Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2013 1:15 pm | Updated: 9:54 pm, Thu Sep 19, 2013.
Morrisville’s mayor plans to meet with police to work out a strategy for publicizing future public safety incidents following criticism this week over the handling of a second alleged child abduction attempt last Friday.Mayor Rita Ledger, who oversees the borough’s police department, was told on Friday about the alleged child luring incident, but she did not share the information until Monday, when she confirmed the incident for the Bucks County Courier Times.Police Lt. Tom Herron, whom Ledger says she’ll meet with on Friday, has not released any information about the incident, and has declined comment on it.
On Wednesday, Ledger acknowledged she could have notified other council members, but she didn’t because she didn’t have much information as the incident remains under investigation. Police have told Ledger they won’t release more information until the investigation is complete.
Ledger also says that she will meet with council President Nancy Sherlock to put a plan in place for notifying council about relevant police matters in a timely fashion.
In a statement released Wednesday, councilwoman Sherlock said the lack of information about the two alleged abduction attempts have left the community to speculate. She confirmed that council has not received any information about the recent possible abduction reports.
“Council members are very concerned about the welfare of our most vulnerable residents, the children. At this time, we would ask all parents to be particularly vigilant about watching their children,” she said in the statement.
Sherlock also encouraged community members to contact local government officials and police for updates.
“I don’t like the idea they’re closed-mouthed,” she added. “Silence always makes people think things.”
Friday’s alleged abduction attempt reportedly involved two men in a white work van who approached a boy around 6 p.m. in the 300 block of North Melvin Avenue. The boy ran away and no other details have been officially released.
Morrisville police experienced backlash last month after police waited five days before reporting an alleged child abduction attempt.
In the Aug. 19 incident, an 8-year-old girl escaped a kidnapping attempt in her West Bridge Street backyard. The girl and her brother told police the alleged abductor approached the yard in a newer model light-colored sedan.
The man got out of the car, walked over to the girl and grabbed her, covering her mouth with his hand and started dragging her to his car. The girl bit the man on the hand, broke free and ran home with her brother.
Police said that nearby surveillance cameras showed the car was apparently casing the area before the kidnapping attempt.
18 comments:
The tired old "I didn't have the information" excuse in action, or should I say inaction.
Sex, lies and lawsuits
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 6:17 am, Thu Sep 19, 2013.
Imagine shelling out $825,000 in damages and more like a million bucks overall, with lawyers’ fees factored in, to make a couple of finger-pointers go away — and as part of the deal claiming nobody did anything wrong.
That’s what they did in Bristol Borough last month. Officials there agreed to pay $440,000 in damages to a borough police officer who said he was harassed by colleagues and superiors after refusing to lie for a fellow patrolman accused of using his badge to coerce a woman into a sex act.
The payout follows a $385,000 settlement with the woman who made the allegation. The accused officer eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of “official oppression” — essentially misusing his badge. He served three months in jail.
The incident occurred way back in 2008. When the woman leveled her charge, Officer Ritchie Webb, the ranking officer, was asked to investigate, according to Webb’s suit. The suit also said when Webb refused to change his story to protect the accused officer, he was harassed both on and off the job. More critically, he said he was refused overtime, denied backup and suspended for 11 weeks on “baseless allegations” that he threatened to shoot somebody — a charge county detectives found had no merit. Webb said he feared for his life.
The settlement reached with Webb states the defendants — a laundry list of borough and police officials — “deny any and all liability of any sort or type....”
Of course they do. Nobody did anything wrong. All is well.
Except it isn’t!
Look, they can put out all the carefully worded and very lawyerly statements they want. The fact is a cop resigned and pleaded guilty to a crime, his victim was paid for the trauma she suffered, and Webb was paid to settle his allegations of harassment and retribution. What stands out is Webb remains on the police force — an officer in good standing.
What’s not in good standing is the image of the police department and citizens’ confidence in it. To address those serious problems, officials ought to do what they should have done a long time ago: hire an outsider to investigate. Regardless of what their legal disclaimer says, anyone found to have engaged in misconduct should be disciplined. Though lawyers aren't allowing any side to talk, citizens are entitled to full disclosure of this very ugly and costly matter, including if cowboys are playing cops on their streets.
And if they’re doing so with officials’ blessings.
If so, it might be time to consider dismantling a small but costly police department that might be more effective — and manageable — as part of a regional force. At the very least, insulating the department from local political influence by broadening and distancing supervision could be a good thing.
Rita is saying she didn't meet with the police and that she didn't let council know anything was going on. I'm surprised she was honest about it. (or it could be that she had no idea what she was saying) just saying.
Imcompetence to the Nth degree. Can't wait until Ledger's out of office. This should be a surprise to no one. I knew she would fail and she exceeded my expectations for failure.
As usual, trying to close the door after the cow already left the barn, but perhaps this feeble attempt will result in something happening. I don't expect they'll have any effective or elegant solutions, as they appear to suffer from a collective and considerable cognitive impairment.
A typical SOC trait is they're never shy about loudly and proudly broadcasting their ignorance, incompetence, stupdity, & lack of preparation.
Outsource, combine with Falls or something. We proved we can't handle it.
Sorry to the good normal councilpeople and cops, but there are too many bad apples spoiling the batch.
Blow it up and start over.
Fred Kerner is all right, he should stay. His opponent Justin Bowers is a Burgerbot recruit, so unless you want at least 4 NO votes every time (including both 3rd ward votes) don't put him in there.
At least Driesbach's packing it in on 1st ward council. Too bad burgerbot Sanford's running again.
Don't write off Rita yet. She has a few more months to dig deeper and exceed expectations even more.
NonyaB posted at 6:20 pm on Fri, Sep 20, 2013.
Posts: 1
I can not understand how and why Tom Herron has not been fired as well as half the cops on that force. Not only did they withhold information about the attempted abduction, they decided to do so on opening night of football for the high school team where literally hundreds of kids were present in a 2 block radius. It was like shooting fish in a barrel for a pedophile.
After Channel 6 news interviewed residents about the police department and borough's lack of notification of the attempted abduction, they were both harassed by the Morrisville Police. One was accused of DUI and had his car impounded.
Sorry, but that is NOT a coincidence.
Herron's behavior and professionalism on camera were disgusting, as is he. He is an old, saggy, washed up, never-been, not has-been, never-been. The last time I saw him, he was sitting in his police SUV with cake crumbs all over his face and the front of his shirt along with coffee stains. You are a class act.
And while we are talking about Tom Herron, can anyone tell us why he spends so much time at the foreign car lot and repair shop on Bridge Street across from South End Auto Parts? He is there almost daily, sometimes for hours at a time. If I remember correctly, the owner of that business was charged with having a chop shop and stolen VINs/cars.
Let's talk about the officer that threatens to arrest you every time you have the nerve to question him why he pulled you over.
Let's talk about how you can't drive down Plaza Blvd after dark because there are so many drug transactions going on in the middle of the street that you literally have to stop your car and wait for them to finish.
Should we talk about how many armed robberies have taken place along the businesses and banks on West Trenton Avenue. Since July, EVERY bank in Morrisville has had a robbery attempt with the exception of the one inside Giant. They just wait for you in the parking lot and hold you up there.
Are people aware that the police have locked their "boss" out of the department...yes she can not gain entrance, and not a single thing has been done.
We have a single officer who is suing an entire department because things aren't "fair". Are you kidding me????????? How old are you???????? Did someone steal your puppy?????? What's not fair, and actually quite scary is that this guy is sanctioned to carry a gun and kill someone!!
Should we also mention that he was fired from other police departments for the same behavior?
These are some of the people protecting our children......
My house goes up for sale Monday.
Last time I checked, Copland was a movie....and it wasn't filmed in Morrisville.
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croydonpaul posted at 1:43 pm on Fri, Sep 20, 2013.
Posts: 1
habib's right. Something absolutely catastrophic eventually will happen - it always does.
It's one thing to be quiet about internal affairs, but clearly not when it comes to the safety of the public. If they're all hush-lipped because of potential and pending lawsuits, they haven't seen anything. Wait till one of the taxpaying, voting public's child get kidnapped - or worse - for real the next time. Should the next time be handled in the same lackadaisical way the past few have, they will ALL be sued beyond belief, as well as (most likely) valid criminal negligence charges landing some in jail for a long time.
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habib posted at 11:32 am on Fri, Sep 20, 2013.
Posts: 7
Time to get coverage proposals from Lower Makefield and Falls Township Police departments. Morrisville has incompetent leadership, officers who are suing each other, no supervision and no Police Chief. Look at contracting out for police services before something catastrophic happens.
Rita has a key to the police department. So what are you talking about?!
Oh, I'm sorry about the post directly above. In looking at the other posts again, I'm guessing they are from somewhere else. Sorry about that
" If they're all hush-lipped because of potential and pending lawsuits, they haven't seen anything."
I don't know who "they" are.
Not sure, but "They" seem to be the police.
PENNSBURY OFFICIALS: No child abduction attempts in the district
Published: Saturday, September 21, 2013
PENNSBURY - A Pennsbury official reported at last night’s school board meeting that police have confirmed that despite rumors there have been no alleged attempted child abductions in the school district. The official stressed that the two alleged incidents took place in Morrisville Borough not in the two Pennsbury communities that were rumored to have had child abductions. He said the rumors that are going viral on the internet are false about Pennsbury School District. There were no incidents in a Falls Township neighborhood or Levittown neighborhood, according to the official.
Man I hope they catch those van guys pronto.
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