Bristol Borough’s police chief has been cleared after an investigation by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, the town’s mayor announced on Monday evening.
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Bristol Borough Mayor Ralph DiGuiseppe III said Chief of Police Joe Moors, a veteran lawman, did nothing illegal after Officer Ritchie Webb alleged in a letter that there was misconduct, harassment, and intimidation.
“We don’t run an unethical department,” DiGuiseppe said.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Members of council clapped after the mayor announced the news during Monday evening’s meeting.
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Earlier this year, Webb addressed a letter to the Bucks County Detectives, an agency overseen by the district attorney’s office. It was posted anonymously to Facebook earlier this year, causing a stir.
Webb’s letter suggests a pattern of abuse, harassment, and intimidation by the chief, a longtime borough officer. It also said a fellow officer had harassed a man in town.
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The officer, who remains a borough patrolman, alleged an incident where there were claims Moors threatened a woman with arrest if she did not comply with sexual demands.
The woman, who had previous run-ins with police, claimed in a social media post that Webb’s letter was “absolutely true” and it was reported to the district attorney’s office.
A law enforcement source told LevittownNow.com the investigation turned up little evidence to substantiate the woman’s claims, which allegedly took place some time ago.
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County detectives spoke with several people in the borough, and a deputy district attorney was assigned to oversee the probe, the source said.
The district attorney’s office declined to comment on the matter.
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Webb declined to comment at the moment, citing advice from an attorney.
Moors was not able to be immediately reached for comment.
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Webb filed a federal lawsuit in 2011 claiming he was retaliated against by fellow officers and borough officials after he failed to change his story about a fellow borough officer who sexually assaulted a woman. He settled with the borough in 2014 and was paid $440,000.
Moors has served as Bristol Borough’s chief since 2022, and he has been a member of the police department for more than 30 years.
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