Key Points
- Chester County residents have asked President Donald J. Trump to intervene before Oxford Borough Police Department is disbanded.
- Oxford Borough Council voted 5-2 in August to dissolve the 100-year-old department and pursue regional policing.
- The department is scheduled to cease operations at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2026.
- Six officers have agreed severance terms, while three officers are expected to transition to the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department.
- The White House and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro had not responded to requests for comment by the reported deadline.
Oxford (Oxford Daily) October 28, 2026 — Chester County residents have petitioned President Donald J. Trump to stop Oxford Borough’s planned disbandment of its accredited local police department. Oxford Borough Council voted 5-2 in August to dissolve the force and seek policing services from the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department, with the change scheduled to take effect at midnight after December 31, 2026.
As reported by the Daily Local News, East Nottingham residents John Rogers and Missy Rogers and Oxford residents Danny Graham and Sherry Graham wrote to President Trump on October 15 asking the White House to intervene. The letter said residents opposed replacing the Oxford force with a regional agency and asked the president to send representatives before the department was removed.
The White House had not responded to a request for comment by the publication’s deadline. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also had not responded. Oxford Mayor Philip Harris did not respond to multiple interview requests cited in the report.
Why did Oxford Borough Council vote to dissolve the police department?
The council authorised the borough to seek a merger of policing services with the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department, which is based in New Garden and serves member municipalities New Garden and West Grove, as well as contracted services in Avondale.
Council members Raul Juarez-Lara and Amanda Birdwell voted against the measure. Council President Kathryn Cloyd, Vice President Bill Fitzpatrick and members Michael Brandt, Melody Boston-Griffin and Robert Ketcham voted in favour.
According to the Daily Local News report, borough officials said maintaining a standalone police department was financially unsustainable and represented more than half of the annual municipal budget. Oxford’s 2026 budget was approved at approximately $5 million, including about $2.04 million for police operations.
What will happen to Oxford police officers?
Robert McCarron, president of the Chester County Fraternal Order of Police, said six officers had finalised severance terms. He said three officers moving to the regional department would retain most of their seniority and other benefits.
McCarron said negotiations over a severance package for Chief Samuel Iacono were continuing. Before the council vote, the department employed 16 officers, while the Save Oxford Police campaign’s letter referred to 11 long-serving officers potentially losing their jobs.
The proposed arrangement would place two regional officers in Oxford at all times to provide 24-hour policing, according to comments previously attributed to Mayor Philip Harris. The future use of the police station at 57 North Fourth Street and the location for processing suspects remained unclear in the report.
What have Chester County officials and residents said?
Danny Graham said residents were seeking broader public support and called for peaceful demonstrations aimed at council members who supported the dissolution. John Rogers said the Save Oxford Police campaign wanted the local department retained.
Chester County Commissioner Eric Roe said he was disappointed by the decision but expected Oxford residents to continue receiving coverage from either a regional department or the Pennsylvania State Police. Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said decisions about local policing should be made by the communities directly affected. Commissioner Josh Maxwell told the Daily Local News that no one from the community had contacted him directly about the matter.
What is the background to Oxford’s planned police disbandment?
The Oxford Borough Police Department was established in 1926 and has been described in the report as a 100-year-old accredited force. More than 100 residents protested the proposed change during the summer before the August council vote.
The Southern Chester County Regional Police Department was established in 2017 under then-Chief Gerald Simpson, who has since retired. Chief Joseph Greenwalt has led the department since 2022.
The regional department’s headquarters is on Route 41, approximately 15.5 miles from Oxford in New Garden and about three miles from the Delaware state line. Oxford’s police department is scheduled to disband on December 31, 2026.
The transition has involved negotiations among Oxford Borough, the Chester County Fraternal Order of Police, the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department and the Oxford Police Association.
How could the petition affect Chester County residents?
The petition could increase public and political attention before the scheduled transition, particularly if the White House or state officials respond. It does not itself suspend the council’s decision or alter the December 31 deadline.
Residents seeking to preserve the department may continue contacting local officials and organising peaceful demonstrations, while residents supporting regional policing may focus on service coverage, response arrangements and officer staffing.
The practical effect for Oxford residents will depend on whether the regional department assumes responsibility as planned, whether further legal or political action is taken, and how the borough manages the transition of officers and facilities.
