The erroneous report attributed to Mayor DePaul, who appeared in an interview yesterday on WFMZ Channel 69 News, of a West Easton Police Chief existing in the Borough, isn’t the case.
Mr. Robert Mahady, a retired PA State Trooper, was approved to be hired as a Police Consultant by the West Easton Council back in November of 2017, but hasn’t signed the contract to begin his employment as our Consultant.
It is Council’s intent to eventually make him Chief of Police, when a police department is ready to go active.
The lack of a signed consulting contract was discovered by Council only recently, at the last Council Meeting, when questions posed to Mayor DePaul brought the matter to the attention of Council members and revealed that the hiring of Mr. Mahady hadn’t been completed.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Mahady earlier this week to discuss the situation.
Mr. Mahady said he reviewed the contract with his attorney and there were a couple of items in it that needed to be ironed out on his end and with the borough before terms of the consulting contract could be met.
Mr. Mahady has received no compensation, though he is still very much on board to the proposal of eventually serving West Easton when the details are satisfactory to both parties.
Also, from the information Mr. Mahady gave to me about forming a police department, the recent issuance of an ORI Number is a giant step forward, but there is much more that needs to be done before police can roll out in the Borough, making the hoped for “two or three months,” stated by Mayor DePaul in the 69 News interview, unlikely.
Despite Mayor DePaul constantly telling members of the public that Council must “move quickly,” West Easton Council will follow all the necessary steps and obtain all the necessary equipment needed to ensure the Borough and any future police officers are sufficiently protected from harm and liability, before any man or woman begins patrols.
Mr. Mahady is planning to attend the next West Easton Council meeting on February 26th, as a guest.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
