Minersville Borough Council Suspends Officer Following Court-Ordered Reinstatement

MINERSVILLE — Minersville Borough Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to suspend police officer Harry Brown without pay and “until further notice,” after a Commonwealth Court decision ordered his reinstatement following his firing in 2022.
The council’s action came after the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled on Friday that an arbitration award reinstating Brown must be enforced, reversing a prior Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas decision that had vacated the award.

As a result of that ruling, Brown was reinstated to the borough’s police force. However, borough officials moved quickly to suspend him pending further developments.

According to borough officials, Brown's certifications have since expired and due to the bail conditions for the federal charges, he is not permitted to possess a firearm.  Brown is suspended under three violations of the Minersville Police Department disciplinary matrix:

• Commission of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or felony
• commission of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or felony that will result in the revocation of the MPOETC certification
• Failure to maintain MPOETC certification

Brown, along with former Minersville patrolman Richard Clink, is currently facing federal police brutality charges related to a 2022 traffic stop and arrest involving a man in Minersville. Those criminal proceedings are separate from the employment and arbitration matter addressed by the Commonwealth Court.

Story on the Commonwealth Court's decision on Friday.