A Columbia Borough police sergeant was reduced in rank and then immediately fired from the department Monday for removing a desktop computer from the borough office in July 2006.

Sgt. William L. Meyers, a longtime borough officer and second-in-command in the department, was demoted to the rank of patrolman, effective immediately Monday night.

In a second vote, council unanimously terminated Meyers' employment, effective today.

Stephen Perry was the sole councilman to oppose the reduction in rank. Perry did, however, vote for Meyers' dismissal.

The computer, which contained autopsy photos and other sensitive police materials, ended up in the hands of a computer shop owner after Meyers removed it from the station.

Lancaster County detectives who investigated the incident for District Attorney Don Totaro determined the computer had come into the possession of a tenant of a property owned by Meyers. The tenant then traded it for another computer at Computer Outlet in Columbia.

Jesse Sweigart, employee of the store, turned the computer over to police on Jan. 31. The Computer Outlet is owned by Silvia Fontanez.

Meyers took the computer home from the police station to review files.

It was given to the tenant by Meyers' girlfriend, who thought he had discarded the unit.

The investigation concluded Meyers did not break the law through his actions.

Chief County Detective Michael L. Landis said, in a statement, there was "little motive for Sgt. Meyers to take the computer for his own personal benefit."

Landis said the case was considered closed by the county. Any further action on the matter was left to the borough and its solicitor, Landis said.

Meyers had a handful of supporters in the audience Monday evening.

Despite several requests for information, council declined to comment on the decision.

"Council has no comments on this personnel matter," council President Robert Buzzendore told residents. "There will be a motion and a vote without comment."

Those residents who spoke Monday pleaded for clemency.

"He has problems, personal problems," said Linda Weber, 419 Union St. "There should be something done about what happened. But the person in question has been a good cop for a long time, dedicated to the borough. I just feel it's quite a harsh punishment for him to lose his job."

Weber instead pointed the finger at borough police Chief Joseph Greenya, who she said either overlooked the theft or allowed it to happen.

"We have some damn good officers," Weber said. "But you need to look at who's leading them. Morale is low."

Shirley McBride, 219 Perry St., said: "This is harsh punishment for something like this."

E-mail Tom Knapp at tknapp@lnpnews.com.