New Elizabeth Borough police chief working to move department past scandal

Chief Tim Butler, who resigned before being charged with stealing drugs from the evidence locker

April 5, 2019

ELIZABETH BOROUGH, Pa. - Nearly four months after a scandal rocked the Elizabeth Borough Police Department, the new chief is taking steps to make sure it doesn't happen again.

In a one-on-one interview with Channel 11, new Police Chief Bill Sombo said he plans on making changes to the way the department operates beginning with regaining the public's trust.

"We have to protect and serve the people here. That's my goal, to bring the focus back to the community instead of all of the branching out that's been going on," he said.

Sombo worked as a part-time officer under former Chief Tim Butler, who resigned before being charged with stealing drugs from the evidence locker in December.

"It's not the entire police department that was wrong. It was one individual," he said. "It's created a trust issue with the community and it's something that definitely needs to be rebuilt."

Sombo was sworn in as police chief last week.