Bristol Laxes Application Standards For Borough Officers Applying For Chief Job

The search for the new chief of police for Bristol Borough is moving along.

The deadline to apply for the position that will pay between $105,000 to $125,000 per year was originally set for Monday. The deadline was later extended until Friday for applicants coming from within Bristol Borough’s own department.

The motion was brought up by Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe. He noted that anyone within the department that wanted to apply for the position would be able to do so, even if they did not meet the minimum requirements set forth by the borough for other applicants. Outside applicants were still restricted to the application date and application requirements.

In-house applicants would have needed to apply and follow the same procedures that outside applicants must adhere by, officials said.

According to a job posting in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, the new chief must have a minimum of 10 years supervisory and command experience in a mid to large police department. The applicants must also have obtained the rank of lieutenant or highers. A Bachelors degree and attendance at the FBI National Academy, Northwestern University School of Staff and Command is required.

The requirements for the job exclude many, if not all, of Bristol’s 14 full-time and two part-time sworn officers.

Mayor Pat Sabitini noted that there are only 21 individuals in Bucks County who meet the criteria set forth.

“I think the group is a good group, but [the standards] limit a lot of people that are from Bucks County,” Sabatini explained, mentioning the high bar set by the job listing.

Bristol’s council hired CityBurbs Group for $14,800 to lead the search for Bristol’s new chief. The firm, which is based in Lower Makefield, is led by that township’s police chief, Ken Coluzzi, who is a former Philadelphia police officer.

Coluzzi‘s firm was involved with the hiring of well-respected Morrisville Chief of Police George McClay, who came to Morrisville from Philadelphia.

In December, it was outlined that borough would pay $14,800 to CityBurbs Group to handle the search for a new chief.

The borough hopes to have a new chief in place before current Chief Arnold Porter retires on February 20. Porter has led the department since 2001 and has worked the streets of Bristol since 1979.