Lehigh County law enforcement officials, including Lehigh County district attorney, chief of administration and chief of appeals and a Pennsylvania State Police trooper, were among the many honored by the Lehigh County Chiefs of Police Association and Officer David M. Petzold Foundation at a Nov. 8 ceremony.

The event, held at DeSales University, recognized dozens of local police officers, as well as special recognition to District Attorney Jim Martin for his many years of service. Also honored were Chief of Administration and Chief of Appeals Heather F. Gallagher with the Col. John K. Schafer Memorial Award and Cpl. Chris J. Yaworski with the Officer of the Year Award.

Gallagher received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the Pennsylvania State University and a law degree from Widener University School of Law. She joined the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office in 2008. Before that, Gallagher was an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia for seven years, where she was assigned to the law division.

During her career as a prosecutor, Gallagher has appeared at every stage of criminal proceedings from preliminary hearings to post-conviction matters and has argued before the Pennsylvania Superior Court, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

In 2021, Gallagher was appointed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, criminal rules committee.

Gallagher received the Schafer Award, named in honor of a former Pennsylvania State Police commissioner who had a 23-year career with state police, part of which was with PSP Troop M in Bethlehem. Schafer rose through the ranks of PSP to be appointed commissioner by then-Gov. Robert Casey in 1987. Unfortunately, his tenure was cut short by his death from cancer later that year.

Yaworski has been a member of PSP since his enlistment in 2006. After graduating from the PSP Academy, he was assigned as a trooper at Troop M.

In 2015, he was transferred to the Fogelsville Criminal Investigations unit, where he served for two years and, in 2017, was promoted to the rank of corporal. He was assigned as the criminal investigations unit supervisor at the Troop M barracks in Trevose and also served as a supervisor at several stations within Troop M until he received his current assignment as the Troop M, Fogelsville Criminal Investigations unit supervisor.

Yaworski was the lead investigator in the case of Josef Raszler, who was convicted of murder of the first degree and was sentenced to life without parole May 11 for the 2016 killing of Stephanie Roof in Lower Macungie Township.

Martin was also honored with the Officer David M. Petzold Beyond the Badge Award at the event. The Petzold Foundation and board of directors presented Martin with the award for his “outstanding community service to a deserving member of the law enforcement community,” according to remarks made at the ceremony by Christine Petzold, one of Petzold’s sisters.

The Petzold Foundation began after the Nov. 9, 2006, line-of-duty death of Upper Saucon Township Police Officer David M. Petzold, who died after locating a struck deer lying in the left lane of Route 309 causing a traffic hazard. While attempting to remove the deer from the roadway, Petzold was struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle.

The foundation establishes three scholarships in Petzold’s name, as well as supports a summer program at DeSales University for high school students with an interest in criminal justice. In partnership with DeSales University and the district attorney’s office, the foundation also supports the Officer David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory of Lehigh County, which opened its doors on the DeSales campus in 2011. Martin joins 15 other first responders and community leaders who received the award.

“[Martin] was not only a friend to David but has been an unwavering supporter and friend of my family and the Petzold Foundation,” Christine Petzold said. “He exemplifies commitment to community service and leadership and has served the people of his community with honor and integrity beyond our expectations and with a spirit and energy that sets a positive example for those around him.”