East Whiteland Lieutenant to Replace Malvern Police Chief

Susan June 6, 2012 at 11:18 pm

Thank you Pete. Still wondering what this
Means for our current officers.

Interested Observer June 7, 2012 at 12:40 am

Probably nothing. It is a new interim chief. Of course from what I read about them suing one another over 200 dollats perhaps they should all be canned and MPD should start over. I hear this new chief is very good - hopefully he can discipline 5 supposed adults who can't get along.

donna miller June 7, 2012 at 12:43 am

Congrats mark you absolutely deserve it!!!
Donna

John "JC" Curry June 7, 2012 at 01:21 am

It is my hope that the new Chief will reach out to the community to build relationships and good will. I also hope he shows a more sincere interest in the getting to know the residents of the borough than did his predecessor.

Kristin Thomas June 7, 2012 at 01:30 am

fired, retired - why the change?

Pete Kennedy (Editor) June 7, 2012 at 01:59 am

I will have the borough council's statement up soon. Short, paraphrased version: Fired, with thanks for 11 years of honorable service.

citizenknow June 7, 2012 at 02:13 am

It was never about the 200 dollars. It was about the integrity of one police officer who steals from his own peers and is out there arresting people for the same thing. I have followed this course of issues closely and am glad that the borough is finally doing something. I'm still wondering if something is going to be done about that officer who will remain nameless who lacks integrity which is an important and invaluable quality in a police officer. And if anybody want to debate this, let us remember that he was found guilty and required to pay money in the law suit. Strictly facts, no rumors or opinions.
Congrats to Mark on this "promotion" if you will call it that. I have no doubt he will be good for this department which is by and large a good group of police officers.

Its About Time June 7, 2012 at 02:24 am

Lt Ercole will do a great job. Pete take it from me that man knows nothing about being honorable. Just ask him on his exit interview how after one of his new officer’s wife passed away in 2003 he attended her funeral and later that year fire him for no reason. I knew this officer real well and his firing at the hands of this so called honorable man and losing his wife devastated him.
He gave up a chance for a dream full time job in the town he lived in because this honorable man told him he would have a great future with Malvern and his wife thought it would be safer then his home town, this was two weeks before she passed away. This honorable man told this officer before he had him fired in December 2003 that he could resign and he would give him a good recommendation or if didn’t he would never work in the police world ever again. Well he choose to be fired because he knew he did nothing wrong to warrant being fired. I know from speaking with this officer he was high up on other departments hiring list after leaving Malvern but because of closed door meetings with the top two in command of Malvern Boro he was not offered these positions. I hope now with Lt Ercole running the department the people of Malvern can now see how a real police department operates.

Pete Kennedy (Editor) June 7, 2012 at 02:45 am

Thanks for sharing, Steve. To be clear, I was paraphrasing the statement released by Borough Council (posted here: http://patch.com/A-tSz5), which said the chief "served honorably and tirelessly for nearly eleven years."

Interested Observer June 7, 2012 at 02:54 am

I understand it wasnt about the 200 dollars but as big - if not bigger - issue than integrity is the fact these supposed professional adults couldnt solve these petty issues without the court. This incident is a stain on EVERYONE involved - and should give evryone pause before they laud "our current officers."

John Wesley Harding June 7, 2012 at 02:58 am

Who knew there was such drama with the police in the Borough of Malvern? Whatever happened with Douglass and the internal investigation? And about him fishing for DUI's outside of the Pig?

John Wesley Harding June 7, 2012 at 02:59 am

Is this the first step in outsourcing the entire police force?

citizenknow June 7, 2012 at 04:11 am

I can't imagine it was something the officers rushed to do. I'm sure there are many more issues there than what the public knows. Obviously there are/were management issues which may have caused the officers to take that course of action.

Interested Observer June 7, 2012 at 10:58 am

I thnk its the last step in trying to salvage it. The fact is theres obviously a lot of internal issues going on the public doesnt know about and council cant/couldnt fix. So they decide to disbannd the force (the "easy" way to fire all of them). When the public went wild council changed its mind and found a stronger leader to get the cops in line. Or else.

K.C. Cox June 7, 2012 at 12:00 pm

I think it is a positive step forward for the borough. Good decision, good choice.

john June 20, 2012 at 01:10 pm

They should merge the forces. No way a one square mile Borough needs its own police force.

Danielle June 21, 2012 at 12:31 pm

A DUI is a DUI- the safety of the public needs to be kept. As a previous bar owner, we always flagged, called cab, made them walk etc. Come on life is too short. All townships watch out for bars.

Danielle June 21, 2012 at 12:34 pm

Dear Pete: We are still hearing "rumbling" that the disbandment of our valued/needed
police department is still on the agenda. I am thrilled that Lt Ercole was hired to be chief ( that problem solved). The King Street development has not even been done yet and all those residents and clients will bring more need of the departments service. Keep us up to date please. Thanks