Colwyn lifts state of emergency

Its police department in turmoil since an incident in which an officer allegedly Tasered an imprisoned teenager repeatedly, Colwyn has lifted its latest state of emergency and reinstated another officer who had been placed on administrative leave.

In contrast to a raucous meeting this month that was punctuated by shouts and a fistfight, at a brief and uneventful emergency meeting on Wednesday night Mayor Daniel Rutland and Council President Tonette Pray announced that Lt. Wesley Seitz, suspended after he reported the alleged Tasing incident, would return to work. Two other officers in the six-man department — Trevor Parham, who allegedly Tased the teenager, and Officer Michael Drucktor, who purportedly witnessed the Tasing and failed to report it — remain on leave.

After Seitz was suspended by council two weeks ago, Rutland declared a state of emergency, later rescinded by Council. He declared an emergency again Saturday, but that was lifted Wednesday night. Pray, a Democrat, and Rutland, a Republican, have feuded openly, but said last night they were in accord on removing both the emergency and the suspension. Gregg L. Zeff, Colwyn's solicitor, said borough officials were "working diligently" to resolve the police crisis. Said Pray: "The police department right now is a mess." — Anthony R. Wood