Apr 9, 2015 2 min read

East Washington Borough officials are looking for a new police chief to fill a full-time position that has been vacant since December. The borough advertised the position Wednesday, and officials also plan to interview any current officers who may want to take on the larger role. The department currently has 16 part-time officers, most of whom also work for other municipalities, said Council President Guy Tucci.

Ronald Miles, who spent 40 years working for the borough’s road crew and police department, has been serving as officer-in-charge during the interim period. He stepped in when former police Chief Robert Caldwell resigned in December just two months after he was promoted within the department.

Caldwell worked for the department for five years and gave no formal explanation in his resignation letter. Prior to Caldwell’s promotion, Mark Griffith had served as officer-in-charge. He retired from the department in July, citing health reasons.

In addition to the quick turnover rate for police chiefs, officials also grappled last year over a proposal to reorganize the entire department and add a full-time patrolman while cutting several part-time positions.

Three council members resigned in July, citing a “fundamental split” in the borough and disagreements over the future of the police department. Prior to that, council rejected plans to allow Washington’s police force to take over in the borough.

Tucci said the new council has not revisited that idea.

“I don’t think anyone is talking about that now,” he said. “The residents wanted to keep the police force, so we decided to do what the residents preferred. We intend to do that as long as we can afford it.”