A Change.org petition calling for the resignation of Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree gathered more than 1,260 signatures within about 24 hours of being launched late Friday, following a confrontation between police and student protesters in downtown Quakertown.
The petition, created by Patrick Kovitch, accuses McElree of physically assaulting a high school student while out of uniform during an anti-ICE walkout involving students from Quakertown Community High School. Videos circulated online show a plainclothes man, identified by multiple news outlets as McElree, running into a crowd of students, grappling with a teenage boy and appearing to place a teenage girl in a chokehold.
Quakertown Police said in a statement that officers called for backup after some protesters were walking into the road, damaging cars and assaulting officers. Video reviewed by media outlets shows some students stepping into traffic. A freshman also told reporters she saw protesters kicking the tires of vehicles driven by classmates, according to reports.
Beyond the clash itself, the controversy has drawn attention to McElree’s unusual dual role in borough government, per PhillyBurbs.
McElree, 72, became chief of police in 2004 after nearly 30 years with the Whitemarsh Township Police Department. In 2007, he assumed the additional position of borough manager following the sudden departure of the longtime manager. Though he initially indicated he would serve temporarily, borough council later unanimously approved him as the permanent manager.
Today, McElree serves as police chief, borough manager and public records officer for Quakertown, a borough of roughly 9,000 residents. According to reporting, Quakertown is the only municipality in Bucks County where the police chief also holds the manager’s post.
That consolidation of administrative and law enforcement authority has become a focal point for some residents who argue that accountability is more complicated when oversight functions converge in a single office.
What the petition alleges
The petition states that McElree, “out of uniform and without any form of identification,” physically confronted students and later ordered arrests of those who reacted, describing the actions as an abuse of power.
“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,” Kovitch wrote. “As a community, we must demand accountability.”
One commenter wrote that what happened was undeniably wrong and that students should receive some necessary punishment for walking out.
"However, the chief of police showed up in an unmarked vehicle, no badge and no sign of identification. The students there quite literally said they did not know who he is," wrote Sora from Quakertown. "The police were clearly trying to start something, there is a clip where we can see when it started and how the police attacked first when the students were protected their friend when one officer grabbed her. This is not okay."
Police maintain that officers intervened to protect public safety and maintain order.
Hearings for the arrested students were scheduled for Monday morning, according to the reports, though a forecasted snowstorm could affect court proceedings.
The Quakertown Borough Council meets in regular session the first Wednesday of each month, with the next meeting scheduled for March 4 at 7:30 p.m.
A council work session is set for Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall, 35 N. Third St.
The Quakertown Community School Board is scheduled to meet Thursday evening at the district administrative offices.
Quakertown Borough Police have not returned requests for comment.
