4 Police Officers Promoted In Warminster

WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PA — Four police officers were promoted at the recent Warminster Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

The police officers were sworn in by Magisterial District Judge Christopher E. O’Neill during the board’s Aug. 20 meeting.

“Each of these officers has demonstrated the commitment, professionalism and leadership that we expect from members of the Warminster Township Police Department,” Police Chief James Donnelly III said. “Their promotions are well deserved, and I am confident they will continue to serve our department and our community with the same dedication and integrity that have defined their careers.”

These are the four police officers who were promoted:

Andrew Houser was promoted to the rank of corporal.

Houser, raised in Lower Southampton Township, lives there with his wife and two daughters.

He graduated from Bucks County Technical High School and Bucks County Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in police administration.

He interned with the Lower Southampton Township Police Department and graduated from the Temple University Police Academy in 2010.

Before joining the Warminster police department, Houser worked part-time for the Tullytown Borough Police Department and the Temple University Police Department.

He currently serves as a highway officer, field training officer and department drone operator.

Joseph Santospago was promoted to the rank of corporal.

Born and raised in Buckingham Township, Santospago graduated from Archbishop Wood High School and Mercer County Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice.

He attended the Montgomery County Police Academy and began his law enforcement career with the Lansdowne Borough Police Department.

Santospago joined the Warminster police department in 2019.

He currently serves as a field training officer, highway officer, defensive tactics instructor and Bucks County narcotics officer.

Dennis Murtha, a third-generation police officer, was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Murtha was born and raised in the Lawncrest neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia and attended St. William’s Grade School and Cardinal Dougherty High School. He graduated from Drexel University.

Before joining the Warminster police department in 2016, Murtha spent 11 years with the Philadelphia Police Department, where he served in a variety of assignments, including patrol, tactical enforcement and narcotics surveillance.

In Warminster, he serves in crime scene work and as a Taser and firearms instructor and hostage and crisis negotiator, among other responsibilities.

Murtha lives in Warminster with his wife and eight children.

Meghan Wheatley was promoted to detective. Wheatley grew up in Springfield Township and graduated from Springfield Township High School.

She attended Bloomsburg University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in political science.

She also attended the Montgomery County Police Academy and joined the Warminster Township Police Department in 2019.

In addition to serving as a detective, Wheatley is a tactics instructor and field training officer.