Bucks County Detectives Transition To Specialized Squad Model

The investigative arm of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has undergone a restructuring that is designed to modernize operations, streamline workflows, and pursue formal state law enforcement accreditation.

Members of the leadership team were officially sworn into their new roles Monday during a ceremony at the Bucks County Justice Center.

The event was attended by District Attorney Joe Khan, members of the public, and law enforcement officials from across the county.

Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Matt Weintraub, who previously served as the county’s district attorney, administered the oaths of office to the new leadership team.

As part of the reorganization, the detective unit is transitioning to a system of specialized squads where each led by a supervisor with specific subject-matter oversight.

Khan said the new structure is designed to clarify the chain of command, sharpen operational focus, maximize efficiency, and promote collaboration within the office.

The restructuring comes as part of a series of changes Khan has been implementing since being sworn into office earlier this year. He recently released his transition plan for the prosecutor’s office, which has a roughly $16 million budget.

“When I took office, our detective division was at a crossroads, presenting both a challenge and an unmatched opportunity to plan for the future,” Khan said. “This new structure makes our incredible detective division more dynamic, more proactive, and more responsive to the needs of the community.”

Bucks County Chief Detective Jack Slattery, who was named head of the agency earlier this year, will lead the division.

Slattery has served with the county detectives since 2012 and previously worked for the Bristol Township Police Department.

Before administering the oaths, Weintraub praised Slattery’s dedication to the office.

“He always put the mission of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office first, and for that, the detectives and the county at large, including all of us, are in great hands under his past, current, and future leadership,” Weintraub said. “Of that, I have no doubt.”

After the formal swearing-in, Slattery thanked the friends and family in attendance and highlighted the abilities of his leadership team.

“We all work together to get the job done; the job being protecting the citizens of Bucks County,” Slattery said. “I couldn’t do it alone. My team couldn’t do it alone, and I venture to say that most departments would understand that you can’t do this job alone. We need each other. We need to be able to rely on one another.”

Under the new organizational model, Deputy Chief Bob Gorman will oversee the division’s four lieutenants while directly supervising Squad 4, which handles critical operational functions including evidence and ballistics.

Gorman, a veteran of nearly 30 years with the office, will serve in this post until his retirement in January to support Slattery’s transition and lead the state accreditation process.

The detectives’ specialized squads will be commanded by the new lieutenants.

Squad 1 , which will handle narcotics, firearms, and human trafficking, cases will be led by Lt. Dante Montella. Montella joined the District Attorney’s Office in 2019 following a 24-year career with the Warwick Township Police Department.

Squad 2 will handle special victims, missing persons, and homicides. It will be led by Lt. Tim Perkins, who also led the ceremony’s Pledge of Allegiance. Perkins joined the office in 2011 after serving with the Bristol Township Police Department and was previously sworn in as a detective lieutenant last year.

Squad 3 is tasked with economic crimes), and it will be led by Lt. Tim Campbell. An eight-year veteran of the office, Campbell started his law enforcement career in 2007 with the Warwick Township Police Department.

Squad 5 will work on special investigations. The unit will be led by Lt. Phil Kulan. Kulan joined the office in 2020 after serving with the Tullytown Borough Police Department since 2007.

Middletown Township Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla, who serves as the president of the Police Chiefs’ Association of Bucks County, delivered the opening prayer for the ceremony.

“We thank you for their commitment and sacrifice, and for being men of honor, faithful to their calling, to serve and protect our great county,” Bartorilla said. “Grant them the wisdom, to lead with integrity, courage to stand for what is right, and the discernment to seek justice with compassion. As they assume these higher ranks, strengthen their resolve, sharpen their minds, and deepen even further their commitment to the people of Bucks County.”