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Wife of Lancaster police chief responds to forced retirement in lengthy Facebook post
https://local21news.com/news/local/wife-of-former-lancaster-police-chief-calls-out-firing-in-lengthy-social-media-post
LANCASTER — Tonight marks the first city council meeting since the resignation of Lancaster Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser. The chief’s wife confirms that he was forced to retire because of her Facebook comments.
“This is completely unfair,” said Katie Fisher who started a Change.org petition in favor of the chief.
Public sentiment is growing in favor of Lancaster Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser after the 26-year veteran abruptly resigned his post.
“I’m so happy that the community has seen the injustice in this and that they are coming together to try and do something about it,” Fisher said.
Coming together with a simple signature. Thousands have signed Fisher’s petition asking Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace to reinstate Chief Berkihiser.
“If the reason is purely political in nature, as it appears to be right now, then Chief Berkihiser deserves to be reinstated,” she said.
In a lengthy Facebook post last night, Berkihiser’s wife Kristy confirmed the chief’s forced resignation. The reason, she says, was her social media post. Defending her husband, Kristy Berkihiser said “he did nothing wrong” but was forced to retire because of “my post and apparently his unwillingness to censor me.”
“This is completely unfair. It’s a violation of freedom of speech and so if we don’t stand up now, to protect that right, we may lose it,” Fisher said.
Controversy started swirling a few weeks ago when Kristy Berkihiser commented on a Facebook post about President Trump visiting PA. In that post, she wrote, “That’s why I’m voting for him again. Same reason as last time. You don’t see him meeting with Jacob Blake’s family and speaking to him by phone.”
The comment refers to an early September meeting where the Presidential candidate, Joe Biden, met with the family of Blake who was shot seven times in the back by police in Wisconsin sparking riots.
Right now, the chief’s resignation is not on the city council agenda tonight. However, Katie Fisher has submitted some comments from the petition to be read during public comment.
I reached out to the Mayor’s Office who declined our request for an interview saying they were planning to talk about the issue until later in the week. I also left a message for the chief that went directly to voicemail with his email saying his last day was October 2.
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Calls to reinstate Lancaster City Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser happening right now as a petition to do so has over 8,000 signatures.
The Lancaster County police chief is being forced to retire at the end of October over comments made by his wife regarding President Trump on Facebook.
Overnight, his wife took to Facebook with a lengthy post defending her husband saying quote "he did nothing wrong,” adding, "it was my post and his unwillingness to censor me."
That petition now has 8,400 signatures and counting. You can view the petition by clicking here.
Reinstate Lancaster City Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-danene-sorace-reinstate-lancaster-city-police-chief-jarrad-berkihiser?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_25180044_en-US%3A5&recruiter=1141541271&recruited_by_id=a59e5e50-de79-11ea-96fa-e171430a1b2b&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&utm_term=psf_combo_share_message