(2/25) For almost a year, Carroll Valley Council member John Schubring has begged the Carroll Valley Borough Council to independently investigate the police department and Mayor Ron Harris’s response to an alleged tailgating incident in April.
While Schubring spoke, council members remained quiet except for when Council President Richard Mathews reminded him he had reached his five minutes of allotted time.
Mathews’ defense of the mayor and department during February’s meeting was met with several interruptions from Schubring.
Prior to Mathews’ remarks, Schubring repeated previous claims that an officer followed a former council member’s daughter in April because the former council member opposed the 2024 budget. Schubring did not name the former member, but Kari Buterbaugh was the only council member besides Schubring to oppose the budget.
In February, he added opposition to the Emmitsburg News-Journal referring to it as an "alleged incident." The Associated Press Stylebook directs journalists to use "alleged" when necessary to make it clear that an unproved action is not to be treated as fact. Since the Journal did not witness Schubring’s claims nor did a court find the officer guilty of a crime, they are "alleged."
He also questioned if members of the Carroll Valley government reported to the local press that it was an "alleged incident." The Emmitsburg News-Journal has not spoken to anyone about Schubring’s claims.
Schubring then claimed he was "a witness in real-time as the unofficial, no police siren, pursuit continued." He then seemed to contradict himself by saying he heard about the alleged incidents third hand.
"I received real-time texts from the mother as her daughter was going hysterical from being pursued by a Carroll Valley patrol car without a siren, police lights, or any indication from the officer that a Carroll Valley citizen had committed any wrongdoing," he said.
Mathews said he wanted to "correct the record" on behalf of the majority of council, the mayor, and the police department.
"Mr. Schubring has persistently maligned the police department and the mayor, despite his being made aware of the relevant details of the investigation which refute his claims," Mathews said.
Mathews added Pennsylvania privacy laws prevent him from sharing the details of the investigation. Schubring then repeatedly interrupted Mathews, stating it was not an independent investigation.
"Mr. Schubring, I am speaking; you have already had your opportunity," he said.
Mathews asked Schubring to end his attacks on the police and the mayor.
"His efforts do nothing but serve to undermine the important services provided to our constituents by the police department," he said.
When finished, Schubring insisted on having the last word.
"Total and complete baloney," he said.
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