Police officer in Philadelphia suburb resigns just days after being sworn in for full-time
A police officer who was sworn in over the weekend to help ease a police shortage in Collingdale, Delaware County, resigned on Thursday.
Kevon Darden joined the Collingdale Police Department as a full-time officer on Sunday.
Collingdale Police Chief Shanee N. Mitchell told CBS News Philadelphia in an email that after his hiring, she was notified by Pennsylvania State Police that Darden will soon be facing criminal charges.
"Collingdale Police Officer Kevon Darden resigned today at 1 p.m. due to unforeseen circumstances which were unknown to myself and/or Council," the police chief said in the email.
Collingdale councilmembers held an emergency swearing-in ceremony over the weekend to bring Darden on board for immediate service after the borough experienced what it calls a series of unusual call-outs that left several shifts unstaffed.
Pennsylvania State Police has been helping the borough with overnight patrols since October.
In a statement, Pennsylvania State Police said they will continue to work with the borough to provide the necessary coverage until the Collingdale Police Department is back up to full staff. It's a process that Collingdale Mayor Donna Matteo-Spadea said could take months.
"At this point, when we hire police, even part-time officers, it will probably be about three months before we have anyone on the street," Matteo-Spadea said in October.
State police said the charges are tied to a road rage incident that happened in 2023 and Darden was a Cheyney University police officer at the time of the incident.