Special Police, City Ending Relationship

By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director


The Special Police won’t be working in Bradford as we know them anymore.

Mayor Tom Riel made an announcement during Tuesday’s City Council meeting saying, effective immediately, the city and Special Police no longer have a working relationship. City solicitor and city police chief Chris Lucco spoke with the media after the meeting to explain.

Hollenbeck said after a question from a citizen he dug into the history of the organization as well as state law and “couldn’t find anything that made us comfortable” with continuing to use them.

State codes say that having auxiliary police is OK, but they can only be used in emergency or disaster situations not, for example, to direct traffic during parades.

The state also allows Special Fire Police, but they are connected to volunteer fire departments.

Hollenbeck stressed that the Special Police are not disbanding, but having them work for the police department would be improper.

“They will continue in some capacity,” he said, adding later that they will find a way to reinvent themselves.

Lucco said he and fire chief Chris Angell do have a plan in place to “seamlessly transition” from using the Special Police.

He added that both the police and fire departments depended heavily on Special Police and ending the relationship “was not a decision we made lightly. … (But) we will adjust accordingly.”

Lucco said the Special Police have been a benefit to the entire community, and provided a fabulous service.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” he said, adding later that, “We went to great lengths to try to find a way for them to fit in.”

Hollenbeck added, “We worked hard to try to find a way to keep the relationship going. It was just, at the end of the day, too much of a stretch to feel comfortable with any model we could build.”

As for their after school traffic duties, Hollenbeck said that’s not a decision for the city to make and the school district will have to decide what to do about that.

In making the announcement Riel said, “The Special Police have provided an invaluable service to the City of Bradford for many years. They come out at all hours of the night to assist, not just the city, but the school district. … They do a tremendous job for very little reward.”

Pictured, Police Chief Chris Lucco and city solicitor Mark Hollenbeck speak to the media following Tuesday's Bradford City Council meeting.

WESB photo

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Comments

A City TAXPAYER! said…
FIRST, No "Neighborhood Watch" In Bradford City...
SECOND, Dumping The "Special Police" In Bradford City...
What's NEXT?
MORE CRIME, DRUGS, HOMICIDES, and ASSAULTS!
Anonymous said…
What a waste not to use these fine people who want to help the Bradford area. We wonder why this town keeps falling behind. When there is a good service or idea it is put to the curb. I feel the special police need to be used because there are just to many who do not follow the rules in this town.
Anonymous said…
And some people put alot of time in to that .....hmm what abot the italian fest used special police there how bbout first night used them then too ...about every event in the city of bradfors they were used and a fire accident or anything else ....well to the special police u guys did one hell of a job when someone gets hurt cause u guys wernt there cause they cut the hours and number of police officers aand don't have enough cops or cause they'd rather be sitting in there cars instead of doing there job then I hope all u guys stand up to that guy/drunk oh wait our mayor and tel him what's up ...
Terri said…
Are you crazy??? You might as well legalize rape, theft, drugs and murder....Bradford has enough problems without lack of control being place into affect...wake up..
Anonymous said…
That's the stupidest move bradford can do. Those special police are ppl that love doing what they do they help little kids cross the street before and after school that is why I felt safe sending my kids to school there cuz they were walkers to high school and school street ...letting them go is stupid
Anonymous said…
All this means is that they want the school district to start paying them instead... it still tax money either way. No biggie! They are only used after school and at events at the high school.
Anonymous said…
To say this decision is archaic would be an understatement. Telling community members they can't assist their own police dept. in doing even the simplest of tasks, such as traffic control, is insulting and scary. Why would the city want to pay a police officer $20+ an hour to direct traffic when a community volunteer would be happy to do it for free? The Special Police should contact the ACLU or a similar organization so that this supposed Pennsylvania law can be looked at again.
Anonymous said…
Thank you for your comment. Cheers to allow the Special Police throughout many years of long hours, hard work, loyalty and dedication to a cause they truly believed in.
Anonymous said…
On my comment thanking everyone commenting. I know by personal experience how hard we all worked to maintain peace and safety for bradford residents.
Anonymous said…
I was of the impression that the city council could maske city ordinances, maybe I'm wrong. It seems a simple matter to incorporate them into the police department as a subordinate department.
Anonymous said…
/from a city voter: Let's all thank the mayor for all that he has done for us. He closed the police department (against the will of "we the people".Remember the petitions? He cut down the number of policemen. Now he's gotten rid of the specials. I'm sure we all feel so much safer now. Next he'll get rid of our police force. We don't need them - the state police are already stopping people right in our city limits. I think we need people who have our best interests in heart and mind.
Anonymous said…
IDIOTS! You Should All Be ASHAMED Of Yourselves!
Anonymous said…
to be honest....it's about time...I think it made things more of a hassle than a convenience...my honest opinion.
Anonymous said…
i am waiting for this town to go to hell. wait for halloween and every major event. what about the jeep jamboree? automatic stop signs? DUH you r all stupid if u agree to get rid of the special police.. i personally agree with everyone who is in favor as well as pissed that the specials are gone...real STUPID move. thought the mayor had more sense than that but guess not, might as well make the mayor president, cuz nobody in the white house makes good decisions. lets blow stuff up in another country and then say sorry, we will go fix it but its ok that yas killed our twin towers but who cares about that and all the men, women and children who died because of it. i believe the mayor can swear them in as special police or let a petition get signed and let them do the jobs that nobody else wants to do.

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