Quakertown student protest: Bucks County DA finds 'no evidence to support further charges'

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. - The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has finished its investigation into the police response to the February 20 student protest in Quakertown, releasing a detailed report that criticizes the police chief’s actions but finds no grounds for new criminal charges, according to a memorandum finalized August 3.

Bucks County DA’s office releases findings on Quakertown protest

What we know:

The report confirms that on February 20, students in Quakertown organized a protest against ICE, which ended in violence involving injuries to at least four students and three police officers. 

Five teenagers were arrested after a clash with Chief of Police Scott McElree, who was seriously injured, according to the memorandum. 

The DA’s office reviewed all evidence and dismissed the most serious charges against most of the teenagers, ultimately diverting all five toward having their cases expunged.

The Quakertown Borough Police Department later asked the DA’s office to prosecute additional teenagers, but the office declined, the memorandum states. The DA’s office also investigated allegations about Chief McElree’s conduct and found no evidence to support criminal charges against him or any other officers.

Why you should care:

The report highlights that while Chief McElree was legally authorized to use force, his decision to do so without a uniform or body camera, and without waiting for uniformed officers, was criticized as a "calamitous decision that disrupted a student protest and led to confusion and trauma for an entire community." 

The DA’s office calls for Quakertown police to adopt use-of-force reforms already in place in most Bucks County departments.

The investigation also found that Quakertown police had not adopted policies limiting techniques such as chokeholds, despite countywide guidelines established in 2020. The report urges Chief McElree to provide a timeline for implementing these reforms.

The DA’s office acknowledges that the events "caused pain and division in the community of Quakertown" and that trust in law enforcement has frayed, especially among racial and ethnic minorities.

The investigation process and community response

Dig deeper:

The DA’s office conducted 22 interviews with civilian witnesses and 6 with law enforcement between February 21 and July 27. 

The office relied heavily on bystander video footage because several officers, including Chief McElree, were not wearing body cameras during the protest. The final video was obtained July 9.

The office also reviewed reports from the Bucks County Police Chiefs’ Association, the Quakertown Borough Council, and attorneys for the teenagers. An outside use-of-force expert, Steve Nolan, was brought in to review the evidence and concluded that Chief McElree acted within legal limits.

The protest was planned as part of a nationwide response to ICE actions and was supposed to be peaceful. 

School administrators canceled the protest after a threat was reported, but some students proceeded anyway. The protest escalated after confrontations with counter-protestors and police, leading to arrests and injuries.

The DA’s office found no evidence that Chief McElree or other officers acted as counter-protestors or targeted teenagers based on race. 

The report notes that mistakes in police reports were likely due to confusion during the chaotic event, not intentional misconduct.

The report also addresses community concerns, including those raised by the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the NAACP of Bucks County, and recommends ongoing dialogue and reforms to rebuild trust.

The DA’s office recommends working with the community and Quakertown police to "listen to all voices, promote healing, and build the relationships necessary to keep our community safer and stronger."

Community reaction and calls for reform 

What they're saying:

Tim Prendergast, an attorney representing a student allegedly placed in a chokehold by the chief, said, "From an attorney standpoint I’m glad they came to the conclusion that the chief started all of this — acted outside of his authority… we didn’t have to be here…charges should’ve been addressed…after report…report should’ve been done first based on obvious videos all of us saw." 

Bill Hahn, a Quakertown resident, said, "Even if they don’t have enough evidence to press charges… there’s absolutely enough evidence for him to be fired."

Magan Amy, another resident, said, "There’s no reason why a 14yo should’ve been choked out in the street for yelling F ICE… These are first amendment rights." 

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office recommended the police chief provide an immediate timeline for fully adopting standardized use-of-force reforms that most county departments have already implemented. 

The district attorney’s office said it will engage the Quakertown community over the next 45 days to help them heal and move forward. 

Some students said the police chief was not in uniform and they did not know he was law enforcement.

What we don't know:

The report does not specify whether Quakertown police will immediately implement the recommended use-of-force reforms or how the department will address community trust moving forward. It also does not detail any disciplinary actions that may be taken internally by the police department.

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