Council: No Movement on Police Disbandment, No Comment on Rumors

Rumors of personnel changes in the Malvern Police Department will remain just that—rumors—for at least one more day.

The Malvern Borough Council at its Tuesday night meeting told curious residents that it was not moving forward with plans to dissolve the department, but indicated other changes might be in store.

The nature of those changes will likely be made clear in two meetings scheduled for Wednesday evening. In Malvern, Mayor Jerry McGlone will meet with the police department, according to officers. In East Whiteland, the Board of Supervisors has scheduled a special meeting to discuss police services relating to the borough.

Several members of the Malvern Police Department attended the council meeting, but did not speak. After the meeting, Sgt. Lloyd Douglas and Officer Pat Dougherty told Patch that Chief McMahon boxed and removed items from his office Tuesday.

Though no police issues were on the council's meeting agenda Tuesday night, resident Susan Cook asked the council for a response to what she called "street innuendo" that Chief Michael McMahon was leaving the department.

"What we're hearing is the chief is going, and is to be replaced with an East Whiteland lieutenant," Cook said.

Council President Woody Van Sciver said the council could not comment on personnel matters. He later added, "We as body are not moving actively forward with the exploration we announced [] to dissolve the Malvern Police Department. We will have a further statement to make about the police department at our next public meeting."