WAYNESBORO- During a special Town Council Meeting on Tuesday, May 28, Waynesboro officials accepted the resignation of Police Chief James Sourbier IV. Sourbier has served in the position since September 15, 2012, and his effective retirement date is September 16, 2024, according to Mayor Richard Starliper.
Sourbier has a long history in law enforcement, following in the footsteps of his father, James Sourbier III, who was a wildlife conservation officer. Prior to his promotion as Waynesboro’s Police Chief, James Sourbier was Chief of Police Services at Penn State’s Mont Alto campus and held other positions in area law enforcement. One official at PSU Mont Alto cited Sourbier as a “strong leader” who “effected significant changes and improvements” during his 27-year tenure at the college.
When he entered the Waynesboro Police Department, Sourbier possessed a diverse pedigree, having served in multiple organizations including the Justice Advisory Board, the county’s drug task force, and as a Deputy Game Warden for eight years. His leadership roles included the presidency of the county police chief’s association. Sourbier started his career after earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Shippensburg University.
Sourbier stated in an interview, when first accepting Waynesboro’s police leadership role: “Law enforcement is a privilege. I want to promote professional services in the Borough of Waynesboro and facilitate a sense of safety and security for its residents.”
According to Borough Town Councilman Dade Royer, that is precisely what Sourbier accomplished during his 12-year leadership in Waynesboro. “Chief Sourbier did a great job and we appreciate his service to our community,” Royer said. “I don’t think we could have found a better person to be our Police Chief. Jim was born in Waynesboro and has strong morals and solid character.” Royer also said Sourbier’s many law enforcement strengths will make finding an equal replacement a challenging task.
In addition, Royer stated Sourbier has been helpful with design elements of the proposed new Emergency Services Building, a major Borough project still in the planning process.
In a phone interview, Mayor Starliper said a potential Police Chief replacement existed within the current Waynesboro Police force, but no decisions have been made or offers tendered, and their recruitment process is ongoing. In Waynesboro’s government structure, the Mayor is responsible for managing the police force. Starliper will certainly have a major impact on the person ultimately hired, but Borough Council will hold the official vote to approve any candidate.
Starliper said that Sourbier will continue assisting with the recruiting process to fill vacancies on the current police force, which currently numbers 15 officers. The potential for 7 more officer posts are available and that process is mostly overseen by a Civil Service Commission, with a board of three individuals appointed by the Town Council. But this Commission is an autonomous group separate from the Council, mandated by the State of Pennsylvania.
Councilman Royer said it was common for police forces at every level, from small towns to big cities, to have recurring open positions and remain in a constant state of recruitment.
As Waynesboro looks ahead to new leadership, the Mayor and Town Council will search for a suitable replacement for Sourbier, who ably oversaw multiple challenges during his tenure. The Borough hasn’t been immune from problems thought more common in urban areas, including increasing police calls for mental health issues and battling the opioid crisis.
Waynesboro’s leadership aim is finding someone to mimic Sourbier’s initial goal- to provide safety and security to all residents- while managing and recruiting a diverse force of qualified officers who serve, helping citizens when in need or distress.
