Residents, visiting officials and council members on June 18 praised the Westchester Police Department and other law enforcement partners for what speakers described as a swift, de-escalatory response to a potentially dangerous incident at a downtown demonstration over the weekend.

Multiple public commenters and council members urged the borough to formally recognize officers and an anonymous civilian who alerted authorities. The mayor said more details on that recognition will be shared with the community.

Jim Wiley, a borough resident and member of the Transportation Advisory Committee, thanked officers and council for setting a tone that, he said, allowed a peaceful demonstration to continue. “It is not possible to have a peaceful demonstration or even a free speech at all, if participants do not feel safe,” Wiley told the council during public comment.

Phil Daig, who identified himself as mayor of Downingtown and a member of Indivisible Chester County, echoed Wiley: “Your police are, as always, ... exemplary,” and thanked the borough police for their work.

Resident Paula Klein, who attended the rally with family members, described fearing for the safety of young children at the event and urged the borough to consider a formal way to honor officers and community members who helped. “We also wonder if there isn't something more official that the borough council could consider to appreciate and honor the people who really saved a lot of lives,” Klein said.

Council members repeatedly thanked officers and others who assisted. Councilmember Brian Travis criticized what he called “deliberate misinformation” about the timeliness of official communications, saying law enforcement, the district attorney’s office and the FBI provided essential updates while protecting the investigation. “The suspect was arrested. The investigation was successful. Law enforcement acted swiftly, decisively, and responsibly,” Travis said.

Mayor (Westchester) told the meeting there will be “more to come” on recognition and suggested the borough will present an opportunity for the community to acknowledge officers and the anonymous citizen who provided a tip. “There'll be more to come, and we'll be sure to share that with the community so that everyone can come out and acknowledge our heroes,” the mayor said.

Council members and public commenters emphasized the value of public vigilance and the “see something, say something” approach; several described specific citizens who alerted police, including an Uber driver mentioned by a council member as an “unsung hero.”

No formal proclamation or award was approved at the June 18 meeting; the mayor and council indicated they intend to develop recognition options and communicate details once plans are finalized.