The Glade 4.0 :: View topic - Pennsylvania bickering

(CNN) -- Mark Kessler, the small-town Pennsylvania police chief who posted videos of himself firing automatic weapons while cursing about gun control, has been given a termination notice.

The borough council of Gilberton, population 750, voted 6-1 to fire him at a meeting Thursday night, said council chairman Daniel J. Malloy.

Kessler was suspended July 31 at a council meeting that drew thousands of his supporters, including some openly armed, to the small town in Schuylkill County in eastern Pennsylvania
Police chief's pro-gun video goes viral

He will remain on suspension for 10 days to give him time to appeal, Malloy said. He would not comment further.

"We knew it was coming," Kessler said after the vote, CNN affiliate WFMZ-TV reported.

Kessler's attorney, Joseph Nahas, said he will request a public hearing next week, the affiliate reported.

The council accused Kessler of misusing borough property, neglecting his duties and failing to turn over weapons to the borough, his lawyer said.

But Kessler said the firing is "because of my videos."

In the videos, he rails against liberals for attempting to curb gun rights and Secretary of State John Kerry for supporting an arms treaty. At one point in a video, he dares Kerry to come and take his guns.

Author:	Dalantia [ Fri Aug 16, 2013 8:13 am ]
Post subject:	Pennsylvania bickering
http://www.officer.com/news/11075971/gi ... ial-videos There are sites variously trying to spin this into terrorism and other areas, I've found; this is the most neutral article I've managed to find on this mess, and it's a police-oriented website reposting what looks like an article from the local paper.

Author:	Arathain Kelvar [ Fri Aug 16, 2013 10:28 am ]
Post subject:
It sounds like he should be happy with this 30-day suspension. If I used company property without permission for personal use to make a public, political video, I would be fired. You throw in the added sensitivity surrounding specific elected officials and weaponry, and yeah - I'm not going to slip under the radar. I think he should try to enjoy his vacation, and shut up about this.

Author:	Aizle [ Fri Aug 16, 2013 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re:
Arathain Kelvar wrote: I think he should try to enjoy his vacation, and shut up about this. This. If he didn't understand that this would be the reaction, he has no business being in a senior public office because he isn't qualified for the job. And I'm not talking about his policing skills.

Author:	Corolinth [ Fri Aug 16, 2013 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Pennsylvania bickering
This whole tragedy could have been avoided if he'd just used his own guns.

Author:	NephyrS [ Fri Aug 16, 2013 7:20 pm ]
Post subject:
It's also hard to make an argument that it's a personal opinion and not related to the official position when you're wearing your badge (in the videos) and support your statements by referring to yourself as the "chief" (of police). Also seems like there were some definite issues with his supporters, carrying weapons, and blocking people from coming into the hearing.

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Author:	Hannibal [ Sat Aug 17, 2013 8:30 am ]
Post subject:
being a police chief he should realize that his job is mostly political in nature and that a video like this would obviously provoke a response. the 30 day suspension in my opinion means that a lot of people probably support him but can't overtly say so

Author:	Diamondeye [ Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:12 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Pennsylvania bickering
Probably a lot of people basically agree with what he was saying, and that saved his ***. They were lenient with him, but not unreasonably so. Like Coro said, he could have just used his own guns. That actually might have made his point more effective; the ability of the police to carry rifles is not something people really think is threatened. He also shouldn't have worn the badge. Saying he is a police chief isn't really a bad thing, since it adds to his point; part of that is that law enforcement officials are far from universally in favor of restricting private gun ownership.

Author:	Corolinth [ Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:37 am ]
Post subject:
Wearing his badge and coming out as a police chief in support of gun ownership is a non-issue. Police chiefs tend to be elected officials, and elected officials use their office to run off at the mouth all the time. Getting mad that the police chief is using his position to promote gun ownership is like getting mad that Obama is using his position to promote gun control. It's a reason not to vote for him in the first place, but there's nothing improper about a police chief making a political statement.

Author:	Diamondeye [ Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:32 pm ]
Post subject:
Police chiefs are generally appointed, not elected. They (like generals) should avoid making their political comments partisan in nature, although they are under far less obligation to do so than the military. Sheriffs tend to be elected, though, and in states where they have county police rather than sheriffs, I believe those police chiefs are elected. If he were an elected official, the city council would not have the power to fire him.

Author:	Arathain Kelvar [ Fri Sep 20, 2013 8:27 am ]
Post subject:
Fired. Quote: (CNN) -- Mark Kessler, the small-town Pennsylvania police chief who posted videos of himself firing automatic weapons while cursing about gun control, has been given a termination notice. The borough council of Gilberton, population 750, voted 6-1 to fire him at a meeting Thursday night, said council chairman Daniel J. Malloy. Kessler was suspended July 31 at a council meeting that drew thousands of his supporters, including some openly armed, to the small town in Schuylkill County in eastern Pennsylvania Police chief's pro-gun video goes viral He will remain on suspension for 10 days to give him time to appeal, Malloy said. He would not comment further. "We knew it was coming," Kessler said after the vote, CNN affiliate WFMZ-TV reported. Kessler's attorney, Joseph Nahas, said he will request a public hearing next week, the affiliate reported. The council accused Kessler of misusing borough property, neglecting his duties and failing to turn over weapons to the borough, his lawyer said. But Kessler said the firing is "because of my videos." In the videos, he rails against liberals for attempting to curb gun rights and Secretary of State John Kerry for supporting an arms treaty. At one point in a video, he dares Kerry to come and take his guns.

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