishes to acknowledge his 42 years of dedicated law enforcement service to our community.

There are no immediate funeral plans available.
Francis X. Wheatley
Chief of Police