At last night’s meeting, Indiana Borough Council approved a statement that said an investigation into recent allegations brought to the borough will be conducted soon.
Before that statement was made, former police department member John Scherf reasserted his accusations against police chief Justin Schawl that Schawl made public in late January. When Borough Council went into executive session, Scherf met with people outside the borough building, saying that Schawl was not a leader, and that he was willing to take a polygraph test to prove that his accusations were true. Another concern he brought up was his belief that police are, in his words, “being conditioned to do nothing.”
After the executive session, Council President Peter Broad read a statement saying that the accusations have been referred to the PA Attorney General’s office, and that any investigation will be conducted by an outside organization. Broad added that Schawl will remain the chief of police.
The statement was approved unanimously by Borough Council.
Chief Schawl did not have a direct response to Scherf’s comments but said that he trusts the investigative process.
In other business, Jessica Frick was named a new member of council. She takes over for Jonathan Warnock, who resigned due to medical reasons. She will be sworn in at the next borough council work session in two weeks.
