Collingdale borough council still divided as residents meet new police chief
Collingdale borough council divided as residents meet new police chief for first time
After months of controversy, a significant shortage of police officers, a deeply divided borough council, and the state police now responding to off-hour calls, residents in Collingdale met their new Police Chief Shanee Mitchell for the very first time Tuesday night. Here's how it went.
COLLINGDALE, Pa. - Tensions are running high in a Delaware County town, where residents are meeting their new police chief for the first time. For the small borough of Collingdale, it was a big deal followed by a lot of controversy.
With a significant shortage of police officers, a deeply divided borough council, and the state police now responding to off-hour calls, the new police chief has her work cut out for her.
"And our new chief of police Shanee Mitchell," was the announcement made as Police Chief Mitchell appeared for the first time before many who opposed her hiring.
On Tuesday night, she took the helm of a troubled department.
"Just coverage, safety, a sense of security and right now it doesn’t sound like a lot, but they’ve had three homicides in the matter of weeks. It’s not a pretty picture," said Chief Shanee Mitchell of Collingdale Police Department.
Chaos has broken out at recent public meetings after the majority on Borough Council demoted a popular longtime officer, then considered hiring a Chester Police detective who is currently under criminal investigation.
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This comes as the department is so short-staffed that overnight calls are now being handled by the Pennsylvania State Police—a fact not lost on residents who have been without a police chief for months.
"We are short. We don’t have enough manpower in the police department. Take a little bit of that blame. Morale is horrible," stated Joe Barkley, a Collingdale resident.
Chief Mitchell arrives in Collingdale after more than 20 years in Philadelphia and a stint as the top cop of the Selinsgrove Police Department in Snyder County.
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Her first priorities as the new police chief are to hire more officers and attempt to heal and rebuild a fractured department.
"If they want to continue with the pettiness and childishness, then we have to go a stricter route. It is what it is. But if we come to the table like adults and we can get things done, then progress can be made," said Mitchell.
Additionally, there was an official effort to censure the Borough’s Mayor tonight. An official reprimand regarding that vote was taken while the Mayor was out on a scheduled medical procedure.