Content about Walt Johnson

03.18.11

Avalon officials showed their appreciation this week for two police officers injured during the pursuit of a suspected drug dealer earlier this year. Working in plainclothes along with Police Chief Tom Kokoski, Officers Sean Khirley and Walt Johnson pursued the fleeing suspect through a 20-foot jump and over a fence, finally nabbing him and recovering a quantity of suspected heroin. Both officers and the suspect were hospitalized after the chase. While Khirley has returned to duty, Johnson remains off-duty with a leg injury.

03.11.11

Letters to the Editor 3-11-11

Editor:

Over the past months there has been a great deal of activity on the streets of Avalon Borough and while these activities are considered undesirable by most members of the community they are the focus of the Avalon Police Department.

These activities are mostly drug-related and there has been a great deal of news reported around it in The Citizen. Thankfully the news on the street is spreading quickly that the Avalon Police Department will not put up with drug-related activities on our streets or in the homes of those that have decided to take up residence here.

02.04.11

Officers hurt in drug bust

Two Avalon police officers were injured in a drug bust on Jan. 28 that ended with them in the hospital, along with the suspect they arrested.

Officers Walt Johnson and Sean Kirley, along with Chief Tom Kokoski, attempted to arrest Raymond Carter, 25, of Grant Avenue, Bellevue, after observing him in what was believed to be a drug transaction in the California Avenue business district.

09.24.10

Avalon hires two officers

Two part-time Avalon police officers are now working full-time for the borough, hired Tuesday to fill vacancies in the department.

Avalon Council voted unanimously to hire Walt Johnson and Sean Kirley to fill the recently-created vacancies. One job opening came when Tom Kokoski was promoted from officer to chief, and the other with the retirement of long-time officer Paul Lawry.

Johnson has nine years of experience as a police officer, and has worked part-time for Avalon for the last four years. He also has worked part-time for the Stowe and West View police departments.

06.18.10

Drug bust ends with shots fired

A drug bust ended badly in Avalon last Thursday night, with a suspect attempting to run over a police officer and the officer shooting at the vehicle.

Avalon police Chief Tom Kokoski said that officers Walt Johnson and Matt McDanel were working in plainclothes, observing a drug deal occurring in Peach Alley. When the officers approached the car, Kokoski said, identifying themselves as police officers, the driver took off, headed right for Johnson. The chief said that Johnson fired three shots in self defense but did not hit the vehicle.