The Collingdale Police Department is grappling with a severe shortage of officers, leaving the borough reliant on the Pennsylvania State Police for overnight coverage. This situation has led to an emergency meeting to swear in a new part-time officer, but the mayor's absence and ongoing concerns about the department's future highlight the severity of the crisis.
Leaders in the Borough of Collingdale are once again raising concerns about the severe staffing shortages within the police department. According to Chief Mitchell, there are only five full-time officers currently serving the borough. The situation has become so dire that the Pennsylvania State Police has been covering overnight shifts for the Collingdale Police Department since November.
This past weekend, the borough manager issued a statement highlighting 'a series of unusual call-outs by members of the police department.' Chief Mitchell explained that on Sunday, a call-out left them with insufficient manpower, resulting in no officers available for duty that day.To address this urgent need, an emergency meeting was held on Sunday to swear in a new part-time officer for Collingdale. However, Mayor Donna Matteo-Spadea decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony, stating she didn't believe it served the community's best interests. Councilman Stephen Zane, while unable to speak definitively for the mayor, suggested she needed more information to make an informed decision. He emphasized that if she were to swear in someone, she would want to ensure they were a suitable addition to the department. Chief Mitchell assured that any new recruits would undergo the standard procedures, including background checks and credential verification. The council had originally planned to swear in three part-time officers and one full-time officer during a special meeting on Tuesday night. However, the ceremony was postponed due to the absence of a notary. Officials indicated that the full-time officer candidate had prior experience with the borough, while the three part-time officers are new to the department. Christopher Eiserman, president of the FOP Delaware County Lodge 27, highlighted that this staffing crisis has plagued the borough since early summer. He stated that police officers are reluctant to work in communities where they lack support from elected officials, which is the current situation in Collingdale. He called for intervention from both local and state officials. Chief Mitchell expressed optimism that they would receive more applicants after the civil service exam scheduled for later this month. The exact timeline for the swearing-in of the new part-time officers and the rejoining full-time officer remains uncertain
STAFFING SHORTAGES POLICE DEPARTMENT COLLINGDALE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE EMERGENCY MEETING
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