Council recap

Mayor Leo Lutz said at Monday night’s borough council meeting, the letter he sent to the police department was to remind them about their responsibilities to the public.
What the mayor and the borough got was more than they bargained for. The police officer’s union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. A spokesman for the police union said it is one of three they have against the borough.
The union filed the charge because the borough did not discuss with them a code of conduct for officers, which they said was part of the letter.
Monday night, the mayor defended his letter.
“From time to time I get letters, phone calls or have sit down conversation with citizens about a member or the police department,” Lutz said.
When that happens, he addresses the complaints with the department.:
“We just listen to what people say and forget about it,” Lutz said.
Recently, the mayor had a complaint about the police department and said he sent the letter, dated Aug. 4, because there was nothing in writing about how the complaint was followed up.
Lutz said it is tough to meet with all the officers at one time, so he chose to write the letter.
He thought it was just to remind the officers how they are to act both on duty and off duty.
In the letter, Lutz reminded the officers they are to treat citizens in a courteous, helpful manner, citing a number of examples. The letter also speaks of how officers are to handle follow up calls and how they are to act on duty as well as off duty.
“To me, a reminder is a reminder, but their attorney objected to the letter,” Lutz said adding the police union through its attorney objected because they thought they would be punished or dismissed from their positions if they violate a code of conduct placed at the end of the four page letter.
“My job is to discuss the department with the citizens and remind them how they should conduct themselves,” Lutz said Monday night.
In the letter, Lutz writes, “you attitude and appearance reflect the image of Columbia Borough to those yo come in contact with. It is expected that you are to enhance the image of Columbia Borough and not degrade it.”
He also approached off duty issues as well.
“Whether you like it or not, the public expects police officers to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner when off duty,” Lutz writes.
“For example, having a few beers is one thing, visible intoxication is another, Relaxing at a pub with a couple of friends is one thing, being drunk at a local establishment, party, or other event is unacceptable,” Lutz wrote.
“Loud and boisterous noise is equally unacceptable and quite frankly, the public does not like to see this of their officers,” Lutz continued writing.
Lutz explained Monday night that the code of conduct, which was part of the letter to the department was an example of one he found used in London, England.
The code addressed the following issues.
• Honesty and integrity.
• Fairness and impartiality.
• Politeness and tolerance.
• Use of force and abuse of authority.
• Performance of duties.
• Lawful orders.
• Confidentiality.
• Criminal offenses.
• Property.
• Sobriety.
• Appearance.
• General conduct.
As a note to the code of conduct, Lutz wrote the “primary duties of those who hold the office of police officer are the protection of life and property, the preservation of the peace, and the prevention and detection of criminal offenses.”
“This code sets out the principles which guide police officers’ conduct and does not seek to restrict an officers’ discretion, rather it aims to define the parameters of conduct within which discretion should be exercised.”
In the final part, Lutz wrote that “police behavior, whether on or off duty, affects the public confidence in the police service. Any conduct, which brings or is likely to bring discredit to the police service may be subject to sanctions. Accordingly, any allegation of conduct, which could, if proved, bring, or be likely to bring discredit to the police service should be investigated in order to establish whether there was a beach of the code and if formal disciplinary action is appropriate.:”
There were no names of individual offers named in the letter.
“I did my job,” Lutz said.