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ellwood city police department

February 12, 2026

PUBLIC SAFETY NOTICE: Lock Your Vehicle, Shovel Your Sidewalks

The Ellwood City Police and Fire Departments have each issued public safety notices related to the winter weather, snow, and safety of our community. A Message from Ellwood City Police Department and Sgt. Michael McBride: To the residents of Ellwood City and Ellport: With the warmer weather approaching, we want to remind everyone to please keep your vehicle doors locked and remove any valuables from sight. We have recently received reports of vehicles being entered and items being taken. Most of these incidents involve unlocked cars, making them easy targets. A simple step like locking your doors can greatly reduce…

January 23, 2026

Borough of Ellwood City Seeks Full-Time Patrolman

According to a release made available by the borough, Ellwood City is seeking a full-time patrolman. Please see job listing for Full Time Patrolman by clicking the link below: The Borough of Ellwood City is accepting applications for the position of Full-Time Patrolman (Civil Service position). An application form is required to be completed and submitted with a non-refundable fee of $35.00 payable to the Borough of Ellwood City, c/o Borough Manager, 525 Lawrence Avenue, Ellwood City, PA 16117. Deadline for receipt of completed applications and fee is Friday, February 20, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Applications may be obtained at…

October 6, 2025

Ellwood City Borough Council Accepts Resignation of Police Officer Robert Magnifico

Ellwood City Borough Council voted to accept the resignation of police officer Robert Magnifico during a special public meeting Monday night. In a unanimous vote, Council determined that, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 will be Magnifico’s last day of employment. Previously during a regular meeting held on July, 15, 2024, Council accepted his entrance into the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) with his employment end date at that time being July 15, 2028. According to the terms of the DROP, the participant has the right to terminate employment at an earlier date than planned, which Magnifico enacted with a letter of…

June 16, 2025

Ellwood City Police Officer Demoted, Suspended, Ordered to Attend Anger Management Classes Following Gas Station Altercation

Ellwood City Borough Council on Monday evening handed down the disciplinary action for a police officer involved in an altercation at the Sheetz in Ellwood City that was captured on video and posted all over social media and the Internet. Council voted unanimously to demote Sergeant Robert Magnifico to patrolman, ordered him to take classes in de-escalation and anger management (approved by Mayor Anthony Court), and suspended him for ten days without pay. Magnifico has been on administrative leave with pay since June 13 and through today, according to Borough Solicitor, Ryan Long. Prior to the vote on the disciplinary…

June 9, 2025

Ellwood City Police Officer Taking Personal Days During Investigation Following Altercation

An Ellwood City Police Officer is taking personal days following an incident at the Ellwood City Sheetz on Friday, June 6. In a video that has seemingly gone “viral” on Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit, borough police Sgt. Robert Magnifico is shown pushing an unidentified person, who was yelling at Magnifico. A bystander was filming the altercation. Magnifico, during the  39-second video, can be heard yelling, “Understand this, son. I’m not going to put up with your s***. Understand who you’re talking to. I’m not going to put up with your crap. I told you to quit yelling and screaming. You’re…

April 15, 2025

Several Area Police Departments Participating In National Drug Take Back Day

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10am-2pm (local time) at locations nationwide. This event, which happens twice a year, is a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs at locations in communities throughout the country. The Ellwood City, Franklin Township, and North Sewickley Township are among those area police departments participating in the drug take back program on Saturday, April 26 that is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m locally. Residents may use the opportunity to turn in unused or expired medication for safe disposal. Drug take back…

February 12, 2025

POLICE: Local Narcotics Raid Leads To Arrest

On January 30th, 2025, members of the Lawrence County District Attorney’s HIDTA Drug Task Force, the Ellwood City Police Department, and the Lawrence County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) executed a search warrant at 306 Wood Street, Ellwood City. Operation “The Issue is Smoot” began at approximately 6:10 a.m. when CIRT knocked and announced their presence. Once no contact was made at the front door, entry was made. CIRT secured the residence, locating and detaining one female. The target of the investigation, 26-year-old Aubrey Quillan Smoot, was not present at the residence. As a result of the search, the following…

January 25, 2024

Donation Made To ECPD K9 Fund and Youth Bureau Program

A $5,000 donation through the efforts of the KC Venezie Charitable Foundation and Mayor Anthony J. Court was made this week to the Ellwood City Police Department K9 Fund and Youth Bureau Program. The donation was provided to help support the police departments programs that assist with community protection and safety. The ECPD K9 Fund and its Youth Bureau program are a fully funded by donations. Funds are used for training, equipment, food and housing for the Ellwood City Police Department K9 dog, Nico. Nico is a dual purpose work dog that specializes in narcotics detection as well as area…

January 9, 2024

Congressman Mike Kelly Visits The Borough

Mayor Anthony Court welcomed Congressman Mike Kelly in the borough last Friday. Kelly was in the area and met with the mayor and Sgt. Michael McBride concerning grant funds for police funding. Court and McBride proposed several needs for the department and Congressman Kelly is trying to secure funds through grants. While in Lawrence County, the Congressman followed his visit to Ellwood City with a stop in Wampum to meet with Mayor Jesse Altman and local officials. Congressman Kelly is the U.S. Representative serving the 16th District of Pennsylvania. The counties in the 16th District include Butler County, Crawford County,…

November 10, 2023

One Officer, One Gun: A Brief History of the Thompson Submachinegun

The classic image of a Thompson submachine gun with its distinctive drum magazine was made popular by romanticized movies and TV shows like “The Untouchables” depicting Prohibition-era gangsters using the euphemistic “Chicago typewriter” in gangland drive-by shootings. This is the image most people have of a Thompson. Few of us envision a lone Ellwood City Police officer using the iconic weapon against criminals at the end of the Lincoln High School-Veterans Bridge on 5th Street. The story of that very occurrence is wonderfully told by Robert Barensfeld in his 1995 essay written for the Ellwood City Area Historical Society entitled:“The…