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Morrisville police department reportA 12-page critique, prepared by Frederick DeVesa who served as Morrisville's interim police director for two weeks before his abrupt resignation, called for major administrative, policy, security, and staffing changes.
Posted: Sunday, September 29, 2013 4:15 pm | Updated: 7:15 pm, Sun Sep 29, 2013.
The Morrisville Police Department “will sooner or later face some type of tragedy or catastrophe” unless drastic changes are made soon, according to a 12-page report submitted to the borough.The critique, prepared by Frederick DeVesa, who served as the borough’s interim police director for two weeks before his abrupt resignation due to lack of cooperation, called for major administrative, policy, security and staffing changes.“Sadly, the department has been neglected for years and is dysfunctional in many respects,” reads the report dated Aug. 25, which the newspaper acquired through a Right-To-Know request. “It lacks the necessary leadership, supervision, discipline, personnel and resources to effectively carry out its mission in a community which is experiencing a growing crime problem. Frankly, it’s surprising that it has managed to function as well as it has.”
According to the report, the police department lacks professionalism, firearms are poorly administered, officers are left without supervision, crime evidence isn’t promptly documented or handled, and the police building is poorly secured.
DeVesa warned Morrisville that failing to improve the police department may worsen matters even further and may ultimately threaten the viability of the force and lead to its dissolution.
Because police officers are suing each other and the borough, Morrisville’s insurance provider encouraged the government to hire an outside firm to conduct an investigation of the department, said council President Nancy Sherlock.
Neither she nor any other borough officials would talk about the lawsuits, and the newspaper was unsuccessful in finding any court documents related to the borough police department.
Only a few people have seen the report completed by Cornerstone Consulting Services, an investigative company that took about a year to conclude its findings. None of the council members have seen it, Sherlock said. Neither has the mayor. The Cornerstone report was sent to the borough solicitor, the Bucks County district attorney, the state attorney general and the borough's insurance company, she said.
DeVesa said in his findings that he hasn't reviewed the 3,200-page report either. His analysis of the force was based on his own observation and some interviews.
DeVesa has more than three decades of public service, from working as a Newark police officer and detective to serving as assistant attorney general in New Jersey. He served on the New Jersey Superior Court, retiring as the presiding judge in charge of criminal courts in Middlesex County.
The police department had been running without a lead administrator since former chief Jack Jones’ contract ended in December. Since January, Lt. Thomas Herron has been running what DeVesa's report calls an ill-equipped and understaffed department.
Herron said on Friday that he hasn’t seen either the Cornerstone or DeVesa reports. The newspaper was unsuccessful in contacting Mayor Rita Ledger for comment.
Problematic department
In his report, DeVesa states that the most critical problem facing the department is lack of supervision over six full-time and four part-time officers.
“This problem permeates nearly all aspects of police operations and has resulted in a department that lacks sufficient accountability,” he wrote in the report.
The department lacks even the basics, he noted.
Police officers don’t wear or display required name plates or badge numbers, and there’s even a lack of clarity to the proper uniform attire. “These appearance items may seem insignificant but they reflect on the public perception of the professionalism and accountability of the department,” reads the report.
Making matters worse, the police department poorly handles evidence and firearms, DeVesa wrote.
When DeVesa first entered Jones’ office, he said he discovered "a complete mess.”
“There were two handguns and ammunition on a closet shelf, some evidence envelops scattered about the office, and a wallet containing $655 in cash in a desk drawer,” the report shows.
The department firearms, ammunition and some other firearms that have come into the department’s possession were stored in a locked closet. However, no supervisor approval is needed to access it and all officers have keys to it, wrote DeVesa. In addition, several handguns found in the closet were unaccounted for, he said.
Furthermore, DeVesa continued, the department stores an assault rifle, shotgun and ammunition in a locked cabinet in the trunk of each patrol car. The weapons are “continuously left in the patrol cars so that any officer using any of the cars will have access to the weapons. Since the weapons are not removed and reassigned during each shift turnover, there are some issues that need to be addressed.”
In addition, the former police director noted that there are no surveillance cameras or other security measures in place in the police building or parking lot, where all vehicles are stored.
Crime evidence is suffering
The evidence room is in “a state of disarray and may contain firearms and other property that is not properly tagged and inventoried,” reads the report.
Additionally, department rules and policies, which were last issued in 1991, are outdated. Making matters worse, during a recent redistribution of department policies and regulations, some officers said they had never seen the document.
“Two officers refused to sign the acknowledgement form,” DeVesa said. “It is apparent that Morrisville officers have been functioning without adequate rules to govern their behavior for some time and those rules that do exist are not often known or followed.”
The report also criticizes the appointment of Herron as officer-in-charge of the force without his duties and powers ever specified or “officially delineated and he does not file any regular reports summarizing his activities.”
The report notes that Herron is present at the police station only about 25 percent of the time because he’s driving evidence to the county crime lab in Warminster without leaving a supervisor in charge.
The report also takes issue with police officers not complying with rules when voiding citations or parking tickets. “Under the circumstances a citation can be simply voided or discarded without necessary documentation and approval.”
In regards to the police building, the report noted many deficiencies.
Police officers don’t have a suitable place to interrogate suspects or take statements. There are no desks or drawers that can be locked. “There (is) no active alarm system protecting the evidence and firearms storage rooms or the perimeter of the department,” reads the report. “There are unprotected ground level exterior windows that can be broken to gain access and a rear wooden door separating police headquarters from the municipal building hallway is cracked and compromised.”
Given what he calls the growing crime problem in the neighborhood around the police station, DeVesa highly encourages repairs and security measures.
The report also criticizes the force's seven vehicles, terming them in fair to poor condition.
The computer network in the vehicles is also in question, although it’s believed that technicians would respond to repairs at no cost. However, the report indicates that Herron has "inadvertently caused problems by ‘tinkering’ with the system” rather than calling in technicians.
The temporary plan
In his report, DeVesa made some suggestions to improve the department, including:
Town versus police department
Years of political division within the borough council, administration and the police department have worsened the functionality of the police force, DeVesa wrote.
“Sadly, after much evaluation and reflection, I concluded that the political and personal divisions within the borough and the department would make it impossible for an interim police director to gain the necessary authority, information, cooperation and support to advance (the suggested) goals,” he noted. “I feared that any efforts by me as an interim police director might only complicate and exacerbate the current situation.”
In his two-page resignation letter, DeVesa criticized the mayor.
He said he tried to arrange a meeting with Mayor Rita Ledger and borough Manager Tom Bates to “resolve at least some of the issues relating to my proposed authority and duties, but (Ledger) stated that she was unwilling to "negotiate" or delegate her proper authority and role.
Steps taken
Morrisville is seeking a new police chief. Of 20 applicants, six will be interviewed by the administration and CityBurbs Group, a consulting firm run by Lower Makefield police Chief Ken Coluzzi hired to lead the search. The top three candidates will be interviewed by the council.
Since DeVesa’s departure, the council has hired three full-time officers. But little else has been reported to be changing within the department, even after DeVesa made suggestions to get the department back on track while a new chief is hired.
According to the report, the police department lacks professionalism, firearms are poorly administered, officers are left without supervision, crime evidence isn’t promptly documented or handled, and the police building is poorly secured.
DeVesa warned Morrisville that failing to improve the police department may worsen matters even further and may ultimately threaten the viability of the force and lead to its dissolution.
Because police officers are suing each other and the borough, Morrisville’s insurance provider encouraged the government to hire an outside firm to conduct an investigation of the department, said council President Nancy Sherlock.
Neither she nor any other borough officials would talk about the lawsuits, and the newspaper was unsuccessful in finding any court documents related to the borough police department.
Only a few people have seen the report completed by Cornerstone Consulting Services, an investigative company that took about a year to conclude its findings. None of the council members have seen it, Sherlock said. Neither has the mayor. The Cornerstone report was sent to the borough solicitor, the Bucks County district attorney, the state attorney general and the borough's insurance company, she said.
DeVesa said in his findings that he hasn't reviewed the 3,200-page report either. His analysis of the force was based on his own observation and some interviews.
DeVesa has more than three decades of public service, from working as a Newark police officer and detective to serving as assistant attorney general in New Jersey. He served on the New Jersey Superior Court, retiring as the presiding judge in charge of criminal courts in Middlesex County.
The police department had been running without a lead administrator since former chief Jack Jones’ contract ended in December. Since January, Lt. Thomas Herron has been running what DeVesa's report calls an ill-equipped and understaffed department.
Herron said on Friday that he hasn’t seen either the Cornerstone or DeVesa reports. The newspaper was unsuccessful in contacting Mayor Rita Ledger for comment.
Problematic department
In his report, DeVesa states that the most critical problem facing the department is lack of supervision over six full-time and four part-time officers.
“This problem permeates nearly all aspects of police operations and has resulted in a department that lacks sufficient accountability,” he wrote in the report.
The department lacks even the basics, he noted.
Police officers don’t wear or display required name plates or badge numbers, and there’s even a lack of clarity to the proper uniform attire. “These appearance items may seem insignificant but they reflect on the public perception of the professionalism and accountability of the department,” reads the report.
Making matters worse, the police department poorly handles evidence and firearms, DeVesa wrote.
When DeVesa first entered Jones’ office, he said he discovered "a complete mess.”
“There were two handguns and ammunition on a closet shelf, some evidence envelops scattered about the office, and a wallet containing $655 in cash in a desk drawer,” the report shows.
The department firearms, ammunition and some other firearms that have come into the department’s possession were stored in a locked closet. However, no supervisor approval is needed to access it and all officers have keys to it, wrote DeVesa. In addition, several handguns found in the closet were unaccounted for, he said.
Furthermore, DeVesa continued, the department stores an assault rifle, shotgun and ammunition in a locked cabinet in the trunk of each patrol car. The weapons are “continuously left in the patrol cars so that any officer using any of the cars will have access to the weapons. Since the weapons are not removed and reassigned during each shift turnover, there are some issues that need to be addressed.”
In addition, the former police director noted that there are no surveillance cameras or other security measures in place in the police building or parking lot, where all vehicles are stored.
Crime evidence is suffering
The evidence room is in “a state of disarray and may contain firearms and other property that is not properly tagged and inventoried,” reads the report.
Additionally, department rules and policies, which were last issued in 1991, are outdated. Making matters worse, during a recent redistribution of department policies and regulations, some officers said they had never seen the document.
“Two officers refused to sign the acknowledgement form,” DeVesa said. “It is apparent that Morrisville officers have been functioning without adequate rules to govern their behavior for some time and those rules that do exist are not often known or followed.”
The report also criticizes the appointment of Herron as officer-in-charge of the force without his duties and powers ever specified or “officially delineated and he does not file any regular reports summarizing his activities.”
The report notes that Herron is present at the police station only about 25 percent of the time because he’s driving evidence to the county crime lab in Warminster without leaving a supervisor in charge.
The report also takes issue with police officers not complying with rules when voiding citations or parking tickets. “Under the circumstances a citation can be simply voided or discarded without necessary documentation and approval.”
In regards to the police building, the report noted many deficiencies.
Police officers don’t have a suitable place to interrogate suspects or take statements. There are no desks or drawers that can be locked. “There (is) no active alarm system protecting the evidence and firearms storage rooms or the perimeter of the department,” reads the report. “There are unprotected ground level exterior windows that can be broken to gain access and a rear wooden door separating police headquarters from the municipal building hallway is cracked and compromised.”
Given what he calls the growing crime problem in the neighborhood around the police station, DeVesa highly encourages repairs and security measures.
The report also criticizes the force's seven vehicles, terming them in fair to poor condition.
The computer network in the vehicles is also in question, although it’s believed that technicians would respond to repairs at no cost. However, the report indicates that Herron has "inadvertently caused problems by ‘tinkering’ with the system” rather than calling in technicians.
The temporary plan
In his report, DeVesa made some suggestions to improve the department, including:
- Hire a full-time police chief and take steps to get the department on track before he or she arrives.
- Require police personnel to follow the department's Police Guide document until an updated document is provided.
- Require Herron to leave a supervisor in charge when he’s gone.
- Conduct an internal investigation based on the Cornerstone report, and have it reviewed by the district attorney and attorney general.
- Appoint Officer John Aspromonti, who is well-trained and an experienced firearms range master and armorer, to develop policies and procedures for the storage, maintenance, training and use of firearms.
- Purchase new equipment -- from computers to more fuel-efficient cars.
- Immediately designate an officer -- preferably Officer Mike Pitcher -- as the department investigator so that there is a responsible point person inside the force to coordinate what needs to be done.
Town versus police department
Years of political division within the borough council, administration and the police department have worsened the functionality of the police force, DeVesa wrote.
“Sadly, after much evaluation and reflection, I concluded that the political and personal divisions within the borough and the department would make it impossible for an interim police director to gain the necessary authority, information, cooperation and support to advance (the suggested) goals,” he noted. “I feared that any efforts by me as an interim police director might only complicate and exacerbate the current situation.”
In his two-page resignation letter, DeVesa criticized the mayor.
He said he tried to arrange a meeting with Mayor Rita Ledger and borough Manager Tom Bates to “resolve at least some of the issues relating to my proposed authority and duties, but (Ledger) stated that she was unwilling to "negotiate" or delegate her proper authority and role.
Steps taken
Morrisville is seeking a new police chief. Of 20 applicants, six will be interviewed by the administration and CityBurbs Group, a consulting firm run by Lower Makefield police Chief Ken Coluzzi hired to lead the search. The top three candidates will be interviewed by the council.
Since DeVesa’s departure, the council has hired three full-time officers. But little else has been reported to be changing within the department, even after DeVesa made suggestions to get the department back on track while a new chief is hired.
28 comments:
[Frank Drebin is emptying out his files after being kicked off the force]
Frank: Hey! The missing evidence in the Kelner case! My God, he really was innocent!
Ed: He went to the chair two years ago, Frank.
Frank: Well, uh...
[Frank Drebin quickly shoves the evidence back into the file cabinet]
"He said he tried to arrange a meeting with Mayor Rita Ledger and borough Manager Tom Bates to “resolve at least some of the issues relating to my proposed authority and duties, but (Ledger) stated that she was unwilling to "negotiate" or delegate her proper authority and role."
I'm not surprised that Rita wouldn't work with this guy. She has had serious problems working with anyone, I would assume it would be no different with him.
Vegas odds are 50/50 Ledger will claim she never got a copy of this report.
"None of the council members have seen it, Sherlock said. Neither has the mayor."
I mean the Devesa report (memo) that's addressed to her.
I'm confused about the information regarding the police fleet. Purchasing a police car is standard in the annual budget. A vehicle is regularly purchased and retired to the public works dept.
This reminded me that Jane Burger's outgoing gift to council was that she & her cronies would only allow enough money in the budget for 1/2 a police car. I had forgotten all about this until now.
Also, I think the new radio system is something that was mandated but not funded by the state for all PA law enforcement. I know that council has been squirreling away money in the annual budgets for the past couple of years to be able to meet the date this needs to be in effect so that it wouldn't be a huge chunk at one time. (nice run-on sentence)
I'm not surprised someone would try to rig a repair instead of having it repaired. It's the old way of thinking. If their is a warranty - use it grandpa. Reading this part reminded me of Todd Sanford and the time he was caught snooping around one of the ambulances because he didn't think the ambulance squad needed a new one. Idiot - the ambulance squad is privately owned.
1/2 car, 1/2 assed, what else is new?
Any truth to the rumor Sanford didn't like that the ambulance tires were black?
very very sad state of affairs. I am hoping that we get some newly elected officials in November who will really move things forward.
I do not know how you have major reports like this and nobody has seen them but state attorneys and the solicitor. To my knowledge the solicitor works for the borough and is paid with tax money. that report should absolutely been demanded by each council member and mayor and in no way shape or form not accessible to anyone at this point. everyone is simpley sitting on their ass and waiting to see what happens in november so nobody has to lift a finger and do their job or put their name on anything. I am disgusted completely with our current council members, mayor, police etc and dam it if we dont get these older than dirt people out of those buildings and start fresh with new ideas, new blood and new energy we might as well kiss this place goodbye.
town watch is good and I hope it gets things moving because those elected sure are not. they should take some notes from the people on the current school board most seem to take their job serious and get things done and dont take no or lack of info lightly.
have you watched a video lately, three duds still on there but a few sure are movers and shakers
It is an unfortunate situation for all of us. The police department has been allowed to deteriorate by the chief and the mayor. I hate like heck to say this but it goes back farther then that incompetent ass Ledger. She had an opportunity to improve the situation from day one but chose to fight with council and the police.
Council has been kept in the dark and that's unacceptable especially now that they are feeling the brunt of all of this. I get that council does not run the police department. Ledger could have worked with council. The mayor, council, the police dept and the public could have come together to bring solutions. Ledger could have accepted help but for her it was all about power obviously. It's sad for all of us that the two people who are supposed to be in charge (mayor & chief, both prior and acting) have been keeping their heads in the sand.
I liked Chief Jones. He was always a nice guy. But unfortunately he let the police department run itself into the ground. And the mayor's office let it happen.
It would be very difficult to put a more incompetent nincompoop in the mayor's office than Ledger.
Dreisbach, Todd Sanford & Debby Smith are not far behind.
I really love how most of the people who post on here are nameless. For their information, the mayor was blocked from performing her duties for years. The boro mgr and some of council took that upon themselves. Some of this council would like to do away with this police dept and have another town cover our boro. Is this really hat you would want. Which community do you think would take priority, if thy were required in both towns? It wouldn't be us!! Be careful what you wish for. The mayor has requested to look at the Cornerstone report, to o avail! Some people need to be more informed. I wish you would ask questions and get the FULL story. The DeVasi report was discussed in executive session, and was stamped confidential. Obviously some on council ot mgr. position don't care about the privacy of certin information!
I love how you make non-stop excuses for your and others' incompetence. Face it, you and your friends are miserable failures, and your mismanagement is costing all of us. If you had a shred of decency, you would have long since recognized that you were way over your head and resigned, allowing someone more capable and willing to handle the job you so obviously don't want to do. You've made a real mess of things, and now there's no way to deny you are culpable. Your pathetic excuses aren't doing you any favors. They just reinforce that you were never up to the task.
One of the things Ledger lists in her sham of a lawsuit is that Bates tried to communicate with the police dept without going through the mayor. So it's ridiculous to say that council kept her from doing her job.
I cannot blame council for the police dept mess. It's just not that easy for me. Eileen is wrong in saying that it's council's fault that Ledger didn't care for the police dept. Council never had the ability to block her from the police dept. As far as the police dept goes, council only knows what they are informed about through the mayor. If the mayor isn't opening up to council, don't blame council. Lord Eileen, you are blaming yourself for the mayor's mess, don't you even realize that?!
Just one more thing in the long list of failures brought to our town by our so called leadership. The villains are well known, as they've been playing this same game for years. Coming in here to make excuses will never erase the disgrace you and the others have proven to be.
It is so very easy for you, Whoever You Are!, to ridicule others, you're not the one getting fed inaccurate information, when you ask for information, yore old there's no such documents. The council oversees the manager, who would not put him in his place!!! And Jesus Chrisrt is the only Lord I know!
There is more than enough blame to go around. This has been building to a total disaster for decades. The Council and the Mayor have let personal grievances interfere with the best interests of the public. An outside firm WITH NO CONNECTIONS to people on the council or the mayor should have been hired to assist with the hiring of a new police chief. How on earth are we to expect anything to change if the same people who created this mess are the one's that selected a "person friend" to run the hiring program?
This independent company was originally going to be our part time Chief. We as citizens of this borough should say enough is enough and throw them all out! This is embarrassing!
Eileen D, I'm not listing my name, I don't want or need that grief, but this is from the heart:
I find you to be a terrible elected representative and public servant. You're in way over your head, and I can't trust a thing you say. Many thanks for not running again this time.
" The Council and the Mayor have let personal grievances interfere with the best interests of the public."
I cannot agree with this blanket statement. There are those on council who will work with anyone who is working for Morrisville. I cannot fault them for that. I have watched the behavior of council and our mayors for a very long time.
I don't even understand what your comment has to do with the article. Council does not run the police department. They are separate. Anyone trying to convince people that council is connected with running the police dept is not being honest with you.
Even if the mayor was 100% blocked 100% of the time, why did she wait 3.5 years to complain? It sounds like she's pretty incompetent.
After reading all 12 pages "Where was Rita?" is the only question I have. She should be formally censured by the council for dereliction of her duty. This is a sordid and disgusting report. The problem starts at the top, and that's her. There's only a few months left, but I want her resignation.
"Eileen dreisbach said...
I really love how most of the people who post on here are nameless. For their information, the mayor was blocked from performing her duties for years." Come on. Years? She's that bad an administrator that it took years for her to realize she could not handle it?
"The boro mgr and some of council took that upon themselves." If you were a member of council and allowed it to happen, stop making excuses, admit you're not up to the job, and resign.
"Some of this council would like to do away with this police dept and have another town cover our boro. Is this really hat you would want. Which community do you think would take priority, if thy were required in both towns? It wouldn't be us!! Be careful what you wish for." That should never happen but why are you throwing more smoke into the mayor's incompetence? Fix the police department we have.
"The mayor has requested to look at the Cornerstone report, to o avail!" By now, do you realize that she is probably named in the report as having contributed to the problem and sharing it with her will cause further problems? Be sure you're not named in the report yourself.
"Some people need to be more informed. I wish you would ask questions and get the FULL story. The DeVasi report was discussed in executive session, and was stamped confidential. Obviously some on council ot mgr. position don't care about the privacy of certin information!" The 12 pages are freely available for several weeks now so I'm pretty sure the privacy is not a problem. As far as asking questions, ask all you want. We would have been much better served as a town if you had asked more questions rather than allowing the alleged stonewalling to continue. You do realize that saying the elected mayor was blocked by appointed officials and you, another sworn elected official, did nothing, makes you potentially just as liable?
Why should I be upset if we do away with our police dept? How much worse could it be to merge or outsource from a catastrophe waiting to happen? In fact, how could it possibly be worse? Not to mention if Dreisbach is deadset against it, with her track record of being rock solid wrong so often, it might actually be a good thing.
Eileen gets easily lost with where she stands on the issues. I remember her screaming at school board meetings that Manor Park should be reopened but when her friends got on the board the screaming stopped. She even stopped coming to the meetings. Now she wants the police dept to stay in Morrisville. I can see the benefits of both sides but when it comes time to raise taxes to keep the police in Morrisville I would lay down a hefty sum of money to bet that Eileen would be the first to complain and vote down the budget. Thank God she's getting off council.
I am surprised that Eileen is cutting off her own head to try to help Rita. She hasn't been working with or for Eileen. Kick her to the curb Eileen. She has not been a friend to you or to the community you serve.
I have read both the article and the report. I can see where much of what was listed would have to wait for budget talks. I think they start in October, then the budget will need to be approved by a vote of council...and of course vetoed by the mayor. (just saying, that is what she usually does) Even though budget talks start in October, the actual budget won't take effect until the beginning of January. I would suspect we will all see a tax increase to pay for much of what is needed to move forward with getting the police department back on track. The new officer's salaries have to come from somewhere. Also many of the security inefficiencies will take a chunk of money to correct.
I'm really not interested in how far back the deterioration of the department goes. I prefer to see this as an outline for how we can improve the situation.
We will all be safe in Dave Rivella's creepy 80's porno beard.
That was mature. Valid point - not.
Really? He's going bald too, don't forget to point that out. He must be right for the job if you're attacking his facial hair.
Gotta love Morrisville.
Yeah, real mature attacking a public official anonymously. Do you trip over your massive testicles when you walk or your gunt?
Really get off of the internet and maybe you will get some social skills.
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