Top Cop Out in Chester Boro, Special Meeting Tonight

With Chester Borough Police Chief Andre Kedrowitsch's June retirement fast approaching, the Chester Borough Mayor and Council are holding a special meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Chester Borough Hall to discuss restructuring the Police Department.

The shakeup comes less than a year after the failed merger/contracting talks between Chester Township and Chester Borough.

Kedrowitsch's retirement leaves Chester Borough, according to statute, with several options past reigniting the merger/contracting issue. One option available to the mayor and council is promoting from within. Chester Borough has two newly promoted sergeants who could qualify for the big chair if the governing body goes that route.

There also is the option of sharing a police chief with another community, but the mechanics of that would take some time to be worked out.

Lastly, there is the opportunity for the borough to create a Police Director position to act as administrator for the department, but would not be an active police officer. This position is traditionally held by retired police officers.

On the agenda for tonight's special meeting is an amendment to the police ordinance to allow the creation of a police director position, but that doesn't make the decision final.

Hiring a police director would remove an active police officer from the eight man department with Kedrowitsch's retirement, but also on the agenda for tonight's special meeting is a discussion on Special Law Enforcement Officer IIs.

The officers, known as Class IIs, are paid at an hourly rate rather than salaried, saving taxpayers money for benefits.

The special meeting of the mayor and council begins tonight at 5:30 p.m. and is open to the public.