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Police chief reports rise in serious offenses, warns about scams; resident raises concerns about past arrest settlement
Summary
The police chief reported 927 calls, 637 incident reports and an increase in Part 1 offenses; he warned residents about phone and internet scams. In public comment a resident described a settled lawsuit tied to an arrest and questioned disciplinary outcomes for officers.
Police Chief (S15) told council that in the previous month the department logged 927 calls for service, generated 637 incident reports, and recorded 15 Part 1 offenses and 28 Part 2 offenses. The chief said arrests numbered seven and borough fines produced $13,395 in revenue. He urged residents to beware phone and internet scams that often target older adults and recommended calling the verified utility number on a bill rather than responding to urgent payment requests.
The chief also promoted National Night Out on Aug. 4 and described local arrangements for vendors and activities. Council members thanked the department for observed improvements around the July 4 holiday.
During public comment, resident Holly Harmon (S5) described a lawsuit that the borough settled roughly two years earlier after what she said was an arrest made without a warrant; she said charges were dismissed and the record expunged and questioned why one officer received a ten‑day suspension while another did not. Harmon thanked Chief Chiampa for recent efforts to improve accountability but asked why the personnel outcomes differed. Council did not announce new personnel actions at the meeting.
The meeting did not resolve the specific disciplinary questions raised during public comment; Holly Harmon’s statements were presented as a public concern and remain a subject for follow up with borough administration.
