Ah, Bucks County, you never cease to amaze. And disappoint.
The Chief of Police in Quakertown waded into a protest organized by high school students, allegedly did not identify himself while dressed in street clothing, and put a female minor into a choke hold. Her friends responded to a stranger choking the young woman, launched at him to stop. That’s when the real police intervened.
They arrested 5 or 6 minors and possibly 1 adult, held them over the weekend until their hearings on Tuesday. As of this report, 3 have been released.
Here’s what police said inspired them to tamp down these obviously dangerous children. According to the Morning Call:
a handful of the estimated 35 to 60 student protesters were disruptive during the march in downtown Quakertown and damaged at least one car, kicked the car wheels, threw snowballs at vehicles and ignored warnings not to walk into the road
That sounds like a situation an experienced school crossing guard could manage without breaking a sweat or potentially the neck of a teenage girl.
It is appalling how everyone is passing the buck(s) here – the school isn’t responsible, the NAACP respects the police, everyone keeps whispering about credible threats of violence.
A real jaw dropping moment was when Quarkertown Council member Jonathan Sell took a deep indignant breath and read a hate message someone sent to him because of the failure to act on the Chief’s behavior. “I don’t want to make this about me” he said then proceeding to do just that. One woman in the audience yells out “You go to jail and let our kids out to deal with those messages.”
They kicked tires and threw snowballs. That was a typical day at the bus stop where I grew up.
The police chief put a girl in a choke hold. Was it his car? His granddaughter? What does his officer jacket (personnel file) have to say?
How has he kept his office for nearly a week? He should absolutely resign, but most definitely be put on leave by the City. He attacked a child. When her friends tried to help against a man they did not recognize, he arrested them.
The messaging here is so mixed up. Kids denied constitutional rights. Kids expected to comport themselves in a certain way. Friends defending their friend. Punishing a bunch of kids who made a police chief look like a complete ass and misogynistic abuser.
Are you kidding me?
This is 40 miles north of Philadelphia. We all know ICE is ramping up in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania. If our local police officers are this fucking reactive to a group of teenagers doing really minor stuff, what can we expect when they formally team up with ICE?
The Chief of Police is named Scott McElree. He still has a job and apparently is not suspended during the investigation. This is hard to confirm. Scott McElree is ALSO the borough manager. That’s odd and a bit insidery.
During a contentious borough council meeting, an endless array of community members demanded answers.
The community is pissed as they should be by McElree’s actions and the follow/cover up.
A meeting is set Thursday evening for public comment.
This is ridiculous. These kids engaged in protected activity – the school canceled it, but that doesn’t negate their constitutional rights. They didn’t listen when ordered to stay on the sidewalk. They allegedly threw snowballs and kicked tires. Was it those behaviors that irked the Chief or was it their message? It does matter, but it also doesn’t – his actions are deplorable and a choice example of why people don’t trust the police.
Release the students and drop the charges. Fire Scott McElree from both of his taxpayer funded jobs and restructure to separate the role of police chief from borough manager. Then cooperate with the inevitable lawsuits. Own your actions, Quakertown.
Kicking tires is harmless. Dragging children to the ground in choke holds rarely used by any law enforcement agent is the revelation of just how much damage law enforcement has wrought on our society. He’s not a product of ICE; he’s the reason ICE exists.
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