Lansford’s new police chief laid down the law Wednesday night after a borough councilwoman openly criticized his department during a council meeting.

Kyle Woodward, who took over as chief in January, responded to statements posed by Councilwoman Michele Bartek, who said she had complaints from borough residents about the department.

Bartek charged there aren’t enough officers to cover shifts and that weekends often go without police protection.

“I’m getting a lot of feedback that we do not have officers,” she said. “We have no manpower and the people of the town are getting pretty upset with it.”

She said she fielded complaints about three officers being in the office during the day – when they’re not needed – and not having officers on when a man died in a car crash on the weekend.

Bartek also took issue with borough police working with the Carbon County Drug Task Force when they don’t have enough manpower to cover shifts.

Mayor Hugh Vrablic said the task force came to Lansford and borough officers assisted in taking down a drug dealer.

“It was run by Nesquehoning and they got a lot of drugs off the street, actually,” he said.

Bartek disagreed, and at that point, Woodward stepped into in the conversation, responding point by point to issues she raised.

Woodward objected to police issues, such as manpower, being discussed in a public forum. He also pointed out that his officers do work weekends, and their work with the task force took down one of the area’s biggest drug dealers.

“And it didn’t cost Lansford a dime,” he said. “We are being reimbursed by the Attorney General’s Office and it didn’t affect any coverage.”

Woodward said he could have been doing police work Wednesday night, specifically drug buys to lay the groundwork for arrests, but instead came to council’s meeting.

“I think we need to have communication with each other … all of council,” he said. “Because there’s miscommunication going on.

“Let me justify the stuff. I don’t need to put it out in public,” Woodward continued. “I’m not trying to bash you, Michele, but I think it’s wrong. I mean, we just talked about this. To me, that’s stabbing me in the back.”

Bartek responded, telling Woodward she has to answer to the people who pay his salary. Woodward agreed, explaining it shouldn’t be done at a public meeting where no one was asking about the police.

Woodward said hashing the issues out in an open forum was disrespectful to everyone involved.

“Normal police departments don’t work like this,” he said.

Woodward asked the standing room only crowd for a show of hands if they believed he could run the department. Many did raise their hands, and Bartek said she did believe he could.

“Then, let me do it,” Woodward said in a raised voice. “Let me do it!”

He again asked people to allow him to address the issues and do what needs to be done. Woodward also asked for a little credit for what they have done, like taking drug dealers off the streets.

Woodward asked Bartek and council members to talk to him privately and let him address concerns, and not air everything in a public meeting.

A few people in attendance sided with Woodward, because discussing things in an open forum only lets criminals know what’s happening, they said.

“The criminals know already,” Bartek responded.

Vrablic said the answer is hiring more police officers, and Woodward agreed.

“But for right now, we’re probably not going to get them,” the chief said. “We have to deal with each other.”

Council President Bruce Markovich said that they would discuss this at an executive session announced for next Tuesday at 6.