<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1BoHWP_0vjdRg4v00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1BoHWP_0vjdRg4v00" width="976" height="1030" ><figcaption>Embattled Collingdale police chief candidate Rhaheem Blanden said he knew “nothing about a criminal investigation” of which he is alleged to be the target.</figcaption></figure>All eyes were on Collingdale last week, when more than 150 community members and other stakeholders, including the Delaware County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 27 and Teamsters Union, attended a Council meeting primarily determined to pushback on Agenda Item #23: “Motion to hire Chief of Police.”Borough officials, led by Council President Ryan Hastings, wanted to appoint Chester police Cpl. Rhaheem Blanden the new Collingdale chief, but heated community outcry and the large turnout prevented a vote. In fact, the meeting was adjourned with no resolution.Multiple factors contributed to the controversy including confirmed news reports that Blanden was under “criminal investigation” by the county District Attorney’s Office.According to FOP President Chris Eiserman, Blanden is alleged to have “tipped off a homicide suspect that the SWAT team was on their way to apprehend him.” He is currently on administrative leave from the Chester Police Department.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=46EUqN_0vjdRg4v00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=46EUqN_0vjdRg4v00" width="1480" height="1111" ><figcaption>Denied the right to speak, along with FOP President Chris Eiserman, was Teamsters Local 107 representative Shawn Dougherty, who had an unrelated personnel issue.</figcaption></figure>The meeting did not make it far past public comment. Residents shared their views about Blanden and other topics. Afterwards, Eiserman and Teamsters Local 107 representative Shawn Dougherty, attempted to speak on behalf of their respective unions in unrelated natters. Hastings denied them, prompting uproar and angered calls from attendees.Dougherty had come to demand answers for Marty Anthony, a former employee of Collingdale, who was allegedly denied postemployment pay by the borough. The crowd chanted “let them speak.”Councilmember Felecia Coffee and Mayor Donna Matteo- Spadeo encouraged Hastings to give them speaking time. Passions rose quickly, with Dougherty asking if the borough president ran “a democracy or a dictatorship?” Hastings called a recess; but order never truly returned to the room.As supporters of Blanden were not heard at the meeting, and attempts to reach Hastings by The SPIRIT were unsuccessful last week, questions remain why, given the circumstances, Blanden’s name would come to the top of a candidate short list. One answer may be that there was no such list.It appears the job opening was posted on Indeed, a hiring and recruitment website, on Sept 12 and Blanden was interviewed by some members of Council during an executive session on Sept 13.There was no public notice published in The SPIRIT or any other newspaper of general circulation. The interview, which Councilman Stephen Zane told The SPIRIT was scheduled at the last minute, and prevented him from attending, was not open to the public. By Tuesday, however, it seemed that some on Council were ready to put Blanden to work.The corporal’s police career has been based in Chester, where he has worked as a detective for Major Crimes and Homicide Investigation for over 15 years, but he is a Collingdale resident. His children attend public schools and play in the local sport clubs.Blanden attended last Tuesday’s meeting and attempted to leave early. Cornered by reporters who followed him outside, he said he knew “nothing about a criminal investigation,” and was “ready to take the job.”Collingdale’s former police Chief Patrick Kilroy also attended the meeting. His demotion by a Council majority vote, in June, was extremely controversial in the community at the time. Passed by the majority of Hastings and Councilors Keisha Williams, Stacey Calhoun, David Lee Robinson, and Nancy Cotton, (Councilors Stephen Zane and Felecia Coffee opposed) the motion demoted Kilroy, a Collingdale native who had served on the borough’s police force, moving up through the ranks, since 2004, and was sworn-in as chief in November 2023.For weeks, many residents vocally decried the demotion, and allegations circulated that the decision had been race-based. Kilroy, who is white, people speculated, would have been fired because the Council’s Black-majority in power wanted a Black chief.Grounds given by proponents of the demotion alleged “a lack of cooperation” from Kilroy and critical shortstaffing issues. “It is incredibly disgusting the way they acted tonight.” Eiserman told The SPIRIT, saying the FOP would be filing a “mandamus action” against the borough, over the vacancies in the borough’s police force. Of the 14 fulltime police officers the borough is expected to have, the department has only nine.While the meeting was still ongoing, Blanden got into an altercation with a Collingdale officer, which did not escalate and resulted in a standoff lasting several minutes. Having received news of this via his cellphone, Hastings abruptly adjourned the meeting, saying, “Any violence against anybody will not be tolerated.”Matteo-Spadea said, “Well at least we don’t have a new police chief tonight! Let’s hear it for that: no new police chief.”Breaking off to the side, away from microphones, Hastings said, “Mayor, I suggest you order the cops to take care of the disturbance upstairs.” Eiserman, still in the room, called out, “What are you saying, Mr Hastings so we all can hear?”Matteo-Spadea turned to the floor, saying, “Apparently, there is a disturbance.” Eiserman responded, “Why don’t you let the police chief take care of it? That’s right, you don’t have one. You’re a coward, Mr. Hastings. Resign.”Hastings refused comment to The SPIRIT.</div></body>

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NewsBreak

Council vs community in fight over new borough police chief

All eyes were on Collingdale last week, when more than 150 community members and other stakeholders, including the Delaware County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 27 and Teamsters Union, attended a Council meeting primarily determined to pushback on Agenda Item #23: “Motion to hire Chief of Police.”. Borough...