![]() ![]() The all-Black Darby Township Fire Company covers the southern portion, where most of the Black residents live. The Briarcliffe and Goodwill fire companies cover the northern end, where most of the white residents live. The municipality itself is made up of two parts with no common border - they are separated by other towns. Each of the municipality’s three fire companies - Briarcliffe Fire Company, Darby Township Fire Company, and Goodwill Fire Company - covers roughly 3,000 residents. (Emma Lee/WHYY)ĭarby Township is home to a little more than 9,000 people, 54% of whom are white and 40% of whom are Black, according to 2020 census data. ![]() The Goodwill Fire Company on West Cooke Avenue in Glenolden, Pa. ![]() WHYY thanks our sponsors - become a WHYY sponsor “Letters have been written to the township before about their behavior, and their racist remarks, but there was no action taken because nobody ever heard it,” Eichelman, who is white, told WHYY News. Racist misconduct has been noticed within the Briarcliffe Fire Company for years, he says, and Briarcliffe has managed to skirt accountability for it. They also mocked Fanta Bility, the 8-year-old Black girl killed last summer by three police officers from nearby Sharon Hill.Īs the days have passed, Tim Eichelman, president and deputy chief of the township’s Goodwill Fire Company, has ruminated about why his squad felt it was important to put the racist tirade out there for the public to hear.Įichelman says the nearly 2-hour-long audio recording is just the tip of the iceberg. 27 making racist remarks about Black residents and Black firefighters in another local squad. Darby Police Chief Robert Smythe said that the incident occurred as a result of the scale of the operation and that he planned to personally apologize to the family.It’s been about a week since the Briarcliffe Fire Company in Darby Township was slapped with a 30-day suspension after several of its firefighters were caught on a hot mic Jan. In one raid on a home, police mistakenly identified an innocent woman and her son for suspects. “But most importantly, they’re going to be punished for what they’ve done.” We’re going to make sure if they need rehabilitation that they get it through the criminal justice system,” said Jack Whelan, Delaware County district attorney. “We are going to prosecute these individuals. In total, 248 arrest warrants were issued to street level dealers who will likely face felony charges. ![]() The investigation, which began last October, produced 188 undercover drug purchases in Darby that led to the seizure of $48,000 worth of drugs including crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and prescription pills. More than 40 law enforcement agencies - including the DEA, FBI, and countywide police departments - participated in the operation. Authorities in Delaware County have announced the arrest of 110 suspected drug dealers to conclude a six-month investigation in Darby Borough dubbed "Operation Spring Cleaning."Īccording to CBS3, the investigation stemmed from a flood of tips that came in from community members regarding alleged drug sales. ![]()
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