HOW COUNCIL CAN TAKE BACK THE BOROUGH FROM KING JAMES
The Free Press, July 31, 2003

Whipped dogs. That’s what Quakertown Borough Council is acting like, whipped dogs. It’s sad, and it’s embarrassing, and it’s certainly not what the voters elected them to do.
Ray Fulmer, Jim Roberts, Stan Schoch, Elfriede Werner, Dennis Hallman, Donald Rosenberger, Dan Williams. All elected to serve the best interests of the borough, and it’s residents. But they are so scared of Police Chief James McFadden that they have abandoned their mission, and their neighbors. You, the trusting residents, suffer for it.
This should have been written a long time ago. So many people - Borough Council, Quakertown’s fine police officers, every other police department, and every other municipal government - knew the truth. In fact, just about everyone knew except you, the citizens of Quakertown.
If you were in a cave last week, you might have missed the revelations about King James. How his policies prevent cooperation between Qtown police and other departments. How his officers can’t leave the borough, or prosecute their own arrests, or even receive assistance from neighboring forces. How Quakertown may become an excellent target for criminals because the local police may not always pursue beyond the borough line. How the patrolmen are forced to unnecessarily risk their safety, and yours, because of lack of equipment.
Think these things don’t affect you? Think again. Every time that Qtown officers have to break off a chase at the town line is one more opportunity for those punks to come back and strike. Maybe at YOUR house, or YOUR family. And since patrolmen can’t be everywhere, they need to be able to fully pursue, arrest, and prosecute when they DO have a suspect. It’s just common sense.
There were 42 cars spray-painted by vandals last week. You have to wonder if it was done by someone who borough police could have arrested in June, or prosecuted in July, but were prevented by their own chief’s absurd rules. And you have to wonder the same thing every time a crime is committed in this area.
Borough Council has whined they’d like to do something, but McFadden is protected by civil service. Bovine excrement. COUNCIL COULD EASILY ACT TODAY AND CHANGE EVERYTHING. It’s what they were elected to do! Make Quakertown a safer place, both for it’s residents and it’s hard-working police officers. Make Quakertown part of the Bucks County Mutual Aid Agreement that now brings together all municipalities except Qtown. Make Quakertown a place where citizens could again trust their government. But that would involve displaying guts, character, and responsibility - traits that Council just seems to lack.
Jim, Stan, Ray...stand up on your hind legs and repeat after me, “We are the elected officials. We will act in the best interests of our residents. And we propose the following....”
And the following would be thus:
Rescind the ordinance that prevents officers from leaving the borough. It was only put in place because one of your guys was caught having coffee in Doylestown while on duty. Trust your men like every other department, and allow them to pursue or assist when necessary. If one officer abuses that trust, discipline him, don’t punish the citizens.
Sign the Mutual Aid Agreement. You’re going to be forced to do it anyway by Richland Township if you want your zoning on the Krupp Tract, so you may as well do it on your own and take the credit.
Pass an ordinance that requires the police chief to adhere to generally-accepted public safety principles like allowing officers to prosecute all arrests, pursue suspects out of the borough, and accept assistance when needed. Require the chief to share evidence with other departments instead of hiding it from them. Require the chief to actively participate in school and community events like DARE. And, for good measure, adopt a policy encouraging department participation in formal police ceremonies such as funerals.
Adopt a system like Richland, where officers have a say in policy and equipment. They see the real world day-to-day, their input should be invaluable. Make sure that all borough officers are properly armed with a range of weapons, so they are not forced to use too little, or too much force. This will all certainly help morale in a department where rock bottom would now be a step up.
Create a Community-Police Liaison Panel such as the one in Richland. This allows for citizen input into local public safety, and prevents anyone from hiding the problems.
Finally, make it clear that a chain of command does exist. From the top, the order is Council, Borough Manager David Woglom, then Chief McFadden. If Woglom continues to be unwilling or unable to handle those beneath him, create an independent Director of Public Safety above McFadden who WILL get King James to follow orders. Every citizen in the area, and every police department in Upper Bucks, will thank you for it. You’ll go from whipped dogs to top dogs.
See, wasn’t that easy? Everything I detailed is legal, quick, and in the best interests of everyone (except maybe King James). The process could begin at the next meeting, Wednesday, August 6. Now, Council members, there is a solution on the table. Will you find a way to act, or a way to avoid acting?
Citizens of Quakertown, never forget that Council is supposed to be working for you. If they don’t, if they are too afraid of their own police chief to do the right thing, then maybe they need a gentle reminder. Perhaps if enough people showed up on August 6 and voiced their opinions, Jim and Stan and Ray and the gang might be shamed into action.
Folks, if you don’t act, then shame on you.