All but 1 North Braddock officer quitting the force after controversial council vote

NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. — A one-man police department could soon be patrolling the streets of North Braddock.

Channel 11 learned exclusively that all but one officer on the force is quitting after a controversial vote by the borough council.

“What are they going to do leave us with one cop they are going to stomp him, you think they are scared of that one cop,” said Carlotta Dukes.

Dukes is outraged that her council voted to not renew Police Chief Isaac Daniele’s contract after 13 years.

“You got to have police presence. That’s what the taxpayers are paying for you have to have police and without police it’s going to be a disaster just a disaster,” said Dahrin Cook who lives in Braddock Hills.

With that sources told Channel 11 six of the seven other officers are leaving with him too. Some in the community said it’s just in time for violence to kick back up with the warmer weather.

“My grandbaby was out here coming up the street and it was like boom boom boom two guys down the street and what if one had hit them? Girl, we haven’t even begun the summer yet so just imagine we get into summer,” Dukes said.

This borough is no stranger to violent crimes, the cop cars are even hit with bullet holes.

“It’s terrible and now they are taking our cops away,” Dukes said.

The big question from residents is why. We took that to borough leaders who only told us it was a personnel matter. In the meantime, the community will have to rely on state police for coverage as they fight the council to reinstate the chief.

“We are just going to have to pray on it to get him back in because we need him and state police, God love them, but they can’t do nothing for us they are too far away. Girl they better do something because this is ridiculous,” Dukes said.

The chief’s contract is officially up at the end of June. The borough said it will not be hiring a new chief but is rather looking to regionalize with east Pittsburgh and Rankin.

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