Police Chief Reportedly Pushed Out of Job Over Wife's Pro-Trump Facebook Posts
A police chief in Pennsylvania has been forced to resign after his wife made posts on social media in support of President Donald Trump, according to the city’s Fraternal Order of Police.
Jarrad Berkihiser, who has served in the Lancaster Bureau of Police for 26 years and as chief for two years, will retire on Oct. 31, WHTM-TV reported on Oct. 2.
At the time of the announcement, Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace spoke briefly about the chief’s retirement during a news briefing before pivoting toward who might succeed Berkihiser.
“I recognize that there will be many conversations in the days and weeks ahead about the future leadership and direction of the Lancaster City Bureau of Police,” Sorace said.
“I look forward to engaging in these conversations with the many stakeholders in our community. For now, today is about Chief Berkihiser’s retirement and honoring his 26 years of service,” she said.
The mayor then really laid on the praise for the veteran cop.
“We wish the very best to Chief Berkihiser, who was a tremendous asset to the community he served and a valued law-enforcement partner. Most recently, Chief Berkihiser was a visible presence on the front lines in volatile and unprecedented circumstances in the city of Lancaster,” Sorace said.
She concluded, “His response during this time has been measured, responsible and appropriate. His care and concern for the city was apparent. Chief Berkihiser’s commitment to public service and upholding the law with integrity was admirable, and he will be greatly missed behind the badge.”
But according to the Lancaster Fraternal Order of Police, there was a lot more to the story: Berkihiser announced his retirement after Sorace, who is a Democrat, became aggrieved over a post from the chief’s wife that announced an intention to vote for Trump, WHTM reported.
Former FOP President John Fiorill said Sorace demanded the resignation.
Fiorill told The Police Tribune that two Facebook replies by the chief’s wife, Kristy Lynne, prompted the dispute that led to Berkihiser’s departure.
The Police Tribune reported that a Facebook user who was at a Trump rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, shared an enthusiastic post about the event.
Kristy Lynne responded, “Awesome.”
The original poster then commented back, “[Trump] spoke so much of law enforcement officers and his respect and thankfulness for them.”
That led Berkihiser’s wife to respond, “Why I’m voting for him again. Same reason as last time… you don’t see him meeting with Jacob Blake’s family and speaking to him by phone.”
That last comment was an apparent reference to the high-profile police run-in with sexual assault suspect Jacob Blake, who was shot by officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this summer and was later visited by Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden and praised by Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, who reportedly told the alleged criminal she was “proud” of him.
The controversial shooting led to civil unrest in the city, which later led to rioting and two deaths.
But back to Berkihiser’s resignation: Per the report about Kristy Lynne’s Facebook post, her comments drew the ire of the Lancaster mayor, who asked for the chief’s resignation.
Sorace said in a statement to WPMT-TV that she wasn’t able to comment on the issue.
“There is an agreement that legally binds Chief Berkihiser and me to not comment on the nature of the discussions we had, nor on the factors that led to his decision to retire,” she said. “It is my obligation to abide by the letter of the law in not breaching that document.”
No matter what led to it, Berkihiser negotiated an exit from the bureau and will retire at a time when seemingly every community needs good, veteran cops. Lancaster even saw its own riots last month.
While the mayor isn’t commenting, others are speaking out: A Change.org petition to reinstate the chief had more than 13,000 signatures as of Wednesday morning.
Those defending Berkihiser say the firing was absolutely political, and if the reports are true, it certainly appears that way.
Of course, this is the America Democrats have created.
One no longer has to commit a perceived wrong to have his life upended by leftists. A person only needs to be connected to someone who is guilty of wrongthink in their eyes.
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