Macungie Boro. hires outside attorney to investigate its police department | Western Lehigh County

MACUNGIE, Pa. – A Lehigh County borough is hiring an outside attorney to investigate its police department.

The Macungie Borough Council voted 6-1 to pass the measure during a special meeting Wednesday morning. The Macungie Institute was packed for the meeting, and the people who spoke weren’t happy.

“Why this meeting on a Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving at nine o’clock?” said one woman.

“I’m very concerned, and I don’t trust any lawyers, but I do trust our police,” said another woman.

“You are corrupt,” said a man.

Borough Council President Ron Karboski could at least address the timing, saying it was an urgent personnel issue and this was the best time they could find that complied with public reporting requirements.

“In order to meet the deadline with the Morning Call, we made it today. As I reached out to Council members, they preferred not to have it in the evening to free up for the holidays,” said Karboski.

Council couldn’t say what’s being investigated due to it being a personnel issue, but Cpl. Michael Mullen from the Macungie Police Department gave us some background.

“We conducted an investigation on an incident that Councilman Karboski was a complainant in. He was not happy with the end result of that investigation,” said Mullen. “Our mayor deemed the matter closed. He is not happy with that determination. That’s why we’re here today.”

The new ordinance takes the power to investigate officers away from the Mayor and the Police Department and gives it to Borough Council. It also allows Council to consider complaints about officers from the public.

“We’re opposed to the disciplinary policy, because it lets anonymous people complain about the Police Department that could result in discipline against police officers. That’s not a fair and impartial way to handle an investigation,” said Mullen.

But attorney Christopher Gerber spoke for Council, saying they’re just trying to follow the law.

“These recommendations have nothing to do with Mr. Karboski or some intent to control. Rather, the Borough is complying with the law,” said Gerber.

We asked Council President Ron Karboski for a comment after the meeting, but he declined. In its vote Wednesday, Borough Council named attorney Patrick Harvey as the Special Counsel who will be conducting the third-party investigation into the Police Department.