Officer Honored For Work Detaining Lansdale Stabbing Suspect During Papal Visit

An officer with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office that helped detain a stabbing suspect at the Lansdale Train Station during the Pope’s visit has been recognized for his work.

Dep. Paul Zappala and seven other teams recognized on Tuesday for “preparation and accomplishments” related to the Papal Visit, including staff efforts for K9 assistance, police department assistance, humanitarian actions and honor guard duty, according to the sheriff’s office.

Zappala assisted the Upper Gwynedd Police Department in “detaining and later guarding a suspect,” who had been involved in an earlier stabbing incident at the Lansdale Train Station, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“Many people don’t know that with over 100 law enforcement staff, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is one of the largest and highly skilled law enforcement agencies in the county,” Bono said in a press release. “It was an honor to be a part of such a great and once in a lifetime event.”

In addition to Zappala, the Emergency Response team, the Bomb and Hazardous Device Disposal Unit, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary Guard, City Line Ave., Philadelphia Guard, Bike Patrol Unit, Norristown Police Department Assistance and Security Team, and Motorcycle Unit were all recognized.