Bucks Dem Commissioners Snub Sheriff, Leave Room as He’s Speaking

Was it something he said?
Rather than listen to remarks from Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran about the school resource officer situation, Commissioners Chairman Bob Harvie and Vice Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia left the meeting room on Wednesday.
Harran pleaded for the commissioners to revisit their agreement with the sheriff’s office to provide a deputy as the school resource officer (SRO) at Central Bucks West High School.
DV Journal reported a new two-year contract for SRO Deputy Robert Landis was cancelled by the two Democratic commissioners, Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia.
“In just four days, it will be 26 years since the tragic incident in Littleton, Colo.,” Harran, a Republican, told the county commissioners meeting on Wednesday. He noted that school legislation and police response have changed since the mass shooting at Columbine High School, but “not everyone in government has changed.”
Harran explained the history of the SRO position, how Mark Hoffman, Ed.D., executive director of the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, “had reached out to me for an SRO position,” said Harran. Three parties needed to enter into that agreement: the school district, the county commissioners, and the sheriff’s office, he said.
“On April 8, 2025, Commissioner Harvie sent me an email, telling me he was not in favor of moving forward and that they don’t think sheriffs belong in schools,” said Harran.
“I’m not sure why,” Harran added. “In 2013, Commissioner DiGirolamo was a state representative at that time, Gov. Tom Wolf, a member of their own party, changed and signed into law the School Code, to include deputy sheriffs (as school resource officers).”
“So Gov. Wolf had the foresight to do that, but our own two commissioners have no interest,” said Harran.
Harvie told Harran his time at the microphone was up.
“I’m going to continue,” said Harran. “This is safety. I have to sign up for public comment to speak. The board of elections did not give me permission from Bob and Diane to be sheriff.”
Marseglia and Harvie then walked out on him, while Republican Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo allowed Harran to continue.
The SRO agreement is always for two years, Harran said, noting he was the first in Bucks County to sign one when he was the director of public safety in Bensalem Township, shortly after Columbine.
While Landis turned down an offer to stay on as a school resource officer and work for Central Bucks Police, Landis would then have to start his career again and work until he was 74 before he could retire.
“They don’t tell you that,” said Harran. “He’s 48 years old now, and he already has 16 years in the sheriff’s office.”
“What’s going on here, really?” asked Harran. And he answered his own question by suggesting some people in county politics are uncomfortable with the idea of police at schools.
“They don’t like the sheriff’s office,” he said. “They don’t like the fact we’re going to have a deputy in a school district with the most vulnerable individuals. I’m not sure why that is.”
“I try to compensate my senior deputies, and two of the commissioners blew a gasket. So what’s going on here? Do I have an agenda? I sure do have an agenda. It’s serving and protecting the public.”
Harran added, “Do they have an agenda? Yes. It’s stopping me. Good luck with that.”
Later in the meeting, DiGirolamo said, “Sheriff, I have a few questions for you. The director of the IU, Mr. Mark Hoffman, approached you?”
“Yes. He approached me. I met with him a couple of times.”
If there is an incident, 911 would be called first, he added. The resource officer can coordinate between all the 39 police departments in the county. While Harvie had met with Harran and discussed the SRO issue before saying no, Ellis-Marseglia did not, he said.
He noted there is no one trained to replace Landis, and the county does not pay the SRO’s salary.
DiGirolamo said, “The idea is for the safety and security of the children.”
Harran said, “I asked Mr. Hoffman. He said, ‘I don’t have a Plan B.’”
Marseglia said she’d never seen the new agreement and is “happy to review it.”
“I’m hoping we can take another look at this and see if we can get this done,” said DiGirolamo.
“It’s about the kids. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about the kids,” said Harran.
Later Harran said, “My deputies and I remain committed to providing school resource officers wherever and whenever needed. That shouldn’t be a political statement. But unfortunately, it seems it is. I stand ready to work with anyone in Bucks County to make our communities safer. It is my hope we can all work together on that foundational goal.”