The Police Shield

08/03/2026

Bristol Mayor Sues Council Claiming His Authority Has Been Usurped and Sunshine Act Violations

A power struggle this news organization saw coming long before it materialized concerning supervisory authority over the Bristol Borough Police Department will now have to be settled in court.

Bristol Borough Mayor Frank W. Peranteau,, SR. filed a four-count lawsuit alleging Council overreached its authority to implement a new internal affairs policy; wrestled decision-making policy over the police department away from him; and violated the state’s Sunshine Law by taking official action outside of a public meeting, according to court papers filed with the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday.

Attorney, Shohin H. Vance of Saxton & Stump, LLC of Malvern, Pennsylvania represents Peranteau in the civil action that is 64 pages long.

The main crux of the matter the suit alleges is directly related to recently adopted internal affairs policy by Council enacted unanimously in March of this year.

Peranteau requested that Council table the motion before a vote was taken to approve the new police policy.

The lawsuit alleges that Council did an end run over his authority to supervise and oversee the police department over which he has sole authority under statute.

Credit: Lower Bucks Hospital

“The Borough Code assigns to the Mayor — not to Council or its President — the direction of the chief of police and the police force in the performance of their duties,” the filing alleges.

The second and third counts of the suit allege that in light of not having proper authority over the whole of the police department orders by Chief of Police Joe Moors to recently terminated officer Ritchie Webb to attend an independent medical exam (IME) are for all intents and purposes out of order.



Webb was ordered twice to attend a medical appointment for approval to return to work after being out on medical leave for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related health issues for a little more than a year.

“Neither Council nor its President possesses statutory authority to countermand a directive issued by the Mayor to the chief of police or to a police officer or to issue operational orders directly to individual officers,” the suit alleges.

Peranteau in the suit’s fourth count, alleges Council violated the Commonwealth’s Sunshine Act provisions to ways. First by overriding his orders to Webb and replacing it with their own directives and did so in executive session held before the March 9, 2026 Council meeting.

“No official action countermanding the Mayor’s directives or authorizing the March 9 and March 10, 2026 letters was taken at any open meeting, on March 9, 2026 or at any time thereafter,” the filing says said.

The letters referred to were sent to Webb by the Mayor, directing him to disregard orders from Moors (and Borough officials) to attend the IME and cooperate with an internal “non criminal” investigation.

Council acted with the improper purpose of circumventing public scrutiny and public disclosure of
their deliberations and decisions concerning the supervision of the Borough’s police force — the precise ends the Sunshine Act exists to secure, Peranteau says in the suit.

Peranteau alleges Council circumvented the Sunshine Act when it hired Campbell Durrant, P.C. also.

The Mayor, as part of damages, is seeking the Court to invalidate I.A. policy, reaffirm his authority over the police department and recoup “reasonable” lawyer and court costs.

Other discoveries made as a result of the lawsuit being filed is back in February, Bristol officials forwarded a complaint from Webb to Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan alleging a of a continuing pattern of retaliation, obstruction and abuse of authority including claims of serious misconduct within the Bristol Police Department including criminal misconduct.

Webb made similar if not the same type of allegations

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The DA’s office was not available for comment about the investigation and or any of its findings.

Thenb District Attorney Jennifer Schorn cleared police officials of any wrongdoing back in 2023.

Letters to the Mayor and Webb, from Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe, mentions “possible criminal and civil violations” made by Webb regarding Bristol Borough traffic tickets and requesting special favors in the handling of the five parking tickets.

The Borough demanded Peranteau recuse himself from any and all matters related to Webb and put him on notice that he is being investigated for potential civil and criminal violations by its labor attorney also.

Bristol Borough officials contacted on Friday declined to comment for this story.

“I’ll let the document speak for itself!” Peranteau told Lower Bucks Source on Saturday.

No hearing date has been set.

To read the suit and view its exhibits please click here.

04/04/2026

04/04/2026

Bristol Approves Resolution to Revise Police Internal Affairs Policy Despite Mayors Request to TablePublished 5 days ago on March 30, 2026By Jeff Bohen

Bristol Borough Council approved a resolution adopting a revision of the police department’s internal affairs policy at last Monday night’s meeting although officials did not detail the specific reason (s) for the revision.

Before members voted Mayor Frank W. Peranteau Sr. read a statement into the record requesting Council to at least table the vote.

The Mayor’s statement in its entirety is italicized below:

This evening, I respectfully request that you consider tabling item #2 on the agenda, the Approval of the Resolution Adopting the Police Department’s Revised Internal Affairs Policy. Although there are other reasons for not moving forward on the resolution in its written form l will focus on two immediate concerns which I feel are of the up most importance to the taxpayers of Bristol Borough.

Upon receiving the agenda packet for tonight’s meeting, I contacted members of law enforcement with years of distinguished service who serve as heads of police departments of all sizes. I also spoke with an official with the Law Enforcement Accreditation Services organization. Their main function is to assist municipalities in preparing their police departments to become an accredited department in Pennsylvania. Along with these conversations I researched the criteria written in this revised policy before you that you are considering for adoption. I could not find any instances where a governing body such as council was even remotely involved in not only formulating an internal affairs policy or setting themselves up in a position where they control internal investigations. There is no authority to designate who will conduct the investigation. Nor did I find any documentation that a political entity such as borough council has the authority to review the investigation reports at any time they wish. Furthermore, there is no authority for council to designate a person to supervise the police department.

By adopting this resolution, you will be inserting politics into a process where there is no legal authority to do so. This policy is in direct violation of Pennsylvania Title 8 Boroughs and Incorporated towns also known as Borough Code. Section 1123.1 Mayor’s powers concerning the police, Subsection (a) General rule – states the mayor shall have full charge and control of the chief of police and the police force.

Subsection (b) Direction – states the mayor shall direct the time during which, the place where and the manner in which the chief of police and police force perform the duties of their rank. This policy could trigger a legal challenge to its legality if passed in this form, not only for its impropriety but more importantly the violation of the Borough Code. Council could be found liable and be subject to legal consequences not only as an officially elected body but also personally if the facts and evidence warrant it. More importantly the taxpayers would be forced to absorb the cost of any litigation arising from this matter.

The Borough recently approved the hiring of Patrick Harvey, a labor attorney from Campbell Durant, P.C. Harvey specializes in the areas of employment and municipal law. His hiring, sources told Lower Bucks Source, was specific to internal police labor matters and an investigation. Speculation exists about the foci of those matters, none of which has proven credible so far.

Borough Solicitor Jeff Garton outlined the discussion that took place in executive session, and, in very general terms, the reasoning for “revising” the internal affairs policy.

We talked about pending investigations related to police officers and we are not going to discuss it publicly because it’s a personnel-related matter. In addition, we talked about collective bargaining which is related to the police contract which is about to be signed, he said.

Peranteau declined to say whether or not he would seek legal action against the Borough administration.

Council approved the revised policy resolution unanimously.

The move by Council indicates something serious is going on behind the thick maple doors on the second floor of Borough Hall. What that is and why that is, no one will say, on the record; off the record; or on background.