CALIFORNIA, Pa. —
Two California Borough police officers have
been suspended as a result of an incident last Friday that the police chief
believe put the public at risk.
California Borough Police Chief Rick Encapera
said the problem goes back to last Friday night when the on-duty officers
weren’t where they were supposed to be.
Police said a bar fight broke out at Sigz
Bistro located off the California University campus and spilled into the
street.
Channel 11’s Jodine Costanzo confirmed that
three California Borough officers were on-duty, but two, officers Justin
Schultz and Terry Childs, left for a couple hours for an unauthorized errand
miles away in the city of Washington, leaving one officer patrolling the entire
borough on a busy Friday night.
Outraged students and business owners packed a
California borough meeting Thursday night where council voted unanimously to
suspend those Schultz and Childs for 30 days without pay.
Encapera said their actions created a public
safety issue even though nearby departments provided backup.
Also, at the meeting Thursday night, many
accused Schultz and Childs of unprofessional conduct and using excessive force.
Encapera promised that the accusations will be
investigated, but the department’s trust and reputation have been called into
question.