Posted: Sunday, September 15, 2013, 1:10 AM
MORRISVILLE Wracked by dissension and lacking a chief, Morrisville's police department is barreling toward "tragedy or catastrophe," according to an internal report written by its former director. In his 11-page letter, Frederick DeVesa raised concerns about officers in the Bucks County borough who may have been hired without proper background checks, worked without supervision, and faced no discipline for "improper" performance. He also noted disarray in the department's evidence room, including guns that appeared to have been improperly tagged or stored."Frankly, it is surprising that [the police department] has managed to function as well as it has," DeVesa wrote in the Aug. 25 report to borough council.DeVesa, a retired New Jersey judge and prosecutor, quit last month after two weeks as the interim police director because of the dysfunction.
Lt. Thomas Herron, who is now in charge of the department, declined to comment on the report. Mayor Rita Ledger did not return calls for comment. DeVesa's report, obtained by The Inquirer through a right-to-know request, describes an atmosphere even more toxic than the one depicted in pending lawsuits filed by a borough officer and the mayor. Both allege harassment within the police department.With a population of 8,000 and eight full-time officers, Morrisville sits across the Delaware River from Trenton. Its most recent police chief retired in December, and a search for his replacement is ongoing. In his letter, DeVesa said the borough was experiencing a "growing crime problem."Reached Friday, DeVesa declined to elaborate or to discuss other findings. His report noted the following observations:Officers lack supervision most of the time. And none have been disciplined despite the common belief that there have been many recent instances of "improper police performance." He did not elaborate. DeVesa said it appeared that some officers might have been hired without background checks. Some officers told him they had never seen the department's rules and regulations, which were issued in 1991. And two officers refused to sign a form acknowledging they had read them. The evidence room appeared to be in disarray and might contain firearms and other property improperly tagged and inventoried. "There are, of course, serious ramifications if this is true," DeVesa reported. The department is understaffed. Its aging fleet of vehicles includes a 2000 Ford SUV that DeVesa described as "no longer suitable for police usage" and that needed to be replaced. At the moment, the department is functioning enough to keep the peace, DeVesa wrote. But, he concluded, "this good fortune cannot be expected to continue indefinitely. A police force that functions without proper leadership, discipline, and resources will sooner or later face some type of tragedy or catastrophe." Victor Cicero, a former police chief who sits on the borough council, said Morrisville had some good police officers. But he said that DeVesa, in his conclusions, "hit the nail on the head every time."DeVesa's report concluded that reform would require more money, expertise, and support. "Years of neglect," he wrote, "cannot be expected to be corrected overnight."
52 comments:
We need this bad press like we need more crime.
The only reason this is "bad pres" is because we keep ignoring it while it's easily fixible. As a town, we ignore everything until it becomes a gigantic Titanic sized piece of excrement. We allowed it to grow, we need to accept the responsibility.
The police dept and MR Reiter have more in common than I thought. Neglect it till it blows up.
Don't you raise my taxes on account of this. Goodness no. That would be the real tragedy.
Whatsamatter ledger your phone don't dial out?
"Whatsamatter ledger your phone don't dial out?"
If I were her, I would have destroyed my cell phone. I think she raised this lawsuit just because she didnt have the guts to do her job as mayor and fix this when it was fixable.
After reading this, I think I need a Pepitone Bismol.
Ledger has a cell phone? Were Rush, Glenn, & Bill O. right saying poverty ain't what it's made out to be?
Enjoy those Chicken McNuggets, useful R-fools.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/09/13/poverty_in_america_isn_t_poverty
There's deserving poor and then there's undeserving poor. Undeserving poor is somebody else who you can look down on.
So, where do we (as a community) go from here?
Do we collaborate to make things right or do we eff around lobbing political bombs at each other???
The bombs are so much more fun.
Collaborate is more than a feel good buzzspeak word of the day to toss around. It really means working with each other.
There's blame to go around. Though when it comes down to ass tax, I put most where the frequent displays of bombastic incompetence and obstructionism are. Take a bow Burgerbots, Ledger, Smith, Sandford. A real bow. Like bow the hell out of positions of power. Take your toys and go home.
Collaboration means making peace with those Burgerbots, Ledger, Smith, and Sandford. It also means them making peace with others.
s long as we keep pointing fingers and names at each other, we give those that created this mess exactly what they want. We need to grab this bull by the horns and get it going in the right direction. The report from that was submitted shows that all of this has been going on for some time. Proper evidence preservation is a top priority for prosecution. The more I read, the more I believe a no party candidate is exactly what our borough needs. Enough of the name calling, enough of the finger pointing. Lets fix this mess and move our borough forward.
Yeah, well check out the no party candidate's posting. All he's doing is the same old vague allegations game without anything substantial. Finger point and DO NOTHING. It looks like he's just another hack quack.
Restore Morrisville shared a link .
2 hours ago
Again, the questions beg: Why no police chief for 9 months and counting? Are they waiting for after the mayoral election? Who benefits from our department falling apart? This is not an accident ladies and gentlemen.
Who is Restore Morrisville? Is that Pepitone's PAC? Can you post a link?
It's Pepitone.
http://www.restoremorrisville.org/contact-bill.html
I understand short-term, Pepitone has to diffentiate himself from the other mayor candidates. But he's setting up a crummy rubric for "governing" should he happen to win.
Lobbing allegations and ticking off both factions in the council political tug of war is a recipe for both camps letting go of the rope and leaving him in the mud puddle.
So much for being the peacemaker
Our mayor office is weak, the way its set up. The mayor doesn't have clout to do any more than cheerlead from the bully pulpit and veto things.
I wanted his web-site to impress, but it doesn't. I could end up writing in anyhow.The 2 on the ballot don't thrill me.
Sounds like Pelpitone should apply for Police Chief, not run for Mayor. We don't need/want a cop for a Mayor.
The Mayor need to look at the big picture, the police dept is just one piece of the whole Borough workings.
My take on Pepitone.
As an unemployed rocket scientist I'm seeking a change in profession so I've decided to apply for a job as a chef. I know nothing about the position but I can boil water. That makes me the obvious choice.
In other words, above average by M'ville standards.
No matter what party you belong to or what candidate you endorse, as residents this report is an outrage.A police department left to twist in the wind and deteriorate with no leadership while crime in our community is on the rise and the situation in Trenton grows more dangerous. Despite what the naysayers claim, a mayor can fix the police department, by forming a partnership with the incoming police chief and the community, working together to aggressively address these problems. Its not micro-managing, its leadership and accountability. If our police do not receive the support they deserve, we move closer to losing our department all together. For those who believe outsourcing is the answer, I can tell you that will have devastating effects on this community.
Bill, that didnt say anything. That was political hot air and we have plenty of that here. Stop saying feel good stuff and give us real and concrete ways YOU will change Morrisville.
Section 1121 of the Pennsylvania State Borough Code states "The Mayor shall have full control and supervision over the Chief of Police and the Police Department and shall direct the time during which, and the manner in which the Police Department operates. " Perhaps it is time we have someone who is actually qualified to do the job as mayor in the position of mayor. Only one of the candidates running has the background that qualifies him to be in this position. As one of you commented anonymously you are an unemployed rocket scientist so you are going to apply to be a chef, wouldn't we be doing the same thing if we voted in an electrician or psychologist? Perhaps it is about time we all get involved and take accountability for what has happened to the town we all call home. If you are not willing to step up then you are part of the problem. Put up or shut up. Personally I am tired of being afraid to let my kids play outside alone, to be home alone during the day and not enjoy the luxury of sleeping with my windows open. I want change and I want the red tape BS to stop. I want to feel safe in the home we as a family worked so hard to obtain. While one person can not give us this I believe Bill Pepitone is part of the solution. What we have done in the past clearly is not working. We need change and someone who is willing to be accountable.
I apologize if that came off as 'political hot air' as one anonymous poster claimed. Changing Morrisville is not an impossible task. First, as far as public safety is concerned, fixing the police department is priority. How? First, a competent police chief with vision must be in place. I will utilize my 20 plus years of law enforcement experience to work hand in hand with the chief, encouraging proven police tactics such as the broken windows theory, community policing, and park, walk and talk. This is not micro-managing, it is leadership, and my partnership with the new chief will be a productive one.
Crime has an effect on economic development, that is a fact. Increase police presence, drive crime away, and businesses will bounce back. That has been proven.I will be visible and involved, my decades of dealing with people of all races and ethnicity will allow me to engage business owners and motivate them to keep up their establishments appearances, something that is a problem here. The school board meetings are too often attended by just my wife and her close friends. That is not enough to elicit change. Everyone must get involved, and I will make it my business to attend these meetings and encourage ALL residents to attend and voice their opinions.There are quality people on the school board, but they need support from Borough Hall and the people. I can and will facilitate that.
Public Safety, economic development and the school system are the backbones of any community. This is not political hot air, it is fact, and right now we are sorely lacking in all three areas. Again, I am not a politician, I am a father and husband who has had enough of politics as usual that is dragging our community down. I am not running for ego, political clout in a party and certainly not for money. I have no agenda other than feeling safe in my home, something I'm sure I share with most of you.
Thank you again, and please do not hesitate to contact me at Restoremorrisville.org. I look forward to speaking to anyone who has Morrisville's best interest's in mind.
Bill
In my little town
I grew up believing
God keeps his eye on us all
And he used to lean upon me
As I pledged allegiance to the wall
Lord I recall my little town
Coming home after school
Riding my bike past the gates of the factories
My mom doing the laundry
Hanging out shirts in the dirty breeze
And after it rains there's a rainbow
And all of the colors are black
It's not that the colors aren't there
It's just imagination they lack
Everything's the same back in my little town
In my little town I never meant nothing
I was just my father's son
Saving my money
Dreamin of glory
Twitching like a finger on a trigger of a gun
Nothing but the dead and dying back in my little town
Nothing but the dead and dying back in my little town
Nothing but the dead and dying back in my little town
I'm sorry Mr. Pepitone. Up to this point YOU have done nothing. Now you point fingers at the very entities you would have to work with. Not knowing what is already in place, not knowing much about the job and although you say them very well, you really aren't bringing any new ideas to the table.
You could have been working to improve Morrisville like so many of us do even though we all hold down full time jobs and have families.
You cannot possibly expect to be given the keys simply because you are a new face with old ideas.
"Only one of the candidates running has the background that qualifies him to be in this position"
I take that as your endorsement for David Rivella as mayor.
Being a police officer is not a prerequisite for being the mayor - that's really a leap.
I'm sorry Bill, you are very well spoken but I'm finding a lot of what is being said to be author's privilege.
Running the police dept is political. Being mayor is political. With all that experience being blasted at everyone, I'm sure it's pretty much understood that a police officer's job is a political one. I understand that Pepitone may not want think of himself as politician. I don't think anyone elected to any seat in Morrisville (besides Jane Burger who isn't actually elected to anything but the MMA)wants to be in politics. But in fact you are Mr. Pepitone. You are asking to be elected to a position by your peers...welcome to politics.
Anonymous- Clearly my vote is not going to Rivella, I don't think he is qualified and I am fed up with all the BS he is involved with. But the great thing about this country is we each have a vote. So you support your choice and I will support mine. As long as positive changes are made as a community we all win.
Corrine, I have no idea what you are talking about. It's been pretty clear to me that Rivella has been working with anyone who is working for the town for years. It's obvious that if someone is not working for a better Morrisville and doing what they do for some other reason, he steps aside from them. I know there has been talk about Rivella over the years but I found it to be just that, talk, generally spread by people who don't like that he gets things done. I'm not saying this is your opinion. You're not a fan, and that's okay too.
The Rivella White Knight seems to be on overtime in here.
If Mr. Rivella is the answer, how come he has been a member of Council so long and has not provided a single answer? Maybe, just maybe he is part of the problem. Mr. Pepitone may not have all the answers. He is willing to work with the community and the employees of the borough to bring us back from this constant public embarrassment and failed public policy. We need change. We need to get rid of the one and/or two party system and go back to a no party system with community interest put first. The police department is a mess that has been created for decades by many of the elected officials that currently sit in office. What about the rest of the departments? How many relatives of elected officials work for our borough? Mr. Pepitone offers us the chance to break away from all of this. He offers us a new direction that puts the community first. Could we possibly do worse than we already are? It is time for a change, a change to a person with a plan.
Last night at the borough council meeting I asked where are our police? Why is it we have had numerous attempted abductions and yet there does not seem to be any further police action? Why is there NO police presence at our schools now more then ever? Aren't our children our most important asset? I was greeted with blank or bored stares. Eventually Mayor Ledger did respond along the lines of I know this is of no comfort but we are in the process of hiring a police chief and additional officers. Ledger is correct this is of absolutely no comfort. What is it going to take? Someone losing a child? We need change and people who care in office! Perhaps if enough of us complain the borough will be forced to ask the state police to subsidize patrols since our borough is understaffed.
Rita was too busy vetoing the lighting project.
"Mr. Pepitone offers us the chance to break away from all of this."
So did Debbie Smith.
That mirrors my real concerns about Pepitone, but that being said, Debbie downer has done nothing. Perhaps Mr. Pepitone can accomplish something, and he appears to be willing to try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and at least he isn't them. That alone is enough for me at this point.
The self-proclaimed first woman mayor is an embarrassment to the town, to accomplished women everywhere and to herself. She can no longer disappoint, as any expectations are so low, it can't really get worse. Her answers are less than no comfort, they are an affront.
I'm sure that council has been frustrated with Rita's lack of ability/desire to work with them for a very long time. It's my understanding that she doesn't share information when she receives it in an effort to leave council in the dark. I assume council is privy to some information through exec sessions which they can't talk about, much of what council finds out regarding police activity is done by reading the newspaper. Anything said to the woman above should have come from the mayor.
She offers nothing, yet she is suing for $100K? Ms. Ledger, tear down that wall! GTFOOO!! Step aside and let some adults take over, as you are so far out of your depth, even the plankton is drowning.
can we move some of the board members to council they seem to have their sh__ together much better and get things done how bout a better woman leader Kartel or the guys miller or dingle move em over
Can the council at least release the report that we paid $130,000.00 for?
Or is that too much to ask?
not a bad idea moving school board over some of them could kick ass and get things done i like what i see over there
Interesting idea and thought process, maybe someone can convince them to run for council next time and clean out the old baggage. Id vote for Kartel or any of her running mates
Unfortunately, the rats would wind up backfilling the newly voided SB posts. Sound familiar? It should. We need new leadership across the board, and we need the will of the public to support new ideas and strategies. If this were to come to be, I'd get on board with the genesis of a new Morrisville. I am not sanguine about it really happening though. Too many folks anchored in their ways and ideas.
"We need new leadership across the board"
It sounds way too easy to sit back and do nothing, then complain that council has gotten us nowhere. I have helped here and there, have been on committees and worked with orgs. Have helped during some stuff the borough has done. Council is made up of individuals. I can't lop them all into a problem and call them "council" because not everyone is causing problems. It is said that council does nothing. To those people I say where were you to champion the borough wide green project? It met with resistance from the three obstructionists on council and a veto by the mayor because that's what she does best. (as long as someone else writes it for her) Think council doesn't do anything? Blame yourself because you weren't there to support good projects that get stopped from moving this town forward by obstructionism. If you think council is do nothing, you are part of the problem because you don't pay attention, then point your finger at all of council instead of where it is deserved.
That makes no sense, more police at the school, the teachers should all be outside of the school at start and dismissal. The whole 2 police officers on duty, any given day, should be patrolling the streets. No child abductor is going to do his nasty deed at school, unless of course, as we have seen, it's a anti-depressant overloaded nut looking to kill and get famous. We all have to do our part. I think it's wonderful we have a gentleman petitioning write-ins for the mayor position. He has no "Party Boss" funding him, he has a desire to make our town a better place, he has police experience, which some people here on the blog want to dismiss as "not a requirement." Experience is a good thing, only someone with low-esteem would be jealous enough to make a statement of that nature. Running for a position in our dysfunctional town is a huge decision for one to consider, I respect Bill Pepitone for taking his time and considering what he is getting into! MR Reiter wasn't a situation of neglect, it was lack of experience on the part of the custodial dept., in maintaining a heat system. This town has always been famous for political bombs. More concerned with winning the election than serving the oath they take.>> It's sad for us, the people who pay the bills & << have no clue, as to what's going on.
None of the three people running for mayor have a "Party Boss", but it looks good when it's typed, I guess.
"MR Reiter wasn't a situation of neglect, it was lack of experience on the part of the custodial dept., in maintaining a heat system."
Only someone not paying attention would make this statement.
MR Reiter was the product of years of neglect largely due to an underfunded school district.
Surely all elected officials in Morrisville deserve this same respect then. They all live in Morrisville. They all have families. They all have put / are putting themselves out there.
Being a cop or an ex-cop is not a prerequisite for being mayor. The police is merely a portion of the job of mayor.
"More concerned with winning the election than serving the oath they take."
I don't know that this would be true for any of the people who are running for mayor. Since that is what you talked about, I can only assume you are referring to Dave Rivella since he is the only candidate for mayor who has taken that oath. I have to strongly disagree with you. From what I can see, he hasn't used scare tactics to get votes, or talked about working for the town. He has been working for the town for as long as I can remember.
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