Updated: Sunday August 2 at 8:45 a.m.
A power struggle this news organization saw coming long before it materialized concerning supervisory authority over the Bristol Borough Police Department will now have to be settled in court.
Bristol Borough Mayor Frank W. Peranteau,, SR. filed a four-count lawsuit alleging Council overreached its authority to implement a new internal affairs policy; wrestled decision-making policy over the police department away from him; and violated the state’s Sunshine Law by taking official action outside of a public meeting, according to court papers filed with the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday.
Attorney, Shohin H. Vance of Saxton & Stump, LLC of Malvern, Pennsylvania represents Peranteau in the civil action that is 64 pages long.
The main crux of the matter the suit alleges is directly related to recently adopted internal affairs policy by Council enacted unanimously in March of this year.
Peranteau requested that Council table the motion before a vote was taken to approve the new police policy.
The lawsuit alleges that Council did an end run over his authority to supervise and oversee the police department over which he has sole authority under statute.
Credit: Lower Bucks Hospital
“The Borough Code assigns to the Mayor — not to Council or its President — the direction of the chief of police and the police force in the performance of their duties,” the filing alleges.
The second and third counts of the suit allege that in light of not having proper authority over the whole of the police department orders by Chief of Police Joe Moors to recently terminated officer Ritchie Webb to attend an independent medical exam (IME) are for all intents and purposes out of order.
Webb was ordered twice to attend a medical appointment for approval to return to work after being out on medical leave for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related health issues for a little more than a year.
“Neither Council nor its President possesses statutory authority to countermand a directive issued by the Mayor to the chief of police or to a police officer or to issue operational orders directly to individual officers,” the suit alleges.
Peranteau in the suit’s fourth count, alleges Council violated the Commonwealth’s Sunshine Act provisions to ways. First by overriding his orders to Webb and replacing it with their own directives and did so in executive session held before the March 9, 2026 Council meeting.
“No official action countermanding the Mayor’s directives or authorizing the March 9 and March 10, 2026 letters was taken at any open meeting, on March 9, 2026 or at any time thereafter,” the filing says said.
The letters referred to were sent to Webb by the Mayor, directing him to disregard orders from Moors (and Borough officials) to attend the IME and cooperate with an internal “non criminal” investigation.
Council acted with the improper purpose of circumventing public scrutiny and public disclosure of
their deliberations and decisions concerning the supervision of the Borough’s police force — the precise ends the Sunshine Act exists to secure, Peranteau says in the suit.
Peranteau alleges Council circumvented the Sunshine Act when it hired Campbell Durrant, P.C. also.
The Mayor, as part of damages, is seeking the Court to invalidate I.A. policy, reaffirm his authority over the police department and recoup “reasonable” lawyer and court costs.
Other discoveries made as a result of the lawsuit being filed is back in February, Bristol officials forwarded a complaint from Webb to Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan alleging a of a continuing pattern of retaliation, obstruction and abuse of authority including claims of serious misconduct within the Bristol Police Department including criminal misconduct.
Webb made similar if not the same type of allegations
The DA’s office was not available for comment about the investigation and or any of its findings.
Thenb District Attorney Jennifer Schorn cleared police officials of any wrongdoing back in 2023.
Letters to the Mayor and Webb, from Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe, mentions “possible criminal and civil violations” made by Webb regarding Bristol Borough traffic tickets and requesting special favors in the handling of the five parking tickets.
The Borough demanded Peranteau recuse himself from any and all matters related to Webb and put him on notice that he is being investigated for potential civil and criminal violations by its labor attorney also.
Bristol Borough officials contacted on Friday declined to comment for this story.
“I’ll let the document speak for itself!” Peranteau told Lower Bucks Source on Saturday.
No hearing date has been set.
To read the suit and view its exhibits please click here.
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