WATCH: Bucks Commissioners, Sheriff spar over School Resource Officer plan

At Wednesday's Bucks County Commissioners' meeting, tensions rose over a proposal to assign a school resource officer (SRO) to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, which supports educational programs across the county. 

Sheriff Fred Harran and IU head Mark Hoffman argued that the officer would serve in a liaison and safety coordination role, funded by the IU rather than the county. Harran spoke past his allotted time for comment, causing Commissioners to call a brief recess afterward, according to Bucks County Courier Times.

While Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo supported the initiative, Chair Bob Harvie wanted more information before ultimately expressing doubts, per the article. 

Vice Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia raised concerns about removing a deputy from an already understaffed sheriff’s department. Harran noted the SRO would not provide direct security, but rather assist with safety planning and communication, according to the article.

The proposal sparked a heated exchange when Harran exceeded his speaking time, prompting a temporary recess. The disagreement also reflects broader tensions stemming from the county’s decision to end a previous SRO agreement with Central Bucks West High School. 

That earlier arrangement ended after the local police department gained enough staff to take over the role, though Harran claimed politics played a role in the original staffing denial — a claim the police commission disputed, citing staffing shortages as the true reason, per the Bucks County Courier Times.

All three commissioners expressed varying concerns about the necessity and implementation of the proposed SRO role at the IU, while broader issues about public safety staffing and inter-agency politics continue to shape the debate.

Read more on the heated exchange at the Commissioners' meeting here.

Harran's microphone was turned off and cameras cut as he addressed the SRO program.

 "My deputies and I remain committed to providing School Resource Officers wherever and whenever needed. That shouldn’t be a political statement – but unfortunately, it seems it is,” said Harran in a news release. “I stand ready to work with anyone in Bucks County to make our communities safer. It is my hope we can all work together on that foundational goal.” 

CB WEST SRO 

Among the notable efforts undertaken in Sheriff Fred Harran’s nearly 40 years of law enforcement service is his implementation of Bucks County’s first SRO program in Bensalem Township in 1999 – shortly after the school shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. Since joining the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, he has continued his effort to bolster school security and increase positive interactions between law enforcement and residents – especially students. 

In 2023, Sheriff Harran was approached by the Central Bucks School District to provide an SRO for Central Bucks West High School. An agreement was reached, and Deputy Robert Landis has served successfully in that role since the start of the 2023-24 school year. However, the County Commissioners informed the Central Bucks School Board of their intent to terminate the SRO agreement, a decision made without input from the Sheriff’s Office. 

"I was not consulted by either Commissioner Harvie or Commissioner Marseglia before their plan to cancel the SRO program…I do not agree with their decision. I do not support their decision,” said Harran in a statement released shortly after the announcement of the program’s cancellation. 

In his remarks, Sheriff Harran addressed "myths" surrounding the program, emphasizing it was never designated as a pilot program and noting that over 1,000 community members signed a petition supporting Deputy Landis remaining in the role. He also questioned inconsistencies between the Commissioners' letter and a prior letter from Central Bucks Regional Commission regarding the SRO contract, and challenged the Commissioners' apparent stance that the Sheriff's Office does not belong in schools, citing Act 67 of 2019, signed by then-Governor Wolf, which specifically amended the Public School Code to authorize Deputy Sheriffs to serve as SROs. 

BUCKS COUNTY IU SRO 

The discussion surrounding the SRO situation at CB West brought to light another troubling decision by the Commissioners which Sheriff Harran highlighted in his remarks. 

In September of 2024, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Bucks County IU to establish an SRO program modeled of the success of the highly regarded program. The Bucks County IU is its service to nearly 46,000 students at over a dozen locations from Bristol to Quakertown. Due to its county-wide reach, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office is the only law enforcement agency with jurisdiction to serve consistently across the Bucks County IU’s footprint. 

Despite the early support from Commissioner DiGirolamo and the fact that program would be provided at no cost to taxpayers, Commissioners Marseglia and Harvie flatly refused to support the initiative. Currently, there are no meeting scheduled to further discuss the Bucks County IU’s request or the program. 

“I asked (the Bucks County IU) what their plan B was. There is no plan B,” said an exasperated Harran. 

BEYOND SROs, A PATTERN EMERGES 

Beyond the SRO issue, Sheriff Harran noted Commissioners Marseglia and Harvie’s growing pattern of obstruction which hampers the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office and its mission, including: 

Delaying the transfer of approved funds for needed deputies and equipment, 

Commissioner Harvie’s vote against necessary safety equipment for sheriff’s deputies, 

Repetitive questioning and delay regarding the need for a handicapped-accessible transport van for prisoners, 

Preventing the utilization of specially trained deputies who work with vulnerable communities, including those experiencing homeless, mental health issues, and substance abuse 

Significant pushback against efforts to appropriately compensate senior deputies. 

"So what is really going on? Is it the SRO, or just the Sheriff's Department?" Harran asked during the meeting. “Do I have an agenda? I sure do, it's serving and protecting the public. Do they have an agenda? Yes, they do, it's stopping me. Good luck."

About the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office: 

Led by Sheriff Frederick A. Harran, the Bucks County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) is a vital law enforcement agency serving the over 630,000 residents of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Sheriff Harran, with over 38 years of law enforcement experience, directs a team of 80 professionals, including 77 sworn deputies, in providing essential services such as court security, warrant execution, civil process, Sheriff's sales, and gun permit administration. The BCSO is committed to proactive community engagement and strong partnerships with the 39 local police departments and state/federal agencies operating within Bucks County. The office operates 24/7 to ensure public safety and uphold justice. For more information, visit bit.ly/BucksSheriff