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Lansdale council appoints Acting Chief Devlin as police chief after public outpouring of support
Summary
After heated discussion about hiring process and public comment, Lansdale Borough Council voted to appoint Acting Chief Devlin as police chief, with five members voting in favor, three opposed and one absent. Supporters cited his 30 years of local service and department backing; opponents urged completing the open search.
Lansdale Borough Council voted on Jan. 21 to appoint Acting Chief Devlin as chief of the Lansdale Police Department after a contentious debate over whether to complete an ongoing national search.
The council opened its agenda to consider the appointment following a motion from Councilman BJ Breisch and extensive public comment. After discussion, the council voted by roll call: BJ Breisch, Councilwoman Mary Fuller, Councilman Andrew Carroll, Councilman Rich de Gregorio and Councilwoman Carrie Oglesby voted yes; Councilman Gary Herbert, Councilwoman May Kari Tia and Councilwoman Rafia Rosak voted no; Councilman Mike Yetter was absent. The ayes carried and Devlin was confirmed subject to later contract negotiation.
Why it mattered: The vote resolved a months-long internal debate about whether to promote from within or complete the search process the borough had begun. Supporters said Devlin's decades of service, local knowledge and department backing outweighed the need for an outside hire. Opponents said the search should proceed so any appointed chief had been reviewed against external candidates.
Council members who opposed the immediate appointment emphasized procedural fairness. "I want him to earn it," Councilman Gary Herbert said, arguing that formal vetting against other candidates preserves confidence in the outcome. He said the borough had previously run a broader search and that promotions typically follow a testing and review process.
Proponents said the acting chief had already been vetted by colleagues and the community. Councilman BJ Breisch, who moved to amend the agenda and bring the appointment forward, and other supporters cited dozens of unsolicited letters and residents' comments urging council to make the change. Resident Mike Sarnasinski told the council he had urged the move because Devlin "deserves it" after 30 years with the department.
Acting Chief Devlin, speaking after the vote, told the council and audience he was "humbled" and said, "I love this town." He acknowledged being "scared" but said he appreciated the confidence shown by colleagues and residents.
Process note: Solicitor Hitchens reminded councilors about Sunshine Act requirements when amending the agenda; the council voted to open the agenda for this specific appointment before proceeding to the appointment vote.
The next steps: The appointment is subject to contract review and any required labor counsel input; councilors said a formal contract negotiation and review by labor counsel will follow. The council also noted that the open search process will continue administratively for other candidates until the process is officially closed or modified by future action.
