JOINT STATEMENT - 7/15/2022
JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING THE KELLEY HODGE REPORT AND THE SHARON HILL OFFICERS IN THE FANTA BILITY CASE
From: U.D.T.J. & Delco Resists
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July 15, 2022
A private independent investigation funded by Sharon Hill taxpayers has been underway for the past 10 months to look into the death of Fanta Bility on August 27, 2021 at Academy Park High School. The report, conducted by Kelley Hodge of Fox Rothschild LLP, investigated Sharon Hill Police Department and Sharon Hill Borough’s policies and procedures, including their use of force policy. The report was completed in mid-June, 2022. Sharon Hill Borough has access to the report; however, the Bility family, nor the public, have since received Kelley Hodge’s report. The Sharon Hill Council meeting, originally scheduled for July 14, has now been delayed until July 21. A statement by Sharon Hill Borough reinstated that the report will be released no later than July 31. However, even with the Borough concluding their internal review the struggle for Justice for Fanta is still ongoing.
The trial date for terminated Sharon Hill officers Sean Dolan, Devon Smith, and Brian Devaney is scheduled for July 25 at 2 pm. Judge Margaret J. Amoroso will be facilitating the initial trial hearing on this date. The hearing will take place at the Media Courthouse, located at 201 W. Front Street, Media, PA 19063. The same day, there will be a rally held outside of the courthouse beginning at 1 pm organized by U.D.T.J. and Delco Resists. A flyer will be released this weekend. Similar to past occurances, it is likely that the court date will be pushed back to delay justice further. If so, we will make sure to update the public immediately.
In the interim, part-time officer Sean Dolan allegedly recently submitted an application to join another police department in Delaware County. This raises major public safety concerns for Delaware County residents as the trial is still ongoing, and addresses the serious concern of the officers’ charges being dropped. An application being submitted to wear another badge prior to trial demonstrates the carelessness and acceptance of extreme misconduct. Active systems exist to promote accountability such as the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database, which will alert residents of the employment of Sean Dolan and his recent history of misconduct. However, the system is seriously flawed and will only be activated if the incident was submitted to the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database. We demand that the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database release this information to the public and refuse Dolan’s application. The public has the right to know when Dolan’s application was allegedly submitted, which police department it was submitted to, and why he was allegedly able to submit one while awaiting trial.
There are growing concerns that the Sharon Hill officers responsible for Fanta’s death will be able to walk. Dolan would not have the audacity to submit an application with another police department if he was not confident that he will walk, or that his sentencing will not be as severe. As Delaware County’s District Attorney, Jack Stollsteimer needs to ensure that all three officers are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Follow the accounts below to stay up to date on official announcements:
U.D.T.J.:
Email: udtjorganization@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UDTJ2020/
Instagram: @udtjorg
Twitter: @UDTJ7
Website: udtj.org
Delco Resists:
Email: delcoresists@gmail.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/delcoresists
Instagram: @delcoresists
Twitter: @DelcoResists
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Information will be provided this weekend on 7/17. Stay tuned for more information.
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We are calling on the public to take immediate action by reaching out to the Delaware County District Attorney’s office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office, Sharon Hill Borough, Delaware County Council, and the prime sponsor of the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database.
There are necessary next steps we all can take to address the allegation of Sean Dolan seeking employment with another police department in Delaware County. Below you will find the email addresses, website links, phone numbers, and comments you can copy and paste for this next call to action.
Jack Stollsteimer, Delaware County District Attorney
Email: stollsteimerj@co.delaware.pa.us
CC: Margie McAboy
Director of Policy and Public Engagement
Email: mcaboym@co.delaware.pa.us
District Attorney Main Number: (610) 891-4161
INSTRUCTIONS
Please send your email to Jack Stollsteimer to his email address, stollsteimerj@co.delaware.pa.us Be sure to CC the Director of Policy and Public Engagement, mcaboym@co.delaware.pa.us
EMAIL SUBJECT
“Justice for Fanta Bility, Safety of Delco”
It is also encouraged that you call the District Attorney’s Main Office Number, (610) 891-4161 to voice your concerns. We advise calling at least twice a week in order for the pressure we are applying to remain consistent. We encourage each individual to tailor their email and spoken message to their own style of communication, but will provide an example below that you can use.
EMAIL TEMPLATE
“Dear District Attorney Stollsteimer,
I am contacting you to respectfully request that you make a public commitment to your constituents that your investigation of the death of Fanta Bility will fully hold responsible all persons involved, and address all issues of law enforcement protocols and training that contributed to it. We ask that you explicitly assure your constituents that all relevant evidence regarding all aspects of this case are being provided by your office to the Grand Jury, and that the Grand Jury is instructed to follow all such evidence wherever it may objectively lead, without any preordained assumptions or outside influence. Understanding the constraints necessary to protect the investigatory process, we ask that you provide regular updates on the progress of the investigation, to assure your constituents that these commitments to full and unconstrained justice are upheld.
Fanta Bility could be the innocent child of any of your constituents. The outcome of this investigation must provide both justice to her family and assurance to all of us that such a tragedy can never happen again, by addressing all of the root causes, no matter how difficult. This is the kind of District Attorney we elected you to be. We expect you to uphold the standard you set for yourself, regardless of the arduous political decisions it requires or the personal relationships it could tarnish.
Sincerely,”
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Attorney General.
Website: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/contact/
Attorney General Main Office Line: (717) 787-3391
INSTRUCTIONS
Please use this link https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/contact/ to submit your comment to the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
The link for the PA Attorney General’s website will require you to input your full name, email address, and phone number before being able to submit a comment. There will also be a drop-down list, labeled as “Questions Concerning”. Please select the first option, “General OAG Questions” from the list.
It is also encouraged that you call the PA Attorney General’s Main Office Number, (717) 787-3391 to voice your concerns. We advise calling at least twice a week in order for the pressure we are applying to remain consistent.
We encourage each individual to tailor their email and spoken message to their own style of communication, but will provide an example below that you can use.
EMAIL TEMPLATE
“As a concerned citizen of Pennsylvania, I am contacting you to respectfully request that the Office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro review the Kelley Hodge report and ensure that officers Sean Dolan, Devon Smith, and Brian Devaney are not able to seek employment in law enforcement within Delaware County, or the state of Pennsylvania.
We need to know what led the police officers who are sworn to protect their community to fire into a crowd of innocent bystanders, whether the answer includes errors in judgment, training, or law enforcement protocol at the local or national scale. Based on the public updates that have been released thus far about the actions of the officers on the evening of Fanta’s death, there were many violations of policy that have proven to residents that Devon Smith, Sean Dolan, and Brian Devaney are not eligible to serve and protect the community.
This investigation needs to follow all facts, regardless of where they may lead. Unfortunately, over the past eleven months since Fanta’s killing, there has still been a disturbing lack of communication and transparency from the local officials, Sharon Hill Borough Council, especially now that the Kelley Hodge report is complete, Southeast Delco School District, and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. While public officials have the responsibility to protect the integrity of the investigation, they also have a responsibility to reassure their constituents and inform the public of the progress that can be disclosed. I ask that your office take all appropriate oversight measures to assure that full and unrestrained justice prevails in this case.”
Sharon Hill Borough
Hykeem Green, Mayor of Sharon Hill Borough
hgreen@sharonhillboro.com
610-586-8200 extension 120
Leasa Nichols, Sharon Hill Borough Manager
manager@sharonhillboro.com
610-586-8200
Tanya Allen, President of Sharon Hill Borough Council
tallen@sharonhillboro.com
610-586-8200
Keith Martinez, Vice President of Sharon Hill Borough Council
councilmankem@sharonhillboro.com
610-583-7616
Sharon Hill Borough Council Members:
Edward Booker
ebooker@sharonhillboro.com
Sharon Booker
sbooker@sharonhillboro.com
William Felder
wfelder@sharonhillboro.com
Rodney S. Hill
rhill@sharonhillboro.com
Sandra L. Holcombe
sholcombe@sharonhillboro.com
INSTRUCTIONS
We encourage each individual to tailor their email and spoken message to their own style of communication, but will provide an example below that you can use.
EMAIL TEMPLATE
“As a concerned citizen of Delaware County, I am contacting you to respectfully request that Sharon Hill Borough provide transparency and release the Kelley Hodge report to both the Bility family and the public before the scheduled trial date of the officers on July 25. If the report has been completed since mid-June, withholding the report only has raised many suspicions and curiosity as to why it has not been shared with the public, especially if the report is funded by taxpayer dollars. Publicizing a statement on when the report will be released no later than is not good enough knowing that we are approaching the one-month mark of when it was originally completed.
I am also demanding that Sharon Hill Borough speak out against the future employment of Sean Dolan, Devon Smith, and Brian Devaney in law enforcement within Delaware County again. This is a serious allegation regarding Dolan. It was frustrating enough to witness the officers being rewarded through paid administrative leave. Having one of the officers allegedly serving in another municipality raises much concern and safety issues. The carelessness demonstrated by Sharon Hill officers on the evening of Fanta’s death should not be accepted, or tolerated, anywhere in Delaware County. I ask that Sharon Hill Borough take the concerns of the people into consideration and act justly on this matter.
Sincerely,”
Delaware County Council Members:
Monica Taylor, Chair of Delaware County Council
taylorm@co.delaware.pa.us
610-891-4264
Elaine Paul Schaefer, Vice Chair of Delaware County Council
schaefere@co.delaware.pa.us
610-891-4457
Kevin M. Madden
maddenk@co.delaware.pa.us
610-891-4253
Christine A. Reuther
reutherc@co.delaware.pa.us
610-891-4268
Richard Womack
womackr@co.delaware.pa.us
610-891-4266
INSTRUCTIONS
We encourage each individual to tailor their email and spoken message to their own style of communication, but will provide an example below that you can use.
EMAIL TEMPLATE
“As a concerned citizen of Delaware County, I am contacting you to respectfully request that the Delaware County Council look further into any potential law enforcement application being submitted by any of the three Sharon Hill officers who participated in the shooting death of 8-year-old Fanta Bility. Sean Dolan, Devon Smith, and Brian Devaney acted recklessly, carelessly, and dangerously on the evening of August 27, 2021 by firing into a crowd of people.
It was frustrating enough to witness their actions being rewarded through paid administrative leave. Having one of the officers allegedly applying to serve in another municipality raises much concern and safety issues. The carelessness demonstrated by Sharon Hill officers on the evening of Fanta’s death should not be accepted anywhere in Delaware County. I ask that you look further into this allegation and update the public about how this will and can be handled.
Sincerely,”
Sponsor for the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database
Representative Christopher Rabb, Prime Sponsor
Contact: Danielle Duckett, Legislative Research Analyst
dduckett@pahouse.net
INSTRUCTIONS
We encourage each individual to tailor their email and spoken message to their own style of communication, but will provide an example below that you can use.
EMAIL TEMPLATE
“As a concerned citizen of Pennsylvania, I am contacting you to respectfully request that the Office of Representative Christopher Rabb look further into the complications of the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database. I ask that your office inform the public about whether or not the incident from August 27, 2021 concerning Fanta Bility’s death was ever entered into the database, and if so, how the database will proceed towards alerting Delaware County residents about the potential hiring of an officer who participated in the death of 8-year old Fanta Bility.
I also ask that the Pennsylvania Police Misconduct Database investigate and consider stronger policies about hiring police officers with any history of police misconduct. The protection and safety of residents should be prioritized with a database such as this, and the functionality of this database must be administered in a more efficient way.
Sincerely,”
Thank you for taking the time to make these important contacts to our elected officials. Please look for details regarding our next rally to be held at the Media Courthouse on July 25 as well as additional actions and updates.
