Maxatawny to Drop Lawsuit Against Upper Macungie Over Police Force Assets

Citing progress in divvying up assets of the Berk-Lehigh Regional Police Force, Maxatawny supervisors decide to drop lawsuit against Upper Macungie and other member muncipalities.

  Maxatawny Township supervisors voted 3-0 to drop their lawsuit against Upper Macungie and other member municipalities of the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Force, Maxatawny manager Justin Yaich said Friday. The decision to drop the lawsuit came 10 days after the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Force Commission agreed to have the remaining assets of the regional police department appraised, then auctioned. The regional police force disbands at the end of the year, and Upper Macungie's new force begins operation Jan. 1. Upper Macungie Supervisor Sam Ashmar learned of the vote from Patch, saying it was "very good news." He had not yet gotten official word. "It seems that cooler heads will prevail," Ashmar said. "And hopefully, Maxatawny sees …

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Will Breakup of Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Force End Up in Court?

Maxatawny Township contends in a lawsuit that member municipalities of the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department cannot agree on how to divvy up assets, now that Upper Macungie will have its own force. A Dec. 7 hearing was set.

  Maxatawny Township contends in a lawsuit that member municipalities of the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Force cannot agree on how to divvy up the police department's assets, but Upper Macungie Supervisor Sam Ashmar says "that wasn't ever true." As Upper Macungie gets ready to start its own 28-member police force on Jan. 1, the township now finds itself in a potential legal battle with Maxatawny, which filed the suit Nov. 1 against the regional police department as well as its other member municipalities of Upper Macungie, Topton and Lyons. "Maxatawny is not playing nice in the sandbox," Ashmar said earlier this week, as the township waited to be officially served with the suit.  "I think Maxatawny used very poor judgment in using …

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Upper Macungie Forces Maxatawny to Form new Police Force

Upper Macungie’s withdrawal from the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police has forced other members of the force to start new departments, too.

  Maxatawny Township has taken the first steps to creating its own police force, following Upper Macungie’s example. After Upper Macungie decided to leave the Berks-Leigh Regional Police coverage, which also includes Maxatawny Township and the boroughs of Topton and Lyons, the police commission voted unanimously to disband the department. Now, Maxatawny supervisors voted 3-0 to form a new force for that township, according to Berks-Mont news. Justin Yaich, Maxatawny Township Manager said Upper Macungie Township’s withdrawal from the Berks-Lehigh forced the other members to make their own arrangements. Upper Macungie pays the lion's share of cost for the police force. “Maxatawny Township is prepared to make proposals to our Berks County …

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Police Blotter

Child Killed in Farm Accident

Berks-Lehigh Regional Police report a 1-year-old boy was killed while playing around a piece of farm equipment in Maxatawny.

A 1½-year-old boy was killed Sunday afternoon while playing near a piece of farm equipment in Maxatawny, the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department report. Police were call at about 4 p.m. to investigate an accident in the 600 block of Topton Road, Maxatawny, Berks County. No other injuries were reported. "Due to the sensitive and tragic nature of this incident, police are requesting media outlets respect the small child’s grieving family and remain clear of the area," police stated in a press release. The investigation is ongoing, and no further information was released.     Criminal Investigator Peter V. Nickischer

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