It was as an impromptu as a chance meeting can get.
On Monday evening Bristol Borough Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe was shopping at a local supermarket and stopped to answer a couple of questions about the hiring process for a new Bristol Police Chief. .
DiGuiseppe said that before the next council meeting there will be an executive session where officials will discuss the possible paths the borough could take in hiring a new chief.
I’m not sure what we’ll do yet, he said, we need to hear from all the council members when we meet after the elections. We can hire a search agency like we did the last time prior to hiring Chief Henry or we can advertise the opening publicly, he said.
Adding “we haven’t really decided yet.”
Henry was hired in 2016 at the recommendation of the search firm, CityBurbsGroup. The firm was paid just under $15,000.00 by the borough, , and is led by Lower Makefield Chief of Police Ken Coluzzi specializing in public safety executive searches and threat assessments.
The firm also handled the search in Morrisville that led to the hiring of police chief, George McClay, in 2014. .
Two names bandied about in private discussions as candidates for the job have been Sgt Joe Moors and Bristol Borough District Judge Frank W. Peranteau Sr.
Moors, a 30+ year veteran of the department, served as the interim police chief after Arnold Porter retired from the department in February of 2016, up until Henry was officially hired later that spring.
DiGuiseppe confirmed Peranteau’s interest in the position but would not elaborate any further.
The district court judge served as borough police chief previously before retiring in 2001, the same year he was elected to serve on the bench. Peranteau also served as a police officer in Bensalem Township total of 34 years of experience in law enforcement. He is currently serving his fourth elected term as District Judge for the borough and sections of Bristol Township
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Henry announced his plan to retire in August, saying it was a personal decision but he would remain involved in the profession, working with a training group based out of New Jersey.
“Its still a shock that he’s retiring” the council president said.
DiGuiseppe said there would be no council meeting next Monday, due to elections but discussions on replacing the retiring chief would begin in earnest.
“Chief Henry brought professionalism to the department and we’re sorry to lose him,” he said.
Henry is set to officially retire on November 17th of this year.
Attempts to reach District Judge Frank W. Peranteau Sr and Sgt Joe Moors for comment on this story were unsuccessful as of publication time.
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