Was There A Search To Replace Chesco Warden?— Former Downington Police Chief Howard Holland was running Chester County Prison when Danelo Cavalcante broke out Aug. 31 which was the day after the official retirement of Warden Ronald M. Phillips.
Phillips had been at the prison since 1983 and had been deputy warden under his predecessor Ed McFadden, who retired in 2020.
He had been on administrative leave since July.
Was he just using up his vacation time? Or was it something else?
Holland was serving with the title interim warden. While having a long career in law enforcement, he does not appear to have experience in running a prison.
Why was he tapped for the job? Was there no one in the prison’s administration who could have stepped in? Was there a search? Could Phillips have been asked to hang on a little longer for the county to start one?
Or was it because Holland worked with Chesco Commissioner Josh Maxwell, while Maxwell was mayor of Downingtown and Maxwell liked him, and nobody considered the requirements of the job?
If so, that’s one more pretty big strike against those running Chester County.
Was There A Search To Replace Chesco Warden?