PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Quakertown’s police chief, who was involved in a physical altercation with high schoolers last week as they walked out of school to protest ICE, is now reportedly on leave from his job.
That's according to an email sent to KYW Newsradio from Quakertown Borough Solicitor Peter Nelson.
Chief Scott McElree has held that position in Quakertown since 2007, during which he's also been the borough manager.
Last Friday, McElree was seen in multiple viral social media videos physically restraining Quakertown High School students who were participating in a walkout.
In one viral video, McElree appears to place a teenage girl, who was arrested, in a chokehold. He also appeared in plain clothes alongside uniformed officers. McElree has claimed he was injured in a physical confrontation with students.
In the week since the arrest of five students on that Friday, Feb. 20, student walkout and protest, calls for McElree to face consequences have ratcheted up across the Quakertown community.
On Thursday, parents packed a school board meeting to demand more transparency from the school district about what happened the day of the walkout, but plenty of signs were also displayed demanding accountability from, or showing support for, McElree.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has not commented publicly about the case or whether any of the five arrested students will face charges.
It’s also still unclear if McElree will face any consequences.