Judge Denies Request To Delay Police Layoffs In Franconia Township
By Brad Segall
FRANCONIA, Pa. (CBS) -- Four full-time police officers will lose their jobs Saturday morning in Franconia Township, Montgomery County after a judge refused to delay the implementation of those layoffs.
The union representing the township's police officers asked Judge Bernard Moore to issue a temporary restraining order to put the cuts on hold until a hearing examiner and arbitrator rules on the merits of their grievance and unfair labor practice charge. The township says it needs to trim the force in order to close a million dollar plus budget gap. Police union attorney Richard Poulson says this will impact public safety and the safety of the remaining officers.
"We're talking about committed sworn police officers," he says. They are going to continue going to work, they're going to continue risking their lives, even in these unsafe conditions, because that's their job."
Township attorney Frank Bartle disagrees, assuring residents that the police chief can adequately cover the township safely with the eleven full-time officers who remain on the job.
"This is a community of less than 13,000 residents. It's a bedroom community," he says. "They will have eleven full time police officers, which is far more than most of the communities of like size and similar demographic situations."
Bartle says the supervisors have the right to slash jobs to pay the bills.
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