All is not peaceful in what is often referred to as "Brigadoon along the Main Line". The tiny borough of Narberth is in an uproar....maybe they should just be left alone?

Residents: We want our own police
Officer quits Narberth police force as talks get heated.
By Richard Ilgenfritz

One officer has quit the force, a council member has rescued himself and the debate continues over the Narberth Borough Council's decision last month to consider Lower Merion's plan to take over the police duties for the borough of Narberth.Narberth police officer Susan TreDenick, who made headlines nearly two years ago by becoming the borough's first female officer, decided to quit the department days after the council decided to move forward with a study that could eventually disband the borough's police force.

"The only reason I left was the threat of losing my job. There was no other reason at all," TreDenick said following Monday night's borough council meeting.

Last month, borough council president Mary Jo Pauxtis read a letter from Lower Merion Board President Bruce Reed that asked if the borough would consider allowing the Lower Merion Police Department to take over the police duties for the borough of Narberth. Although no vote was taken at the April caucus meeting in which the letter was read, the six council members at the meeting agreed to consider Reed's request to study the idea. Councilman Bob Wegbreit was not at that meeting.

TreDenick said the day she found out about the council's decision she went home, and made some phone calls in the hopes of getting her old job back as a police officer with Amtrak.

"I expected to retire from here. This was a home I found," TreDenick said. "I couldn't weather the threat - even two years down the road. I'm going to be 50 in July. Most officers are getting ready to retire at my age. I would never find another job.

"I couldn't do it fast enough. I was basically running scared. The thought of losing my job It was basically survival," TreDenick said.

Within a few days, TreDenick was meeting with Amtrak officials. She started back with her old department May 5.

Reed's letter and some of his comments have caused a firestorm of controversy in the borough since it was made public April 9.