Collingdale, Pennsylvania, borough council votes to demote police chief
COLLINGDALE, Pa. (CBS) – The fallout continues after the borough of Collingdale, Delaware County, voted to remove its police chief.
In a 5-2 vote, the council demoted Chief Patrick Kilroy to his former rank of sergeant during a meeting Tuesday night. Council members said Kilroy failed to show up at meetings and make himself available to talk to them.
"There have been multiple attempts to communicate and bring the chief into the conversation to the public safety committee," Collingdale council president Ryan Hastings said. "That's only one of the failures."
The vote happened in front of a packed house of residents who showed up to support the chief.
"I think it's disgusting," Collingdale mayor Donna Matteo-Spadea said. "I was never so disappointed in people in my life. There's no reason in God's green earth that our police chief is being removed from office and being demoted back to being a sergeant."
Some residents said they supported the council's decision.
"I have full confidence in borough council," Elaine Mellon, the Collingdale Democratic Committee chair, said. "I'm just letting them do their job as they see fit and I have full confidence in them."
Felecia Coffee was one of two Collingdale council members who voted against the demotion. She said that Kilroy, a volunteer firefighter, was the first on the scene when her house caught fire last month.
"I voted, of course, no to getting rid of my police chief," council member Coffee said. "I feel like it was an unjust vote and uncalled for."
The mayor said some council members are concerned about how much money Kilroy spent on police overtime, but said it's not his fault.
"We are short 10 police officers in Collingdale," the mayor said. "Our police officers have been working overtime and double time."
Some officers have been working six to seven days a week and up to 15 hours a day to fill the gap. With the chief demoted, it is unclear who will lead the department in the interim.
"It goes to the next in command, and ironically speaking, guess who is the next of command? Chief Kilroy," Mayor Matteo-Spadea said. "So they either give him back his office as chief until they find someone to replace him or we have no acting chief at all."
Kilroy walked out of the meeting after the vote without making a comment.
"I wholeheartedly appreciate all the support I'm getting," Kilroy said during a phone call on Wednesday. He said he is in the process of obtaining legal counsel to determine next steps.