Brownsville council reviews police funds
BROWNSVILLE – The finance committee of Brownsville Borough Council, headed by Edward “Tuck” Rohrer, was directed Tuesday to provide a full and complete accounting of funds raised privately and through a foundation grant for the borough police department. For the second month, Councilman John Hosler questioned fund raising that was done on behalf of the police department at the end of last year and spending from a private foundation grant for computer and camera equipment for the police department, neither of which went through the borough manager’s office.
A solicitation letter was sent out late last year, asking local businesses for donations toward equipment for the police department. Council President Jack Lawver said that as soon as it was realized that police departments are not permitted to solicit, the letters were destroyed and letters were sent to those who had made donations, offering a refund of their donations. No one asked for the money, about $2,000 total, to be returned.
“I ruled that the police department could not raise funds. The fact that someone made a mistake is not as important as how you deal with it afterward. I said an auxiliary or benevolent society could raise funds for equipment for the police department. If you feel anyone violated an ethical matter, there are steps you can take,” said James T. Davis, the borough’s solicitor. “I think what the mayor did to rectify the problem was appropriate.”
Rohrer said he contacted Fred Reddig, the deputy director of the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services, and was told the same thing Davis told the council – that a benevolent society could raise money for the police department.
Lawver said one question that remains is whether the old Brownsville Police Benevolent Society is still in existence or whether it is considered defunct and must be reorganized. Lawver said it has long been the practice of the mayor and police chief to oversee the funds formerly controlled by the benevolent society, though that practice is now being called into question.
“We have an opportunity to rectify this from this point on,” Lawver said.
Rohrer said he would present a complete report to council on all of the accounts.
Lawver explained that the foundation grant used to purchase a camera for the police car and computers for the car and the office, as well as computer software to reduce the time spent on record-keeping, was applied for by the mayor prior to council voting that all grant applications be made through the manager. Lawver said it is not unusual for a separate account to be established when a grant is received, since it makes the accounting for the grant easier to do.
Davis noted that it is irrelevant whether the mayor or police chief are bonded or not when it comes to the grant accounts.
“It doesn’t even matter how many accounts you have. All spending has to be done by council,” Davis said.
In other matters, council accepted the resignation of officer Autumn Fike, effective Feb. 15, and voted to change Christopher Newman’s status with the department from part-time to full-time. It was noted that full-time police hiring is done from a pre-approved civil service list that is good for up to one year. There are still two full-time openings on the department to be filled by giving a new civil service test and requiring several years experience under a January motion.
Council also voted to advertise for additional part-time officers, since two officers on the part-time roster were recently moved to full-time status.