Penn Hills police chief removed from position, officials say

PENN HILLS, Pa. — The Penn Hills police chief has been removed from his position.

During a meeting held on Monday, Mayor Pauline Calabrese said she had been alerted that acting manager Diane Fitzhenry had decided to remove Police Chief Jason Bonace.

Calabrese said she and deputy mayor Kimberly Refosco were alerted to the decision just a half an hour before the start of the meeting.

The decision comes after Bonace was placed on administrative leave.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Penn Hills Police Chief Jason Bonace on administrative leave, Channel 11 sources say

One council member emphasized to residents at the meeting that they had no say in the personnel decision and neither did the mayor.

Calabrese expressed concern over the decision.

“I think that his action is a devastating blow to the people of Penn Hills. Chief Bonace was in the midst of building trust in the community and breaking down barriers. Make no mistake about it; this action is politically motivated. This is not over, and I want to state publicly that I stand 100% with Chief Bonace,” Calabrese said.

All other members of the council declined to comment.

Channel 11 reached out to Manager Fitzhenry for comment.

She said:

“The Municipality normally does not comment on personnel matters, but I can confirm that Jason Bonace has been removed as the Penn Hills Chief of Police.

“His commitment to community policing, public outreach and relationship building between the police and residents has been evident throughout his service.

“Nevertheless, the position of Chief carries substantial administrative, organizational and supervisory responsibility, and his weakness in those areas cannot be overcome.

“Additional information will be provided over the next several days and weeks, as we work to find new leadership for our police department.”

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