Ghostbusters! Chester cop, arrested, sues Upland Boro

BY STEPHANIE FARR, Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: September 13, 2012

A CHESTER POLICE officer who moonlights as a "semiprofessional paranormal investigator" has sued Upland Borough and two of its cops for allegedly arresting her and her children while they were performing an investigation, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday.

Diane Briscoe and her sons, Jonathan and Alton, were hired in September 2010 to conduct a paranormal investigation at a house on Second Street in Upland, the suit said.

Briscoe, who has been a Chester cop for more than 20 years, alleges that she and her kids were ghost-hunting in the property when Upland cops burst in without a search warrant and handcuffed the trio at gunpoint.

The homeowner was not present, but Briscoe claims that she told police she had permission to be in the house, showed them a key, gave them the owner's phone number and told them she was a cop. She alleges that police did not call the homeowner to verify her claims.

Briscoe and her sons were charged with trespass and disorderly conduct, charges that later were dismissed in district court. She is suing the officers and Upland Borough for false arrest, assault and related charges.

What Briscoe doesn't mention in her lawsuit is that at the time of her investigation, the house had been found uninhabitable by Upland officials because of a recent fire, according to a January 2011 story in the Delaware County Daily Times.

Upland Borough Manager Shirley Purcival said she could not comment on pending lawsuits.

Contact Stephanie Farr at farrs@phillynews.com or 215-854-4225. Follow her on Twitter @FarFarrAway. Read her blog at philly.com/dailydelco.