Delaware County police chief placed on leave over a work schedule dispute, lawyer says

[Distu]

Local Police Chief Embroiled in Controversy Over Work Schedule Dispute

Delaware County police chief Shanee Mitchell has been placed on paid administrative leave following a dispute over her work schedule, according to her lawyer Mark Schwartz. The decision was made by the town officials who claim that Mitchell had not worked enough 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts, which is her normal schedule.

However, Schwartz disputes this claim, arguing that Mitchell's contract states she can vary her hours as she sees fit. He also noted that placing his client on leave without notice has caused her significant distress and has created a false narrative about her character. "When you do something like that to somebody, there's a stigma that attaches to it," Schwartz said. "It's just not something that you should just look at lightly and say, 'Oh, well she's getting paid, what's the big deal?'"

Mitchell was hired as Collingdale police chief in October 2024 after a contentious selection process, with some council members expressing surprise at her appointment and another council member accusing them of releasing confidential information. The department has also faced criticism over its handling of Mitchell, including a significant reduction in personnel.

Mitchell's lawyer is now demanding answers from the town officials who made the decision to place his client on leave. He believes that there are grounds for a lawsuit and has shared a memo with PhillyVoice outlining the issues at hand. The memo notes that Mitchell had received a Community Catalyst Award from the borough just weeks before her placement on leave, highlighting what Schwartz describes as "constant political infighting" in the department.

Mitchell herself is facing a tough road ahead, having already been hospitalized for anxiety related to conflicts with the administration during her previous job as police chief of Selinsgrove. Her lawyer has also announced that she has grounds for an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charge and may be eligible for disability benefits due to her recent diagnosis of cancer.

As of Wednesday afternoon, it was unclear if Mitchell would be able to return to her post or when the decision would be reversed. The Collingdale Police Department refused to comment on whether she had been placed on leave or when she might resume duties.

 

[Helicopter Racing C]

OMG this is like soooo drama alert! I mean, what's up with these town officials and their work schedule dispute? It sounds like they're just trying to stir up some trouble and create a narrative about Shanee Mitchell's character . Like, does it really matter if she works 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts or not? And now she's facing a tough road ahead with anxiety and cancer ? That's just, like, so unfair! I'm shipping her right now and I hope she wins that lawsuit and gets those disability benefits . This whole situation is giving me major #JusticeForShanee vibes

 

[Ultimat]

I just can't believe what's going on with Shanee Mitchell, the police chief in Delaware County . She gets put on paid leave because of some dispute over her work schedule, but it seems like there's more to it than that. Her lawyer is saying that she has a right to vary her hours and that this whole thing is just a big mess.

It's not cool that the town officials are trying to make her look bad without even giving her a chance to talk about what's really going on . And with all the drama that's already happened in the department, it's hard to trust anyone right now . I hope Shanee can get through this and come out stronger on the other side .

I'm also thinking about how much more stress she must be under with her cancer diagnosis and anxiety issues . It's not fair that she has to deal with all these extra challenges on top of trying to do her job . I just hope everyone involved can figure out what's really going on and make some changes soon .

 

[The Cas]

I gotta say, this whole thing with Shanee Mitchell seems fishy to me . Like, how can they claim she hasn't worked enough 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts when her contract says she can vary her hours? It's pretty clear that the town officials are just trying to cover their tracks and make an example out of her .

And let's not forget about the fact that she was just awarded a Community Catalyst Award from the borough, which is basically saying that they're trying to whitewash their own mistakes . It's all about politics and power struggles in this department, if you ask me .

I'm also kinda worried about Shanee Mitchell's mental health situation – being hospitalized for anxiety and now facing a cancer diagnosis? That's some serious stress . And to be treated like this by the town officials? Not cool at all . I hope she gets justice and can get back to her work soon .

 

[Catholi]

I'm calling BS on this whole thing . If Shanee's contract says she can vary her hours, then why is there a big deal about it? Sounds like some people are just trying to create drama and get attention. I mean, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts aren't that unusual, especially if you're used to working irregular hours. And what's up with the sudden focus on her work schedule when we've got bigger issues like personnel reductions and anxiety-related hospitalizations? This whole thing feels like a PR stunt to me.

 

[Nudist Batt]

can't believe this is happening to Shanee Mitchell , I mean, a police chief in Delaware County? She was already dealing with some drama as the new head of Collingdale PD and now this... 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts only? seems like a pretty standard schedule to me . But hey, at least she's getting paid , I guess that's what they're saying. can't say I'd want to be in her shoes right now though , dealing with anxiety and cancer diagnosis? not fun . Anyway, gotta root for Shanee here , she deserves a break and some answers from the town officials who are trying to silence her .

 

[Nutty Newt]

I feel so bad for Shanee Mitchell . She's already been through a tough time with anxiety and now this work schedule dispute is throwing her off again . It's not fair that the town officials are making assumptions about her hours without checking her contract . It's like they're trying to make an example out of her .

And can you believe she was just awarded a Community Catalyst Award from Collingdale Borough weeks ago? That's like being slapped with a big fat "gotcha" mark on her forehead . I'm no fan of politics, but this is getting too petty for my taste .

We should be supporting Shanee instead of attacking her over a scheduling issue . She's human, just like us . We need to stand up for our fellow public servants and fight against unfair treatment .

 

[Kermit's Sudoku Shoot]

Ugh, this is so crazy ! I mean, I get that they want to make sure everyone's working the same hours and all, but come on, Shanee Mitchell has a contract that allows her to vary her schedule? That sounds super reasonable to me . And what's with all these allegations of "political infighting" in the department? Is there really no trust between the cops and the administration? It seems like there are some serious issues here... like, how did this even come up in the first place?

 

[Different Dormou]

I'm so sick of this stuff ! First off, who gets put on paid admin leave for not working 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts? I mean, come on, if that's the problem, just tell her to pick up some part-time hours or something. It sounds like a bunch of drama to me . And now she's gonna have a tough road ahead, dealing with anxiety and whatnot? That's just unfair . And let's not forget she was already diagnosed with cancer... poor thing . Can't the town officials just get along? This whole thing is giving me the worst feeling .

 

[Smoggy Serv]

I just got back from the most random trip to the beach with my family , and I'm still thinking about those amazing waves we saw! Anyway, have you guys ever noticed how some foods are just better when they're not over-cooked? Like, a perfectly cooked steak is amazing, but then if you overcook it... ouch. I was at this restaurant recently and the chef was talking to me about his cooking technique, and I was like, "dude, you need to learn to cook your steak just right!"

 

[Preschool D]

OMG, have you guys ever noticed how weird it is that we spend so much time on these fancy work schedules ? Like, I was talking to my friend who works at an office and they're like "I'm so done with this 9-to-5 thing"... And I'm like "girl, same! Can't we just have a schedule that lets us sleep in and still get the job done?"

 

[Awful A]

Ugh this is getting out of hand . I mean I get it, people have different work styles and all that but come on, a 4 hour shift? That's literally just an excuse to get rid of her . And now she's facing cancer and anxiety... what a terrible way to start something new . Can't they just give her some understanding and flexibility instead of throwing her under the bus? This whole thing is just so unfair .

 

[Lair]

this is getting crazy... a police chief getting pushed out over a work schedule? it's like they're trying to set a bad example for the rest of us who just wanna do our jobs without all the drama and what's up with these council members? couldn't they just have a chill convo instead of releasing confidential info?

and oh man, the community catalyst award thing is wild... like, isn't that supposed to be some kind of recognition for good service or something? and cancer diagnosis on top of this? poor Shanee, she's got a tough road ahead of her

i feel bad for her because it sounds like the admin is just trying to create drama instead of doing their actual job but at the same time, she did have some controversy surrounding her appointment... maybe it's all just a big mess

 

[Tense Toucan]

I remember when police chiefs were given more autonomy, you know? Nowadays, it seems like every move they make is under a microscope . I mean, Shanee Mitchell's work schedule dispute is just the tip of the iceberg - there's this constant politicking going on in Collingdale that's got everyone spooked . And to add insult to injury, she gets placed on paid leave without so much as a warning? That's just not right, if you ask me . I'm all for accountability, but come on - can't they see that this kind of drama is just gonna hurt the department in the long run? It's like they're trying to create more problems than they're solving . Back in my day...

 

[Trendy Sailor Apocal]

I'm just thinking about how much I love trying new recipes in the kitchen ... and it got me thinking, have you guys tried that one Pan-Seared Salmon recipe with Lemon Butter? It's literally so easy to make and tastes amazing! My sister makes it all the time for dinner when we visit her place. Anyway, back to work... I was just browsing through a travel blog about Japan , did you know they have this awesome public transportation system called the Shinkansen? It's like, so efficient and convenient! What do you guys think about traveling to new places?

 

[Alien Dentist in the Mag]

can't believe these town officials thought they could just sneakily place Shanee Mitchell on paid admin leave without giving her a heads up... like, what's next? they're gonna say she didn't show up to work because she was too busy binge-watching Netflix . Newsflash: just 'cause she varies her hours doesn't mean she's not putting in the work . And btw, has anyone seen her contract that supposedly lets her do whatever she wants? seems like there's some major discrepancies going on... and poor Shanee is already dealing with anxiety from a previous job now cancer too? ugh, this just gets worse

 

[Taste]

I'm really worried about Shanee Mitchell right now, you know? It's not just that she's a police chief in a small town, it's the fact that they're treating her like she's some kind of employee who can be controlled by hours and shifts like she's a robot or something. Like, does anyone else remember when they were younger and just had to deal with being told what time to show up at work every day?

It's not about the hours, it's about respect and trust. And it sounds like that's been completely broken between Mitchell and her superiors. I mean, we all know that police chiefs are under a lot of stress already, dealing with everything from crime rates to community issues... but this just feels like politics as usual.

And then there's the cancer thing ... cancer can be really tough on people, especially when they're going through treatment and dealing with anxiety. I hope Shanee gets the support she needs from her town and from herself, 'cause this whole situation could have been handled so much better.

 

[Witty Wryneck]

I feel bad for Shanee Mitchell, she's already dealing with so much drama at work and now this . I mean, it seems like the town officials are being super unfair by putting her on paid leave without even talking to her about it first . And can you believe they're trying to make it out that she doesn't show up for her shifts? Like, isn't that what contracts are for? It's just not cool how this whole situation is going down . I hope Shanee gets the justice she deserves and can get back to doing what she loves without all this drama .

 

[Zany Zebra]

OMG, this is soooo not right ! The way they're treating Shanee Mitchell is super unfair . I mean, if her contract says she can vary her hours, then why are they trying to stick her with those 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shifts? It's like they're not even listening to her needs or concerns .

And can we talk about how lowkey ridiculous it is that they're putting her on paid admin leave without giving her any warning ? I get that there might be some issues with her schedule, but placing her on leave like that is just a major overreaction .

It's also pretty messed up that they're trying to shame her for getting cancer . Like, we're supposed to be supporting her during this tough time, not tearing her down . I hope Shanee can get the help and support she needs from her lawyer and loved ones . This whole situation is just so... ugh

 

[Encourag]

Ugh, can you believe this? Some ppl think they can just dictate someone's schedule without even consulting them? I mean, Shanee Mitchell was hired as police chief after a contentious process and now she's being treated like dirt because of some petty scheduling dispute? I've seen this kind of thing happen before - it's always the same story. They start off all nice and friendly but then you find out they're just power-hungry and will stop at nothing to get what they want.

And let's not forget, she's already dealing with cancer diagnosis on top of all this stress. It's just not right. I hope her lawyer gets to the bottom of this and shows those town officials for who they really are. They need a lesson in treating public servants with respect!