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Resident accuses Delhigh sergeant of hostile conduct, asks administrator for apology
Summary
At the June 10 Delhigh Township trustees meeting, resident Rich V. Gauges accused a township sergeant of hostile, unprofessional conduct based on a lieutenant's bodycam review and demanded an apology from Administrator Skyler Miller for language he said inflamed the situation.
Rich V. Gauges, a Delhigh resident, told the Board of Trustees on June 10 that he had been treated “hostile and threatening” by a township sergeant during an incident tied to a handicap-parking complaint and said a Delhigh police lieutenant’s bodycam review described the sergeant’s actions as “horrible” and “unprofessional.”
Gauges said he reviewed the lieutenant’s comments and that while some bodycams lacked full audio the lieutenant characterized the sergeant as having “lost composure.” “I don’t believe in his behavior. I don’t like it. His unprofessionalism, lost composure, demeanor,” Gauges said as he quoted the lieutenant’s assessment.
Gauges asked the board to require an apology from Township Administrator Skyler Miller, saying Miller’s off-record comment that called Gauges an “a‑hole” (as transcribed) had “inflamed” the sergeant and worsened the encounter. “I want to hear an apology from Skyler Miller tonight,” Gauges said.
Trustees and staff framed portions of the matter as personnel issues that the township’s internal processes would address. Trustee Davis and others said some elements of the dispute were “personnel” matters and therefore not for detailed public deliberation, while also expressing concern about transparency where bodycam footage lacked audio.
Administrator Skyler Miller acknowledged the tense exchange that occurred during the community clean-up event and defended staff efforts to manage safety and operations that day. Miller described volunteers’ contributions to the cleanup and said no apology would be offered in the form Gauges sought, but committed to following personnel-review procedures where appropriate.
Multiple trustees stressed the limitation of public meetings to address internal personnel matters while also saying they expected the police chief and internal supervisors to review the lieutenant’s findings and take any appropriate corrective action. One trustee urged that disciplinary and investigative steps remain in personnel channels and not be conducted in open session.
The public comment included an additional warning from a speaker who said inflammatory language could lead to threats against individuals; a trustee said the township would prioritize safety and follow personnel protocols.
The board moved on to other agenda items after the exchange and later voted to retire into executive session to consider personnel matters and property issues.
