Coffey updates Chester Police, Fire and EMA Committee on CPD news

<span>CHESTER -- During a meeting of the Chester Police, Fire and EMA Committee at Chester City Hall on Aug. 6, Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey provided a progress report on several of the department's upcoming initiatives.</span>

<span>"Memorial Hospital is conducting an active shooter drill and has asked us to participate," said Coffey, who was not able to provide a date for the training exercise. "I am working on a response plan, which is a formal document that lets our staff know what manpower to bring in for a major incident like that."</span>

<span>Coffey said he hopes to be able to determine response times to such an emergency. Since 2006, there have been more than 250 mass killings in the U.S., according to USA Today, with one occurring every two weeks.</span>

<span>The latest public killing was in May in Isla Vista, Calif., when 22-year-old college student Elliot Rodger - frustrated over sexual rejections from women - allegedly killed six people and wounded 13 others before taking his own life.</span>

<span>Coffey moved on to highlight the CPD's Strategic Plan, which had not been released to the public by the date of the meeting.</span>

<span>"I have plans to make it more interactive," Coffey said. "I want to set it up so you can click on a specific category and it would pull up a separate window."</span>

<span>Animal control was also discussed, as a city resident expressed concern about stray cats at a recent meeting of the Chester City Council.</span>

<span>"We worked out some issues regarding additional outdoor pens and where they may be located," Coffey said.</span>

<span>Coffey also praised the work of the city's K-9 unit of Officer Brandon Crain, handler, and Sabo, a Belgian malinois. Sabo's acquisition was approved by the Chester City Council in June.</span>

<span>"The new canine officer is doing a fantastic job," Coffey said. "As word of that makes the rounds in law enforcement, we are getting more requests for assistance."</span>

<span>Coffey said Sabo recently helped the department make a number of drug-related arrests, including a total of six in three separate incidents July 24, Aug. 1 and Aug. 4.</span>

<span>"All recent drug arrests were initiated by the K-9 officer and assisted by the services the canine can provide," Coffey said.</span>

<span>Coffey said two new police vehicles have been budgeted for this fiscal year, which began on July 1.</span>

<span>The new vehicles, which Coffey said he was leaning toward all-wheel drive Ford Interceptor SUVs, would replace one vehicle - a Crown Victoria - that is being retired out and another that was already on the schedule to be replaced.</span>

<span>"If they have some value, they'll be sold through the bidding process," Coffey said on what happens to police vehicles after they're retired. "We'll salvage all the equipment out of them and install it in the new cars."</span>

<span>In other committee news, Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Charlie Bargman II said he is working with St. John Lutheran School on a disaster emergency plan.</span>

<span>There are also plans to hold school bus intruder training.</span>