Police chief is out, New Castle council says

Police chief is out, New Castle council says

new castle, pa.

The city’s police chief says he’s shocked at his sudden dismissal.

The city council voted 3-1 at a caucus meeting Wednesday not to retain Tom Sansone, who has been chief for eight years and has a 26-year career with the police department, after he was recommended for the post by Anthony Mastrangelo, who is returning for four more years as mayor.

Sansone said Thursday he had heard “rumors that certain council members wanted me out, based on investigations and some arrests that were made.”

But he said he didn’t expect that Mastrangelo would submit him to the council for reaffirmation, adding that he disagrees Mastrangelo needed to do that.

A councilman reached Thursday said the city code states that when a mayor’s term begins, all the department heads have to be affirmed.

Edward Yerage Jr., who voted in favor of keeping Sansone as chief, said he is not on council to hire people.

“I’m backing the mayor — he evaluated Chief Sansone in the first four years and was satisfied,” Yerage said.