Officer needs assistance

Officer Stuart Harrison has been with Southwestern Regional Police Department in York County, PA for 15 years.  During that time Officer Harrison has performed everyday “ordinary” work for a patrol officer such as saving the life of a drowning baby, applying tourniquets after car accidents to injured occupants, fighting with disorderly subjects, handling persons in emotional crisis.  He’s helped missing loved ones find their way home, human and animal, investigating car accidents, burglaries and so on.

Stu Harrison has trained several officers, and has been a huge reason for the successful officers at Southwestern Regional Police. Not only at his department but in other agencies. If requested assistance, Stu never questioned lending a hand.

Previous to his 15 years at Southwestern Regional Police department, Officer Harrison honorably retired from The United States Marine Core where he served 20 years, retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant. Officer Harrison also worked for York City Police Department for 2 years.

On May 30, 2018 around 4:50PM Officer Harrison was called to Santander bank on W. Hanover St, Spring Grove, PA by a terrified bank teller. The Santander bank teller in fear of the subject ran out of the bank to a nearby business and called 911 stating there was a male inside disturbing the business and demanding money. Officer Harrison arrived a few minutes after the original dispatch.  Officer Harrison encountered the subject inside the bank and tried to “reason” with him, after failed attempts at verbal commands to leave peacefully, Officer Harrison deployed his taser in attempt to gain compliance, however the subject was able to pull the taser prongs from making contact with his body leaving the taser deployment ineffective. An additional officer was requested for assistance, responded without hesitation and attempted to assist officer Harrison in gaining compliance of the subject After several minutes of a physical altercation the subject was handcuffed and escorted out of the business, but continued to resist police commands to have a seat in the rear seat of the marked patrol unit.  At this time out of taser cartridges, Officer Harrison thought he pulled his taser and was attempting to “drive stun” the subject in his upper thigh,  a common pain compliance action to get the resisting subject into the police cruiser.   However, after several minutes of a physical altercation and the yelling and screaming from bystanders’ within feet of the officers, Officer Harrison mistakenly and accidentally drew his firearm and fired 1 round into the subject’s thigh.  Officer Harrison immediately re-holstered his firearm and summons EMS personal and began providing the subject medical attention. The subject was transported to York hospital where he was treated and released.

The subject was charged by Pennsylvania State Police and on November 16, 2018 plead guilty at Magistrate Judge Reilly office.  However, the District Attorney’s Office shockingly dismissed ALL, yes ALL,  of the resisting arrest related charges against the subject as part of this plea agreement, despite the subject’s physical resistance to the officers both inside and outside of the bank and placing the officers in harms way.

On November 30, 2018,  District Attorney, David Sunday, of York County, announced his office filed the charge of Simple Assault against Officer Harrison for his “mistake”. Officer Harrison is awaiting his preliminary hearing.

Any and all donations would directly support Officer Harrison legal defense fund as he has been placed on unpaid administrative leave during this time. Thank you for your support.