The Falls Township police union is suing two of its former leaders in small claims court alleging they abused their authority to cover a $2,300 catering bill for a funeral reception for one of the men's family members.
The Police Association of Falls Township filed the civil complaint on Sept. 26 against Cpl. Steve Langan and retired officer Bruce Rhodunda in the magisterial court of District Judge John Galloway, according to the docket.
“The Falls Township police union is alleging that two of its former officials improperly paid for personal expenses out of union funds. Our client is seeking to recover those funds," said Anthony R. Holtzman, managing attorney for The Fairness Center .
The Harrisburg nonprofit law firm, which describes itself as representing people hurt by public-sector union officials, is representing PAFT, which is seeking to recover $2,343.134 from the former union leaders .
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Neither Rhodunda or Langan have been charged with any crimes. The Bucks County District attorney’s Office investigated similar allegations involving the men and found no evidence of a crime, Falls Chief Nelson Whitney confirmed Monday.
Rhodunda did not immediately respond to an email or voicemail messages Monday seeking comment on the civil suit. Langan also did not immediately respond Monday to email messages and his voicemail at the police department was full and not accepting messages.
PAFT President George Thomas declined comment Monday.
Langan, a Falls police officer since 1999, served as PAFT president from 2015 to 2020; Rhodunda, who retired in January 2023, served as its treasurer from 2011 through 2020, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that in 2019 Rhodunda and Langan authorized spending $2,343.14 in union funds related to a funeral reception hosted by Langan’s in-laws, after PAFT had authorized a separate food delivery to his in-laws at a cost of $168.98.
A longstanding PAFT policy authorizes the purchasing of food gifts — described as “Sunshine Platters” — upon the death of an officer’s family member, but the benefit customarily has been limited to a single purchase of no more than $200, according to the complaint.
Between 2015 and 2020, PAFT disbursed the “Sunshine Platter” death benefit approximately 29 times with an average cost of $133.97, the complaint said.
Receipts show that Langan and Rhodunda signed off on the “Sunshine Platter” purchases including the three for Langan’s in-laws, according to the complaint.
It was not immediately known Monday if any other PAFT members received more than one “Sunshine Platter” benefit for the same death.
“Defendants cannot credibly maintain that their purchases constituted a legitimate use of the Death Benefit because, just three days prior, Defendants had already authorized the purchase of a food platter in connection with the passing of (Langan’s father-in-law),” according to the complaint.
The complaint also alleges that neither man mentioned the additional “Sunshine Platter” expenditures for Langan's in-laws at any of the six PAFT monthly membership meetings held between July 2019 and when they left their union leadership roles in 2020.
PAFT bylaws have a “long established custom” where the treasurer's report includes a list of all expenses made with PAFT funds in the preceding month at its regular monthly meetings, the complaint said.
The new union leadership discovered the additional death benefits Langan received after the U.S. Attorney's Office served PAFT a subpoena for its financial records between January 1, 2018 and Oct. 9, 2020, according to the complaint.
Langan and Rhodunda have active civil suits against PAFT, Falls Township, current and former PAFT presidents and Chief Nelson Whitney in the Bucks County Common Pleas Court, alleging they were subjected to defamation, retaliation and placed on paid administrative leave for months after reporting “waste and wrongdoing” by Falls employees.
In their lawsuits, the men allege that Whitney falsely accused the officers of engaging in misconduct while serving as union officers and “spending union funds inappropriately.”
Attorney Patricia Collins, who represents Langan and Rhodunda in the Bucks County Court case, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Monday on allegations in the small claims court suit.
A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28. Galloway’s court confirmed Monday that he will recuse himself.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Falls Police union paid $2,300 as 'token of sympathy.' It wants money back from ex leaders
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