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Colwyn mayor again calls for state of emergency in borough


Published: Monday, May 14, 2012


History is repeating itself in Colwyn.

Colwyn Mayor Daniel Rutland declared late Saturday night that his borough is in a state of emergency for a second time this month.

Also for the second time this month, Rutland has named Lt. Wesley Seitz as the acting head of the borough’s police department.

Rutland made the order for his 0.3-square-mile borough even though a previous state of emergency order was overturned by borough council at a May 3 meeting.

The law enforcement situation in Colwyn has been unclear recently because of allegations of police misconduct.

The charges stem from when a juvenile was allegedly tazered while he was handcuffed in a holding cell.

The allegations caused Rutland to take three officers off the work schedule, including acting department Deputy Chief Wendell Reed.

When Rutland declared his first state of emergency, he made Seitz the acting department head.

However, Seitz was the officer who investigated the Taser incident and alerted the mayor.

At a contentious meeting May 3, council voted to put Seitz on leave and reinstate Reed, even though he is one of the officers that is part of the investigation.

At that meeting, council President Tonetta Pray said the borough’s situation did not meet criteria for a state emergency, which include unrest or mob problems. The council voted that night, 6-1, to lift the state of emergency and 4-3 to reinstate Reed.

However, Rutland once again appointed Seitz as the acting head of the police department Saturday night, citing the department had four vacant positions, including three supervisory roles.

Rutland’s order also states that Seitz is guaranteed protection under the state’s Whistleblower Act. Rutland noted that he is in charge of scheduling the police officers and he will not put any officers who are under investigation on the schedule. Seitz is not under investigation.

The alleged incident occurred April 24 and involved Cpl. Trevor Parham, who allegedly delivered the stun and officer Michael Drucker, who allegedly witnessed the stun. Rutland has said Seitz is the only officer who provided information about the incident.

The incident is also under investigation by the Delaware County District Attorney’s office.

District Attorney Jack Whelan has said since police officers are under investigation that elected officials could also come under investigation.

County detectives bearing search warrants raided county buildings at least twice in the first week of May.

Rutland is also asking for help from the state police and surrounding area police departments to help with enforcement in the borough.







In Colwyn: Emergency, The Sequel

By Stephanie Farr

Daniel Rutland, mayor of embattled Colwyn, declared another state of emergency in the .3-square-mile borough Saturday after his previous order was overturned by council two weeks ago.

Allegations of police misconduct became public this month after a juvenile who was handcuffed in a holding cell was allegedly shot with a Taser by a cop on April 24.

Those allegations led Rutland to take three officers under investigation by county detectives off the schedule indefinitely, including the acting chief, Deputy Chief Wendell Reed.

Rutland named Lt. Wesley Seitz — the officer who investigated the Taser incident and provided information on it to the mayor — the acting head of the department.

In response, borough council, led by council President Tonette Pray, who many sources say is aligned with Reed, voted to place Seitz on leave as well, even though he is not under investigation. That prompted Rutland to declare a state of emergency on May 2 so that he could place Seitz back on the schedule.

At a raucous borough council meeting the following night, council voted to put Seitz back on leave, rescind the mayor’s state of emergency and to reinstate Reed, even though he remains under investigation.

In his most recent order issued late Saturday, Rutland has once again reinstated Seitz as acting head of the department, noting that the department has four vacant positions, three of which are supervisory. His order also says that Seitz is guaranteed protection under the state Whistleblower’s Act.

He also called for aid from the state police and surrounding municipal police departments.