Letter to Borough Council Jenkintown Matters, May 24, 2024June 9, 2024 The Honorable Mayor Gabriel Lerman Council President Jay ConnersCouncil Vice President Christian Soltysiak Jenkintown Borough Council700 Summit Avenue Jenkintown, PA 19046 Dear Mr. Lerman, Mr. Conners, Ms. Soltysiak, and Honorable Council members: We are writing to you as a citizens’ committee formed in response to the Council’s apparent intention to dissolve and outsource the Jenkintown Police Department. We have attended the community meetings dedicated to the discussion of this issue as well as Council meetings and committee workshops, and we have heard the Council’s case for dissolution. We remain firm in our belief that this is not the right way forward. We would like to be entirely clear: the Jenkintown Police Department is an essential part of our community. It has been in the past, it is in the present, and it must continue to be in the future. The tight-knit relationship between our community and our police force exemplifies what policing should look like in our country. Many of us know our officers by name. We feel safe knowing their familiar faces are available at a moment’s notice in our time of need. There is no possible way this relationship can be replicated, even with the best of contracts, by any external police force. Thus far, the Council’s actions throughout this process have demonstrated a disappointing lack of transparency. We feel betrayed by the Council’s decision to secretly hire a PR consultant. As the PR consultant’s contract makes clear, the Council’s intention was to inform the community of this decision after the fact. We call on the Council to do the following: Abandon their initiative to dissolve the Jenkintown Police Department Negotiate in good faith with the Jenkintown Police Benevolent Association Make a commitment to greater transparency Comply fully with the Pennsylvania Open Meeting Law (the Sunshine Act) Consider alternate sources of funds, including the sale of our sewer system Focus their energies on attracting businesses and increasing revenue Adhere to Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) Apply for any and all local, state and federal police department grants available We look forward to working with you to keep the Jenkintown Police Department in a fiscally responsible manner. Respectfully yours, Jenkintown Matters Share this:FacebookXLike this:Like Loading... Commentary News
Jenkintown Council Chief Scott, ParkMobile, and The New Parking Squad August 11, 2024August 29, 2024 Chief Scott takes flack for his changes to Jenkintown parking enforcement which may make the deficit worse. The issue of parking in Jenkintown continues to rage in council meetings and… Share this:FacebookXLike this:Like Loading... Read More
Jenkintown Police Abington Police Respond to Chief Scott’s Force Reduction Plan November 12, 2024November 12, 2024 We have become aware of a letter from Chief Thomas Scott to the members of his department informing them that their minimum staffing for night shift patrol officers (7pm-7am) has been changed to only one police officer on duty for the entire Borough of Jenkintown. Share this:FacebookXLike this:Like Loading... Read More
Analysis Emails Confirm Abington Will Not Police Jenkintown May 25, 2024July 22, 2024 At last Wednesday’s Council Workshop meeting, Council Vice President Christian Soltyziak and Police Chief Thomas Scott asserted that the borough is still considering “all options” in their efforts to bring… Share this:FacebookXLike this:Like Loading... Read More