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Perkasie area mourns police chief who died 'suddenly’ Sunday

Condolences flooded Perkasie Borough offices Monday after the sudden death of police Chief Steven Hillias on Sunday. He was 49.The nature of the medical episode he suffered while off duty had not been determined, but officials said it was unexpected and he had not been battling illness.From her post behind the front desk at the police station, secretary Donna Radosky was unable to hold back tears as she spoke about Hillias, who she called a fair boss and a great man.“He was a fun person, too,” she said. “Everyone liked him. He did a great job for this department.”Outside Borough Hall, Perkasie police Detective Sgt. Russ Closs could be seen fielding one of a seemingly endless string of calls to his cellphone Monday. He expected to be named acting chief during a council meeting later Monday night. In attempting to navigate the logistics of a police department that suddenly fell under his watch, Closs said his duty was to keep the operation running smoothly for the community.But it was clear as he spoke that his thoughts never strayed far from his friend.“We’ve got to take this one day at a time,” he said, noting that the police force was still in shock and had yet to really begin the mourning process.He thanked surrounding police departments for their offers to assist in responding to calls for service in the borough. Perkasie police also provide coverage to nearby Sellersville.Closs called Hillias “an open-door kind of guy,” who would sit and listen to any officer who came to him seeking advice or guidance.Having joined the department as a rookie in 1997, Hillias eventually became its top cop in 2014.For much of that time he worked alongside Mayor John Hollenbach. The two became close.“He was chief and I was mayor, but our relationship transcended that. We were also friends,” Hollenbach said. “I think the officers in the department would say the same thing.”Hollenbach said Hillias’ approach to the job — fostering a family atmosphere rooted in respect — fit the Perkasie community like a glove.Hillias, according to Hollenbach, always made time to help direct juvenile offenders into diversionary programs such as the Pennridge area Youth Aid Panel.“He was always ready to go into schools and bring people together to talk about what we could to help the community,” he said.Hillias also focused on combating the opioid epidemic.Hollenbach said he was proactive in the fight, making sure each officer was equipped with the anti-overdose medication naloxone before hitting the street.Following the appointment of Closs as acting chief, the mayor said officials plan to step back and allow some time for grieving before reconvening with administration to discuss the long-term plan.In the meantime, Hollenbach said he has a lot of faith in the command staff and officers in the department. “I just know they’re going to do a good job,” he said.Hillias will be remembered most by Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub as “a kind man with a wonderful demeanor.”“I really think that that’s what made him a great chief,” said Weintraub on Monday. “He understood the humanity of the job.”He recalled the tensions that tore through the normally sleepy Upper Bucks borough following the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man in 2016.As police and county detectives scoured the scene at Kulp Memorial Park and the surrounding neighborhoods, leading to the arrests of four area teens, Weintraub said it was Hillias’ steady presence that kept the borough together.“Steve had a great feel for when to step to the forefront and when to take a step back,” the DA explained. “He gave [our investigation] a lot of credibility during that highly charged time.”Hillias was first hired in Perkasie by then-Chief Tim Dickinson, who now runs the Towamencin Police Department in Montgomery County.Dickinson said he was still in disbelief Monday afternoon as he attempted to describe Hillias.His thoughts settled on the man’s first foray into a supervisor’s role, when Dickinson promoted him to sergeant.“While he was very compassionate and caring to his subordinate police officers, he also held them accountable. He recognized the importance of that part of the job. That is not fun. But it’s important to the department and to the individual officers themselves,” said Dickinson. “I could always count on Steve to do the right thing.”Hillias is survived by a wife and two children. Funeral services had not been scheduled as of Monday.
Source: Morningcall

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