Collingdale Police Chief Placed on Leave Amid Work Schedule Dispute
A Delaware County police chief has been temporarily removed from duty following a dispute over her work schedule, according to her lawyer. Shanee Mitchell, who took the reins in Collingdale last October, was reportedly informed by town officials that she hadn't worked enough 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts - her standard schedule.
However, Mitchell's lawyer, Mark Schwartz, contends that her contract allows for flexibility in her hours and that she has not breached any terms of her employment agreement. The dispute highlights the tensions between Mitchell and the Collingdale administration, which has been marked by controversy since her hiring.
Mitchell, a former Philadelphia police officer, was hired to replace Patrick Kilroy, who was demoted after just six months on the job over concerns about overtime costs and missed council meetings. The decision to hire Mitchell sparked outrage among some council members, who claimed they were not given adequate notice of her interview process.
The situation has taken a further turn for the worse with Mitchell now being placed on paid administrative leave. Schwartz maintains that this move has led to serious allegations against his client, including claims of racial bias and defamation. The lawyer also believes there may be grounds for a disability lawsuit following a recent hospitalization due to anxiety triggered by her conflicts with administration officials.
While no further details have been released regarding Mitchell's status or potential return to duty, the implications of this move are significant. As one of the few women in leadership positions within the police department, Mitchell's removal sends shockwaves through an institution already grappling with issues of diversity and representation.
A Delaware County police chief has been temporarily removed from duty following a dispute over her work schedule, according to her lawyer. Shanee Mitchell, who took the reins in Collingdale last October, was reportedly informed by town officials that she hadn't worked enough 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts - her standard schedule.
However, Mitchell's lawyer, Mark Schwartz, contends that her contract allows for flexibility in her hours and that she has not breached any terms of her employment agreement. The dispute highlights the tensions between Mitchell and the Collingdale administration, which has been marked by controversy since her hiring.
Mitchell, a former Philadelphia police officer, was hired to replace Patrick Kilroy, who was demoted after just six months on the job over concerns about overtime costs and missed council meetings. The decision to hire Mitchell sparked outrage among some council members, who claimed they were not given adequate notice of her interview process.
The situation has taken a further turn for the worse with Mitchell now being placed on paid administrative leave. Schwartz maintains that this move has led to serious allegations against his client, including claims of racial bias and defamation. The lawyer also believes there may be grounds for a disability lawsuit following a recent hospitalization due to anxiety triggered by her conflicts with administration officials.
While no further details have been released regarding Mitchell's status or potential return to duty, the implications of this move are significant. As one of the few women in leadership positions within the police department, Mitchell's removal sends shockwaves through an institution already grappling with issues of diversity and representation.
. I think this whole situation is really concerning, not just for her but also for the entire police department. It's crazy that she's being made to take leave due to something as mundane as her work schedule 
. And to make matters worse, there are allegations of racial bias and defamation... that's just unacceptable 
.
. I hope Shanee takes care of herself during this tough time and doesn't let anyone bring her down 
. We need more women like her in leadership positions, especially in fields where they're already underrepresented 
.
I feel bad for Shanee Mitchell, she's being treated unfairly 
. I mean, who doesn't want flexibility in their schedule? 
It's not like she's just sitting around all day doing nothing 
. And to be placed on paid leave after already dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety? that's just cruel 
. And can we talk about how this situation is highlighting the lack of diversity and representation in the police department? 
it's like, women in leadership positions are getting pushed out or treated unfairly just because they're not toeing the party line 
. I hope Shanee gets through this and comes out stronger on the other side 
. It's pretty frustrating when you're trying to serve your community and people are making these personal attacks against you 
. And can we talk about how unfair it is that she was made to feel like she wasn't meeting her work schedule requirements? I bet she's got a ton of great work under her belt, but nobody wants to give her the benefit of the doubt 
. We need more women in leadership positions like Shanee Mitchell, who can bring new perspectives and approaches to policing 
. It's time for us to start supporting each other and working together to build a more inclusive and equitable community 
.
just wondering how much importance is placed on work schedule when people are actually making a difference? 
anxiety from conflicts with admins is no joke, but is this really the way to address it? 
. I'm all about holding people in power accountable for their actions, but this feels like a classic case of "we don't want you around" rather than actual misconduct 
I'm not surprised the administration didn't think twice about taking action, they've been shady since she started anyway... 
they're treatin shanee like that over her schedule it's all so unfair, you know? she's been in the force for ages & they're questionin her hours? i mean, i get it, but don't make this personal, admin officials. 
so like shanee mitchell is the cops chief in collingdale and she got placed on leave cuz of a work schedule dispute 
and like can u believe the drama that went down when they hired her? some ppl were outraged and claimed they didnt get notified about the interview process 
. 
, 75% of police chiefs in Delaware County work non-traditional hours, so isn't Mitchell's schedule standard for her contract? 
. 
. Guess that tells us something about their community engagement 
.
[insert graph of police chief turnover rates] 
You'd think that having someone who brings some fresh perspective to the role would be a good thing, but it sounds like politics got in the way. It's like they tried to fit Shanee Mitchell into a box that didn't quite fit her. The thing is, sometimes you gotta let people grow and learn at their own pace... or in this case, adjust their schedule accordingly. 
I mean, who hasn't had days when all they want to do is stay home? 
It's like, can't we just have a little more understanding and empathy for each other? 
Anyway, it's not over yet – there are still some serious allegations floating around, so hopefully, justice will be served. Justice & fairness 4 Shanee! 
. but at what cost? i mean, isn't that just gonna scare off even more qualified women from applying for those leadership roles in the future? 
. We should be supporting her through this tough time, not tearing her down 
. plus, anxiety triggered by conflicts with admin officials? that just sounds like a recipe for disaster 
. and let's not forget about the whole diversity and representation thing... i'm not saying it's entirely related, but it does make you wonder if there are some deeper issues at play 
. Let's hope this situation gets resolved soon and Shanee Mitchell can get back to doing what she does best: keeping people safe