Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Township
Firings and Suspensions of Bristol Twp Police Officers Upheld by Arbitrator
Bristol Township officials announced the firing of two officers and suspensions of four others were upheld in arbitration hearings, on Thursday.
The township fired officers Shawn Lyons and Charles Pritchett, and suspended officers Kevin Jackson, John Lancieri, John Yeiter, and Joshua Bausch, according to arbitration documents, in 2020.
Two officers Yeiter and Bausch, who received a 10-day and 5-day suspension, respectively, did not grieve their suspensions.
Jackson (15 -day suspension) and Lanceri (Originally 20-days, now -10) along with Lyons and Pritchett contested the original decisions by township officials about the incident that occurred at a Fraternal Order of Police Lodge in February of 2020 when the six ran into an drunken Philadelphia Parking Enforcement officer, according to the 22 page release.
The document outlines five arbiter hearings beginning in January of this year, including statements and testimony from the officers and Chief of Police Coulton.
Credit: YouTube Screen Shot
The inciting incident occurred in February of 2020 when a Bristol Township Police officer received a “number of harassing and threatening cell phone calls and texts” from an unknown caller, township documents reveal.
This unfortunate incident was set in motion when a Bristol Township Police Officer received a series of harassing and threatening cell phone calls and text messages from an unknown male caller while he was sleeping with his family in the early morning hours of February 20, 2020. Somehow the caller had the Officer’s personal cell phone number and his address. The Officer had his life threatened in one of the calls, said Bristol Twp officials.
He reported the harassment and threat to his supervisor. Chief of Police Robert Coulton ordered an immediate investigation. A short time later Detectives learned that six (6) Bristol Township Police Officers were involved and incredibly actually instigated it as some sort of twisted prank. Only they never advised the Officer it was a “prank” and they hid their involvement until discovered a week later, according to the release.
After the internal investigation Coulton recommended Lyons be fired because he was “the ringleader” of the “twisted prank,” and Pritchett because he provided the officers phone number to the parking enforcement officer.
The officers contested the penalties saying a full and fair investigation was not conducted and thought the original disciplinary action was excessive.
Arbitrator Walt De Treux said in his decision that the offices did not provide a plausible reason why the officer would lie about the calls and threatening texts, which was alleged .
(The officer) had no conceivable reason to unnecessarily introduce such turmoil into his personal life,” he wrote.
The township was directed to pay Lancieri for 10 days of pay he lost because of the suspension and that he did not lie, when interviewed.
Credit: Submitted
Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub declined to bring criminal charges against the officers last year saying there was no criminal intent involved on the part of the officers involved.
“Individuals who subject co-workers to ridicule and harassment, giving out the private cell phone number and home address of a fellow officer to an angry, drunken stranger have no place in our Police Department. These actions run contrary to our law enforcement mission and negatively impact the entire Police Department,” Coulton said.
Bristol Township Council President, Craig Bowen, said, “We are pleased that the Arbitrator saw how egregious the Officers’ behavior was both that evening and during the investigations. We cannot tolerate Officers who show a complete disregard for the rights of others including another Officer.”
The Bristol Township Council would like to thank Chief Coulton, his Command Staff, as well as Neil A. Morris and Gabriel V. Celli, with Offit Kurman, the Township Labor Attorneys, who meticulosity represented the Township in achieving this favorable decision, officials said.
To read the full press release and arbiter’s decision click here
Bristol Borough Fire Chief Herb Slack on Tuesday morning released the following statement on last nights Dorrance Street Fire.
It’s only been edited for style:
Credit: Submitted
Credit: Joe Nelson
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Township
Bristol Twp Police Reports: Levittown Man Arrested on Aggravated Assault Charges, License Plate Stolen in Farmbrook and More !
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Township
Bristol Twp. School District Clothing Drive Does More Than Provide Attire, It Provides Stability for Students in Need
It is one thing to see a teenage student on their way to school wearing a “hoodie” on a cold winter day.
It is an entirely different image to see a child heading to school on that same cold winter day, not wearing a winter jacket. This is the very image Bristol Township School District and Police Department officials recently joined forces to fight with a significant financial contribution from philanthropist Gene Epstein
The school district said recently it has about 130 students experiencing serious stable housing challenges.
Dr. Meredith Leach School District Social Worker said, holding the drive and providing the needed clothing for students experiencing a period of housing displacement can and does offer not only clothing, but a sense of stability students need to thrive in class.
It’s no secret, Leach said, that a sense of stability leads to achievement. By providing basic needs, such as clothing, they (school district and police department) are trying to put their students in the best possible position to succeed and thrive, despite the housing challenges their families are facing.
Leach said families experiencing housing challenges and alike usually self-identify to the school district and fellow counselors and social workers system wide to coordinate resource support.
“The school district also offers school supplies, hygiene items and if we don’t have it in stock at our offices we order it online.”
“Sometimes something so minor to an outsider, like organizers for clothing drawers, for a student means the world because it gives them a sense of control over some of the life circumstances they’re experiencing.”
“We’re lucky enough to live in a county and state where services for students experiencing this kind of life challenge there are an array of services and resources available,” Leach said.
So lucky that neighboring businesses, such as Five Below in Tullytown, donated to the cause once the clothing drive was announced.
Credit: Joanne Ames – Lower Bucks Source
The Clothing Drive
Leach said the clothing drive idea came to fruition once she and her staff reviewed the numbers and realized about 130 students were in need.
In the human services field (i.e. social work) a measure of your professional success and community connection is always having that one yet-to-be used resource in your back pocket that social workers place on the table when faced with a potentially troubling situation, experts agree.
I saw a social media post from Neshaminy School District that said “we are filling our closets.”
Leach pulled out her “Ace Card” in the form of the Bristol Twp. Police Dept. Officer John Dobbs who in turn reached out to Epstein because they worked well together in the past.
The Epsteins donated to the cause as well as Walmart making a $500 contribution to the effort, Sgt. Jason Mancuso said.
We basically filled everything the school district needed for those 125 to 130 students, Mancuso said.
The Bristol Township Police Union (PBA) contributed a number of gift cards to the effort as well.
Leach in a moment of levity said of the clothing drive spending spree paid for by Epstein, “when do you ever get carte blanche to buy what you want as a social worker? Never!” She admitted to being a bit timid at first when selecting clothing items to purchase.
“Mancuso and Dobbs changed that for me. They grabbed boxes where I was grabbing packets,” she said, in joyous laughter.
The spacious school district office where the clothes are kept and distributed to school district social workers is filled with supplies for students now, thanks to Epstein giving Mancuso his credit card allowing Leach to spend thousands on students in need.
How could I not do it and live in good conscience, Epstein said.
“Those students were in immediate need,” he said “and it would take way too much time to set up a fundraising drive. Here’s my credit card and I don’t care what you spend. Get the kids what they need.”
Credit: Joanne Ames – Lower Bucks Source
“Whatever our students need we’re going to do everything we can to help them. We don’t want any of our students walking around with needs we can help them meet. I like to think we can help our students, and their families to be build a scaffold that they in turn can build upon.”
The response to the need by the Bristol Twp Police, the PBA and the Epsteins was amazing, Leach said.
The student-focused clothing drive officially launched February 2 and remains ongoing until the need no longer exists.
Any clean clothes, even if previously worn, can be dropped off at the Bristol Twp Police records department hallway or at the Bristol Township School Admin Building on Green Lane.
Opus Outreach Foundation joined the clothing drive shortly after it was announced. Items can be dropped off at Opus Elite Real Estate 119 Trenton Road, Fairless Hills. If you want to arrange a clothing drive donation you can call Christy Becker at 267 338-7518.
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