Hellertown Borough Council gathered in an emergency meeting Oct. 6 to address the abrupt resignation of police Chief Robert Shupp. The announcement came after the council discovered discrepancies in Shupp’s payroll, which was the focus of a preliminary investigation.

During the meeting, council Vice President Matt Marcincin, serving as acting chair in the absence of President Thomas Rieger, disclosed that the initial inquiry had revealed that the issues were potentially something more alarming than mere clerical errors.

In response to the findings, council initiated an external investigation, referring the case to the state attorney general’s office. Consequently, council said it will refrain from commenting further on the issue until the state authorities complete their findings.

Following the statement, council unanimously approved Shupp’s resignation and empowered borough attorneys to collaborate with the state officials throughout the probe.

Councilor Liz Thompson moved to table the appointment of an interim chief until the council and Mayor David Heintzelman had the opportunity to engage with interested department members for a collective decision. During this temporary period, Officer Dominick Fragano will serve as the officer in charge of the department.