Quakertown chief of police Scott McElree is facing calls of resignation over how he and his department handled student protests against ICE recently. The Bucks County District Attorney's Office in Pennsylvania is opening an investigation into the matter, it was announced on February 21.
This came after clashes between students and cops in the Upper Bucks County. During the protests, one man was seen charging into the crowd in plainclothes. This was none other than chief of police McElree. An alleged photo of him putting a teenage girl in a chokehold has also gone viral.
“Quakertown, PA Police Chief Scott McElree was caught on video putting a teenage girl in a chokehold, while in plainclothes and not in uniform, during an anti-ICE protest. Her “crime”? Exercising free speech. Local journalists identified him through photos, videos, and eyewitnesses. He’s refused to comment. This is abuse of power. Full stop,” the person sharing the photo wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“Quakertown, PA Police Chief Scott McElree was caught on video putting a teenage girl in a chokehold, while in plainclothes and not in uniform, during an anti-ICE protest. Her “crime”? Exercising free speech. Local journalists identified him through photos, videos, and eyewitnesses. He’s refused to comment. This is abuse of power. Full stop,” the person sharing the photo wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Others present at the scene described the confrontation to local media outlet WHYY. “From what we could see, the students were just on the sidewalk. From our angle, a man in a brown jacket lunges towards a group of students, grabbing one of them, and then the students start hitting the man in the brown jacket,” they said, requesting anonymity.
As per the witnesses, the person kept holding the female in a chokehold and eventually spoke with police officers on the scene, before driving off in an unmarked white vehicle with flashing lights. The man in the brown jacket has now been identified as McElree. He's yet to comment on the matter.
Who is Scott McElree?
McElree is Borough Manager / Chief of Police at Borough Of Quakertown as per his LinkedIn profile. He was a police officer in the rank of detective sergeant with the Whitemarsh Township Police Department for over 29 years, from 1975-2004.
His educational details list Liberty University, Andrew Jackson University, Penn State University, and FBI National Academy. He also has a Certified Borough Official (CBO) license from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB).
An old report from 2007 by Reading Eagle saw McElree questioned about his roles as both police chief and borough manager. “I’ll plow snow too if it’s needed,” he'd replied at the time.
Now, McElree faces calls of resignation. A petition has been started for him to step down. The change.org petition notes “It's vital for our community's safety and peace of mind that our law enforcement leaders are held to the highest standards of conduct. A chief of police must be emblematic of integrity, fairness, and justice – qualities that have been called into question by these recent actions”.
“As a community, we must demand accountability,” it further adds.