Politics & Government

Marple Approves New Police Officer

Nicholas Coffin is the newest member of the Marple police force.

BROOMALL–Nicholas Coffin was sworn in at a meeting on Oct. 10 by Judge Jack D. Lippart as a police officer with the .

Coffin, 23, is a resident of Prospect Park and graduated from Widener University with a degree in criminal justice. According to Marple Police Chief Tom Murray, Coffin attended the Delaware County Police Academy and graduated in December 2010.

"He has worked in a part-time capacity for the Collingdale Police Department in March of this year and I would like to recognize a couple of people that are here–his family is obviously here but in particular Nick's [Coffin] dad [Phillip], who is a 30-year police officer with the Prospect Park Police Department," shared Murray.

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Collingdale Police Chief Robert Adams was also present for Coffin's swearing in ceremony.

Coffin was accompanied by his father Phillip, mother Catherine, sister Caitlin and girlfriend Heather.

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Board of Commissioners Vice President John Lucas made a motion to approve the hiring of Coffin at Monday night's meeting in accordinance with the Township Codified Ordinance, Civil Services Regulations and the Police Department Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The motion passed 4-2 to hire Coffin as Marple police's newest officer. Fifth Ward Commissioner John Longacre and First Ward Commissioner Trudy Riddell held the two votes against the new hire. Third Ward Commissioner Jim Balk was absent from the meeting.

Though he believed Coffin was the cream of the crop, Longacre stated he was "opposed to hiring anyone at this point."

"We made a commitment that we were on a hiring freeze during these difficult times. Now, Marple has a reputation for paying well and so we always hire the best and the brightest, so that's what we get. We do have the best and the brightest when it comes to police officers," explained Longacre. "So, when I say I don't want to hire a police officer tonight, it's not a reflection on the person because he's clearly the best out there."

Longacre continued to explain, "But over the last 35 years, our population has gone nowhere and it's about 23,500 people and, yet, the cost of our police have gone 60 percent ballpark of our real estate taxes to over–with benefits–well, at a 100 percent or more of our real estate taxes."

Coffin's new position on the police force was effective as of Monday evening.


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