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Home > Blogs > West Chester News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > October > 29 > Entry
Lawyer: Police chief demands public apology
Police Chief John Bruce is demanding trustees here publicly apologize for comments they made in response to an internal investigation that suggested he instructed his nephew to lie on an application.
To view the letter, click “Continue…” below.
A letter was sent Tuesday from Bruce’s attorney, Mark Mezibov, to township attorney Donald Crain, that said “…Trustees have publicly impugned Col. Bruce and stigmatized his professional reputation by imputing to him acts of dishonesty and unprofessional conduct.”
In the letter, Mezibov states: “Col. Bruce demands that the Trustees issue a prompt public apology and correction at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees.”
But at least one trustee has said a public apology isn’t warranted.
“I don’t believe the Board has taken any action for which they should apologize to anybody,” said Trustee Catherine Stoker.
As of this afternoon, trustees George Lang and Lee Wong, declined to comment.
Here’s the letter sent to township attorney Donald Crain.
Mezibov said his client’s professional career could be negatively impacted by comments trustees made in response to the internal investigation that appeared in the Oct. 25 edition of the Journal-News. Read that story here.
The attorney said Bruce should at least have an opportunity to clear his name in a public hearing if an apology is denied.
The investigation, launched late last month, concluded Donald Gatliff, 27, of West Chester Twp., was not forthcoming to investigators about his background, and that Bruce advised him to do so.
Bruce was exonerated for any wrongdoing by the investigation. Read the full story here.
Question: Do you think trustees should publicly apologize to Bruce? Should he have an opportunity to “clear his name” as the letter suggests?
Permalink | Comments (22) | Post your comment | Categories: Chief Search
Comments
By june
October 29, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
Let him keep on his denial of the facts. He told a recruit to lie, what more can be said. Would he say it was ok if the recruit was not a relative. I tink he should resign, and end this soap opera.
By june
October 29, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
Let him keep on his denial of the facts. He told a recruit to lie, what more can be said. Would he say it was ok if the recruit was not a relative. I think he should resign, and end this soap opera.
By june
October 29, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
Let him keep on his denial of the facts. He told a recruit to lie, what more can be said. Would he say it was ok if the recruit was not a relative. I think he should resign, and end this soap opera.
By june
October 29, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
Let him keep on his denial of the facts. He told a recruit to lie, what more can be said. Would he say it was ok if the recruit was not a relative. I think he should resign, and end this soap opera.
By Me
October 29, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this
June, why do you keep entering the same thing? Learn how to use your computer!
By jimmie
October 29, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
He is GUILTY……He should be taken out of office immediately and his wife, denise is not innocent in this matter either……
By The Issue
October 30, 2008 12:36 AM | Link to this
Seriously? What does his wife have to do with this story? Did she hire him? Can she fire him? The Chief was found to not have violated any rules/regulations. If YOU were accused of something at work and found to have not broken any rules, I have a funny feeling you would want to keep your job. I think it’s funny how many of you drag Mrs. Bruce into an issue that does NOT involve her. Sounds like people have vendettas for other reasons. As to the question for this article… WONG should appoligize for stepping out of line with his comments in a meeting like he did. Regardless of right or wrong, that was not appropriate at that time. Why do you think West Chester TV now has a disclaimer at the end of the meetings… because of Wong’s comments on issues he doesn’t have all the facts to.
By Jimmie
October 30, 2008 5:30 AM | Link to this
Ok, This is what the chief wife has if you have a husband that is the police chief or even some influence in a company and one of your wife family needs a job and they apply you would not hire your wife family first or would you say no, dear can’t do and then to lie about it, she could of said no, this is going to hurt us when we tell him to lie. If he was not the police chief and the rookie applied and with his background do you think he would even have a chance at west chief and for your information she has everything to do with this and you are wrong for even putting Mr. Wong into the issue..WWhat he and Detherage caught the background of the young rookie, do you think a background check was not going to be done….Are they on drugs themselves…..please know your facts first before shooting off and not knowing your facts, to me you look like you are going after Mr, Wong for no reason….Denise is just as guilty as her husband, they have both run west chester long enough lets get rid of them and quit dancing around the issue, they took a chance and both got caught…GET RID OF THEM AND MOVE ON…..west chester deserves better…..
By Minnie
October 30, 2008 5:35 AM | Link to this
I agree……with Jimmie let West Chester has people in the township that is looking out for the township, not for there on personal gain…say Goodbye to the chief and Denise and just go, there should be no apology only the Bruces apologies to the residents of West Chester who they were making look like they are fool for thinking they could get this over on them….
By eddie
October 30, 2008 5:39 AM | Link to this
The Bruces were deceiving the residents of WEST CHESTER, no apologies should be given and they should remove both from office, or do and investigation into the police department and see what else they did during there 25 years there and investigate that also….Maybe there is more, that someone missed all these years lets dig deep, if they don’t want to go quietly, then lets probe some more…….
By june
October 30, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this
Me I had to repeat myself, because you just don’t get it.
By J Badge
October 30, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this
The Chief has slapped every Police officer in the face. How many Candiates would have been hired had they “made” the same mistakes as the Chief’s Nephew ? None ! This is was not just a mistake , this is almost criminal ! I’m sure that every honest Police Officer is applauding the “uncovering” of this unethical hiring by the Chief. Makes you wonder how many other things has he done that weren’t discovered. This was not a laspe in judgement, but a thought out scheme to hire a unqualified relative and put the township at risk. Apology, No way . His actions have put a dark cloud over the Police Department. Everytime I see a Township Officer, I’ll wonder Did Bruce hire this guy & what kind of background does he have. Thanks alot Bruce for creating a long lasting doubt!
By The Issue
October 30, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
Jimme- I fully understand the relationship between Denise and John and the perception that it gives. Regardless of her influence, she is still NOT the issue. If he makes a recommendation on a hire just becuase of her, that still only reflects poorly on HIM! How can I be wrong from saying Mr. Wong needs to apologize? If you actually read the story on this page, the question for this blog is “Do you think trustees should apologize?” I never said Lee Wong was wrong, only that as usual with Wong, the statement should NOT have been made at that time/place and HE should apologize. I also never said Chief Bruce was right, only that he was found to have not violated any rules. You and eddie (and apparently many other people here)want BOTH Bruces removed because of what 1 of them did. What did SHE do wrong? Even if she begged him to hire her nephew, even if SHE told her nephew to lie, it was still the CHIEF, and ONLY THE CHIEF who made the decision to hire him.
By Trustees need not apologize
October 30, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this
The Issue…is concerning. The chief’s wife is not a typical West Chester employee she’s a department head. As such, she has a higher responsibility to bring these types of acts to light – if known. Yet, she didn’t, and worse yet, a family member benefited from her silence. If it’s proven she knew, then at a minimum, she should be formally reprimanded for knowingly allowing what’s been reported to occur. In regard to their nephew, it’s very likely that he’d have to testify in a court of law during his career. His credibility and any testimony that he’d be called to give would likely be easily compromised were it discovered that he lied on his application. Worse yet, he apparently lied at the direction of a senior officer, a relative to boot. It’s easy to imagine how damaging this would be not only to any case but to the department as a whole. And, given Bruce’s wealth of experience, he should have known better than to act as reported. Mezibov likely knows that too. Frankly, both should go quietly away as planned as no trustee apology sounds necessary. End of story.
By Jimmie
October 31, 2008 7:44 AM | Link to this
The Bruces should aplogy to the west chester police department and also the people of west chester, no one else, but them and thats not going to happen cause they think they did nothing wrong…….
By Watcher
October 31, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
uh.uh
By Get a Life!
October 31, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
A witch hunt on Halloween!!! Great timing West Chester Trustees! It’s really too bad you had to use a decorated veteran to implement your plan. Good timing on that one too, so close to Veteran’s day. I believe the Bruce’s have devoted most of their careers to the township of West Chester and serving the people of that area. Is that how we say thank you? I’m ashamed to say that was my hometown.
By watcher
October 31, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
That’s pretty thin ice your on “get a life”. You have no idea what hypocrisy is taking place. Just sit back and be amazed by the things to come!!! Soon you’ll wonder who our leaders r actually serving (themselves)
By watcher
October 31, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
Mr. Gerber, do a story on the attempts of Mr. Wong to get his wife jobs with businesses that are coming into the township. And the ones who he voted against when they refused hint…hint… (Embassy Suites)
By june
October 31, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
watcher you are just an idiot
By erin
October 31, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
I agree with June, what in gods name does Mr. Wong have to do with the story. HINT HINT , watcher keep your head up, you are not watching too well.
By Anon
November 2, 2008 1:08 AM | Link to this
Chief Bruce, Guilty of Malfeasance? The doing of an act which a person ought not to do. No officer has ever been hired in his 58 previous “decisions” with a background like Gatliffs.