When New Hope Borough hired Chief Michael Cummings to become their Chief of Police 15 years ago, they used a firm named Safe City Solutions to find him.
All these years later, the borough is using Safe City again to find Cumming’s replacement.
“The borough contracted Safe City Solutions for the search for our current Chief many years ago. Based on that search and their experience with other municipalities, the borough selected Safe City Solutions for this task,” Borough Manager Peter Gray said.
Cummings announced his retirement in August, which will go into effect February 2024, giving the borough six months to find his replacement.
The borough voted to approve Safe City’s proposal to search for candidates for the police chief position. The search will cost the borough $14,500, said Mayor Larry Keller.
Safe City is a public safety advising firm based in Bucks County. The firm is spearheaded by two retired police chiefs from Reading and Perkasie. With 86 years of law enforcement experience between the two, they’ve made 50 police chief recommendations.
During the council meeting, Keller praised Safe City for their qualifications and also for their clean track record.
Cummings will brief Safe City on the borough and its needs and will help them narrow the candidate search.
If the hired chief leaves within six months of being hired, the firm will help them find another candidate with no additional charge.
In other news, the borough also hired two part-time police officers: Tim Phillips and Pat Bowel.
Gray called them “a welcomed addition to the Department” in a written statement.
Keller called the hirings “unique” at the meeting because both of them have police experience.
Keller also said that hiring Phillips was a “no-brainer.” Phillips was originally a New Hope officer until he moved to Florida and he now wants to come back. Phillips also knows the area well and it will be a seamless hire, according to Keller.
The mayor also said during the meeting that Bowel, an Archbishop Ryan High School graduate, brings lots of experience from his time serving as a police officer in Philadelphia and nearby Montgomery County.
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