The Pennsylvania police chief who was suspended over a series of profane YouTube videos in which he fires borough-owned guns and refers to Democrats as “libtards” was effectively fired Thursday evening.
The borough council of Gilberton, Pa. voted 6-1 to suspend Chief Mark Kessler pending termination after meeting with him at a disciplinary hearing earlier that day, according to the Allentown Morning Call.
Kessler’s attorney, Joseph Nahas, told the newspaper that the council argued Kessler neglected official duties, did not properly hand over police weapons to the borough and disparaged council members, among other offenses. The council tried to avoid mentioning the YouTube videos that got Kessler suspended in their decision to fire him, Nahas said.
The council declined to comment to the Morning Call on what it called a personnel issue.
Kessler’s law enforcement career may have a second act, however: Nahas said he will request a hearing on the council’s decision, while Kessler himself launched a write-in campaign for the local county sheriff’s office last week.
