# I Pit Police Chief Mark Kessler and his "Constitution Security Force" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 8, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755 "2013-08-08T23:00:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/101 "2013-10-11T05:27:08Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Come on now! You’re yanking our chains. I’m pretty sure that was a scene from Blazing Saddles. The original AP News story is [here](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/pa-chiefs-hearing-halted-when-gun-falls-floor). My favorite quote is from Kessler’s attorney: > [@Joseph Nahas](#): > > I can’t conduct my job appropriately when handguns are being dropped on concrete. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/102 "2013-10-11T17:26:48Z")
I found [an even better article from a local newspaper’s website](http://articles.mcall.com/2013-10-10/news/mc-gilberton-pa-police-chief-guns-termination-20131010_1_gilberton-police-chief-chief-mark-kessler-mayor-mary-lou-hannon). Here are two bits that were missing from the AP story: > [@](#): > > Nahas only had minutes to cross-examine Hannon before a bystander, standing directly behind Kessler and him, dropped his handgun, and the meeting was stopped. > > **The gun was dropped by a man wearing a T-shirt with the initials for the Constitutional Security Force, Kessler’s group**. > [@](#): > > She read another remark where Kessler indicates he saw another councilman drunk in his car but didn’t arrest him because he doesn’t “believe in giving DUIs.” > > Shortly after [Mayor Mary Lou] Hannon read that part of the transcript, the borough’s attorney, Joseph J. Joyce, asked: “Are you aware that Mark Kessler has a personal philosophy of not enforcing the commonwealth’s DUI laws?” > > “I wasn’t aware,” Hannon answered. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/103 "2013-10-11T17:36:48Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > As viewed by the British, i.e., a screaming nutbag. In this case, they would be right. But he’s done, he’s on his way out. The next question should be, why the hell did they let him stay THIS long. Crazy ass fascists should not be allowed to have a badge and gun, or be allowed to comand those that to. What fucking idiots put him in that job to begin with? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/104 "2013-10-11T17:41:04Z")
> [@Morning Call](#): > > Nahas only had minutes to cross-examine Hannon before a bystander, standing directly behind Kessler and him, dropped his handgun, and the meeting was stopped. I just saw this episode of _ **The Andy Griffith Show** _ the other day! Except Barney’s gun actually went off (nobody hurt). Them state people down from Raleigh were about to relieve Andy of his duties, when he got a call to go break up some moonshiners shooting stuff up. I hope Kessler gets called out of the hearing for some real action those pussy \*lawyers \*and _council people_ just don’t get. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/105 "2013-10-11T18:03:16Z")
Cripes, they pay the police chief less than $16 an hour?! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/106 "2013-10-11T18:07:59Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > In this case, they would be right. > > But he’s done, he’s on his way out. The next question should be, why the hell did they let him stay THIS long. Crazy ass fascists should not be allowed to have a badge and gun, or be allowed to comand those that to. What fucking idiots put him in that job to begin with? Well, it’s conceivable he could have kept his being a crazy ass fascist on the Q.T. up until the point he started making crazy assed fascist videos on YouTube. However, you’d think some City Hall oversight middle management guy might have noticed the man “didn’t believe in DUIs”. Christ, talk about some discretionary law enforcement ! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/107 "2013-10-11T18:22:38Z")
I’m gonna predict the chief’s not gonna sue either, not for a $15.25/hour job. OTOH, there might be some extremists with deeper pockets who pick up the tab. But if he’s actually on tape somewhere saying he doesn’t bust people for DUIs because he doesn’t believe in the law, he’s toast. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/108 "2013-10-11T18:35:44Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > In this case, they would be right. > > But he’s done, he’s on his way out. The next question should be, why the hell did they let him stay THIS long. Crazy ass fascists should not be allowed to have a badge and gun, or be allowed to comand those that to. What fucking idiots put him in that job to begin with? Apparently rural Pennsylvania is very conservative. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/109 "2013-10-11T18:37:13Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > [Pa. police chief’s public hearing halted after supporter’s gun falls from holster onto floor](http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/pa-police-chiefs-public-hearing-halted-after-supporters-gun-falls-from-holster-onto-floor/2013/10/10/51d61d16-320b-11e3-ad00-ec4c6b31cbed_story.html) > > Just for illustration of atmosphere. Jesus K, don’t these guys know anything about elementary gun safety?! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755/110 "2013-10-11T18:39:57Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Jesus K, don’t these guys know anything about elementary gun safety?! They know that so-called “gun safety” is just a thing that libtards invented to keep people from using their guns for everything that guns are good for, like making videos and changing the TV channel when you can’t find the remote. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-police-chief-mark-kessler-and-his-constitution-security-force/665755.md?page=5)