West Penn Township has a new addition to its police force.

The supervisors last week hired William Cope as a part-time police officer. His rate of pay was not announced at the meeting.

At last month’s meeting, it was stated that the township had received one application for a part-time police officer.

The township has also received interest in its vacant chief of police position and full-time police officer positions. In October, the supervisors terminated the employment of police Chief James Bonner and accepted the resignation of part-time officer Richton Penn. Bonner had been on paid administrative suspension since Sept. 4.

Sgt. John Kaczmarczyk is sergeant-in-charge.

Bonner’s wife, Carla Fritz, has filed a lawsuit alleging the township violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and other federal and state laws while she was employed as support staff for the police department.

The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. In it, Fritz alleges discriminatory and retaliatory actions made after she was diagnosed with anxiety led to her termination in October 2023.

In her lawsuit, Fritz is seeking several forms of relief, including back pay and benefits, compensation for emotional pain and suffering, and punitive damages.