Brookhaven council hires outside law firm, places police chief on leave and names acting chief after 4–3 votes

Brookhaven Borough Council voted during its April meeting to hire the Philadelphia law firm Clark Hill to conduct an internal review of the Brookhaven Police Department, and then ratified placing the borough’s police chief on paid administrative leave. The council also designated Sergeant Tim Haddish as acting chief; both personnel moves were approved by 4–3 votes.

The motion to appoint Clark Hill was made and seconded during the meeting; council members asked whether counsel would meet with the investigators before they began work. Council members emphasized the need for a thorough review that includes private interviews with every officer, including the chief, to ensure accurate and credible information for the public. One council member said investigators should "speak with each and every officer, including chief Vice, individually and off police property so as to get accurate and credible information to present to council and the people of Brookhaven." (speaker 2)

Council then moved to ratify placing the police chief on paid administrative leave for an indefinite duration. The motion passed 4–3; the meeting transcript records repeated concerns from some members about the process and whether the council followed the solicitor’s initial recommendation before taking disciplinary steps. During public discussion and council remarks, several speakers and residents criticized how the matter was handled and called for transparency and fairness.

After the leave motion, council approved a separate motion to designate Sergeant Tim Haddish as acting chief of police for an indefinite period. Councilors asked whether Haddish would be entitled to additional compensation in the acting role and whether he would be permitted to implement new policies; council leadership stated he would be entitled to additional compensation.

The meeting included contested debate over procedure. One council member said, "I take any and all allegations made against chief Vice seriously ... I want a full transparent investigation conducted to gather all of the facts," and urged adherence to due process while opposing the immediate indefinite suspension without a fuller in‑person review. (speaker 2)

The transcript contains inconsistent references to the chief’s name: the motion text recorded in the minutes referred to "police chief Michael Weiss," while multiple speakers throughout the meeting referred to "chief Vice." That inconsistency is reflected in the record and was not resolved during the meeting.

Council members said the investigators would be asked to review personnel files and interview officers; the council did not set a public timeline for the Clark Hill review during the meeting. The board also discussed the prospect of meeting with the assigned investigators before they begin work.

Next steps: Clark Hill’s scope and timeline will be determined by counsel and the council; the acting chief will serve while the review proceeds. Council members and residents said they expect updates as the review continues.