Schuylkill Township's lone police officer has been instructed not to attend the township's board of supervisors meetings when they are being videotaped.

That was the action taken by the board on a 2-1 vote Wednesday after it heard various complaints from residents who questioned why officer Jennifer Dempsey has not sat in on recent meetings.Supervisor Chuck Fayash, who cast the sole vote in opposition of the motion, said after the meeting that he voted against the measure because any public official can be videotaped or recorded at any time, and that even if the meeting is being videotaped, Dempsey should be able to sit in the back of the room.The long-standing issue once again began to brew under public comment, when resident Paul Benulis of Brockton began to ask about the whereabouts of Dempsey.Benulis, who videotapes township meetings, took supervisors to task on the status of Dempsey, who works part time for the township."Do we still have a cop? Is she still on duty, because nobody's seen her?Benulis said it was his understanding that Dempsey was located in proximity to the meeting, and questioned why she couldn't be in attendance.Supervisor Christine Verdier said Dempsey was not at the meeting because she had to assist the township fire chief on a matter.Benulis responded that every month Dempsey is absent from the meeting.Verdier said that would be the case until Benulis stops videotaping the meetings.Regardless, Benulis said Dempsey should be at the meetings.Resident Dan Gray of Brockton also expressed frustration that there appears to be no police presence in the township."I never see her, nobody has," Gray said. "I'm concerned."Further, Gray said the video camera would in no way endanger anyone, and that it would be nice just to see a police presence at the meeting.Benulis said he merely videotapes the meetings for the residents of the township who are not able to attend in person.Verdier said the matter of videotaping has been discussed with the Schuylkill County district attorney.Benulis said the action taken by supervisors to not have Dempsey sit in on meetings that are being videotaped was a "very foolish decision to make."Resident Mary Van Pelt said this marked two meetings in a row when Dempsey was seen at the township municipal building, only to leave before the start of the meeting.Van Pelt then questioned why, at the very least, Dempsey isn't required to submit a police report when she is unable to be in attendance."That should be written down on a piece of paper," Van Pelt said. "Why can't that be done?