About the Reading Police Department

The City of Reading (Pennsylvania), the county seat of Berks County, is situated along the Schuylkill River, and located 55 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The community is a highly diversified community, rich in historical and architectural heritage. Reading was settled by William Penn and other Quakers in 1748. The neighborhoods feature beautiful architecture ranging from Federal style row homes to magnificent Victorian mansions.

The Reading Police Department has an annual budget in excess of 23 million dollars.  The Reading Police Department has a 2006 authorized strength of  234 personnel, 207 of whom fill sworn positions.  The Reading Police Department has an authorized strength of 162 police officers (who may also fill a detective position), 32 sergeants and seven lieutenants.  The executive staff of the Reading Police Department consists of the chief of police, one deputy chief , two inspectors and three captains.

According to the mission statement of the Reading Police Department, “The primary goals of the Reading Police Department are many and diverse. They include the protection of life and property, resolution of conflicts, and provision for a feeling of security in the community. The Department also endeavors to reduce the opportunities for the commission of crime through prevention strategies and identification, apprehension, and prosecution of offenders, as well as the preservation of the peace in the City of Reading.”

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Chief William M. Heim’s law enforcement career spans more than 25 years and service with six police agencies.  He began his career with the Upper Moreland Police Department and is now the chief of the Reading City Police Department (Pennsylvania). Chief William Heim holds a Bachelor degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.  He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum.

He has been an instructor at Montgomery County Community College and Augusta State University. He has also taught recruits in the police academy and provided in-service training to veteran police officers. In year 2000 he was selected by Governor Tom Ridge to serve on the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission. He is currently a consultant on police management issues with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Chief William Heim has authored articles appearing in Police Chief, Law and Order, Emergency Medical Service, and The Pennsylvanian magazines. Chief William Heim is the co-author of Police Management: Real World Scenarios.