POTTSTOWN — After 23 years on the Pottstown police force, Robert Thomas has a new position and a new office in Borough Hall.
Thomas, in a ceremony during Wednesday night’s Borough Council meeting, was promoted to the rank of captain.
His promotion comes on the heels of the promotion of his predecessor, Richard Drumheller, to police chief.
Thomas was a sergeant for 11 years and he led the detectives unit.
Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: The social media aspect doesn’t really strike me an a great crime fighting tool; however, crime mapping and focused patrols in problem areas are certainly a good start. We can only hope things move in a positive direction with the police department. Unless crime can be brought under control, revitalization and economic development cannot happen on a large enough scale to truly have a transformative impact on the Borough of Pottstown.
POTTSTOWN — Even before taking the oath Wednesday night as the borough’s new police chief, Richard Drumheller had some ideas to help make the community safer, even if it means using unconventional tactics.
Drumheller plans on using Facebook and Twitter to create a better connection with residents, increase patrols in high-crime areas and streamline the way police calls are dispatched.
One of the first changes he wants to make as the new chief is creating a department presence on social media as a way to engage with the residents of Pottstown.
He said people want to know what is going on in the borough and he wants to use Facebook and Twitter as a way to keep them informed.
Editor’s note: While we applaud any momentum to reduce the crime rate in Pottstown…at the rate of 1 to 2 percent per year it will take decades before the crime rate in Pottstown is below the national average. Maybe some “sweeping changes” are desperately needed! Pottstown needs a new mayor and a new borough council. Check out the Reform Party candidates as alternatives to the same old, same old, good old boy network candidates. You see how that’s working out.
POTTSTOWN — With a unanimous vote and no public discussion, borough council chose Police Captain F. Richard Drumheller as Pottstown’s new chief of police Monday night.
“At first I was nervous, now I’m excited,” Drumheller told his new boss, Mayor Bonnie Heath, after the council meeting.
Drumheller told The Mercury he does not plan any immediate “sweeping changes” to department operations, but that he does have plans to improve the borough’s policing over time and he would like to set a goal of driving down the borough’s crime rate by 1 to 2 percent in a year.
Downtown Hazleton, PA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: Kickin’ ass and takin’ names in Hazleton! Booya!
Police Chief Frank DeAndrea is giving a warning out to businesses operating in Hazleton to have their licenses and make sure that they are in conformity to the city’s codes.
The Hazleton Police Department is going to work in unison with the city’s fire, health, code enforcement, and highway departments in a new city-wide initiative called “Operation Clean Street.”
Set to begin in a week or two, the initiative will pull all of the departments’ resources in an effort to beautify the city’s streets and crack down on delinquent businesses.
According to DeAndrea, the operation will begin at the intersection of Diamond Avenue and Wyoming Street in which the fire department will bring a truck in to hose down and wash all debris from the streets and sidewalks.
Editor’s note: Would it have made more sense for Capt. Drumheller to take the Civil Service test before being offered the promotion? I love how council forms a committee to find a new police chief and they do absolutely nothing. The point of the committee was exactly what? We all know how things work in Pottstown **wink, wink, nod, nod** Thank you Evan for your candor in reporting this process.
POTTSTOWN — Police Capt. Richard Drumheller is now one step closer to being Police Chief Richard Drumheller.
If approved by a borough council vote Monday night, Drumheller will replace Borough Manager Mark Flanders, whose retirement as police chief becomes official April 14.
Since he was appointed Nov. 13 as borough manager, Flanders has held both positions, although drawing only one salary.
A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb quietly launched a broad audit of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police last week, according to communications obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette under the state right-to-know law.
The controller’s office launched the performance audit — which, as opposed to a fiscal audit, can go beyond dollars — through an email of March 21 to acting police Chief Regina McDonald. The email said preliminary objectives include “secondary employment and staffing.” The first meeting with Chief McDonald occurred Wednesday.
Other communications between top controller’s office officials and top police brass show that auditors launched a review of the police Premium Pay Account on Feb. 8 by emailing bureau personnel and finance manager Sandra J. Ganster. On Feb. 9, Ms. Ganster brought her concerns about the alleged diversion of funds meant for that account to public safety director Michael Huss, her attorney has said. The alleged misapplication of funds meant for the account last week became the centerpiece of the criminal case against former police Chief Nate Harper.
“It does appear that our [inquiry] is what prompted a whistle-blower to step forward,” Controller Michael Lamb said. ”I think that the work that we’ve done has helped to unveil this scandal.”
A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
To function better with less manpower, Reading police target specific addresses and people who are the sources of much of the city’s crime, Police Chief William M. Heim said Monday at a monthly strategy meeting of city officers.
“We engage in a very focused type of policing,” Heim said.
When one burglar is caught, burglaries in that neighborhood often dramatically decrease, Heim said.
City police have been having the monthly meetings for seven years, but they have become more vital now that the police force has dropped from 215 to 168 officers due to spending cuts, Heim said.
A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Pittsburgh police Deputy Chief Paul Donaldson ordered a secret credit union account to be shut down after learning of its existence in January from then-Assistant Chief Regina McDonald, he said Friday night.
The deputy chief confirmed that he has been cooperating with federal investigators probing the flow of funds into the Pittsburgh police bureau‘s personnel and finance office and has been interviewed by the FBI.
In January, Deputy Chief Donaldson said, Assistant Chief McDonald, who is now acting police chief, approached him after being made aware that an officer at police headquarters had written a formal memo documenting concerns about potentially questionable financial practices involving colleagues.
The memo, obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was dated Jan. 18 from Officer Christie A. Gasiorowski to her supervisor, Sgt. Carol Ehlinger.
A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Just as quietly as police brass have begun making changes at headquarters, city officials have begun their search for a new chief to head the bureau at the center of a federal investigation.
Few details have been released about the search for someone to succeed former Pittsburgh police Chief Nate Harper, who resigned under pressure last week after the mayor met with federal authorities.
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and public safety director Mike Huss have said only that they prefer an outside candidate, they have “no plans” to hire an outside search firm and they plan to consult the police union.
Groups that conduct searches for police chiefs say the process, when done thoroughly, can take months and can be especially tricky for a bureau under intense scrutiny.
Downtown Hazleton, PA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
HAZLETON – Scores of police officers scoured a neighborhood in the Alter Street business district with guns drawn Wednesday morning after the rear window of an unmarked police vehicle “exploded” when it was shot with something while a Hazleton detective sat inside.
City Police Chief Frank DeAndrea said the unnamed detective was not hurt.
He said the unmarked vehicle was parked at Fourth and Alter streets about 11:45 a.m. when the window “exploded as if shot out,” blowing “90 percent” of the glass inside the vehicle.
“It was shot with something. I’m just not sure what caliber, if it was a BB from a passing motorist,” Chief DeAndrea said.
Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/hazleton-scoured-after-police-car-window-shot-out-1.1451125
Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There’s a certain charm to a small-town police force such as Chief Richard Leisey Sr.’s department in Mohnton.
“Our residents like to see our car,” he said. “With a small department, we know the people who are in town, who they are, where they live.”
Like a number of other Berks County police chiefs, Leisey fears that personal touch would fade if his department joined a regional police force.
But as budget cuts force small departments to work fewer hours, cut officers or even disband, the idea of a regional force is looking better and better to Leisey.
“We would have 24/7 (local coverage) again,” he said.
A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Violent crime – especially murders – edged up in Reading last year, Police Chief William M. Heim told City Council on Wednesday.
In 2012, he said, murders rose 25 percent from 2011.
Still, Heim said, the city has nowhere near the crime levels it did in 2004 when it reported 1,116 incidents of violent crime. The 2012 statistics showed 828 incidents.
And the number of people shot also dropped, to 57 last year from 65 in 2011. The high was 109 people shot in 2002.
Editor’s note: Imagine that. Goals, leadership, a positive attitude from the top down AND a concern for the quality of life of city residents. Hmmmmm… is this too good to be true? Does this actually happen in the real world? I can think of a borough that could use an infusion of Chief Graziano’s I love my job attitude. It’s obvious that everybody doesn’t love their job, especially when they make really awful comments about they town they work in. Just sayin….
Acting Scranton Police Chief Carl Graziano has a plan in mind for the city Police Department in 2013. Some ideas build upon a foundation laid by previous programs and chiefs; others completely new.
The mentality he is bringing during his first full year as police chief is simple: help his officers do their job by getting them the best community support and equipment possible.
“I believe we have a lot of good quality officers here,” Chief Graziano said. ”One of my main goals is you’ve got to give the people below you the tools to do their jobs.”
The first goal is to continue and improve upon the community partnership by offering more proactive neighborhood policing with two new beat cop positions created solely for patrolling and addressing quality-of-life issues for residents.
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lehigh County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Upper Macungie Township began a new era Friday when 28 officers were sworn in to become the first members of the township’s new police department.
Police Chief Edgardo Colon said the ceremony was more meaningful because the township planned the police department from the ground up. Formerly, the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department serviced the township, but Upper Macungie elected to break away and form its own department.
“Everybody is eager and ready and prepared to move forward and start going to work,” Colon said.
Nicklaus Morris, one of the officers sworn in on Friday, echoed Colon’s sentiments.
One day after losing their jobs for fighting in the West Reading police chief’s office, the chief and his adversary squared off again Thursday, only this time in a courtroom.
Edward C. Fabriziani, who had been chief for 16 years, and Ronald E. Ladd, an 18-year veteran of the borough force, gave their versions of the Aug. 31 scuffle that sent Fabriziani to Reading Hospital by ambulance.
After hearing the testimony of both men and a county detective who investigated the incident, Senior District Judge Paul J. Hadzick sided with Fabriziani’s version.
After a one-hour trial, Hadzick found Ladd guilty of a summary count of harassment and ordered Ladd to pay a $300 fine and court costs.
Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: At least there are places in the universe where poor performance and bad behavior aren’t rewarded or tolerated!
After months of turmoil in its troubled police department, West Reading Borough Council voted Wednesday night to fire Police Chief Edward C. Fabriziani, Sgt. Richard Vetter and Officer Ronald E. Ladd.
“We had a rough night, as you can imagine,” Councilman James J. Gallen Jr. said after the vote, which was preceded by a 2½-hour executive session that left some council members teary-eyed.
Fabriziani and Council President Kevin M. Conrad declined to comment on the action, and Ladd and Vetter were not present.
Reached at home following the meeting, Ladd’s wife said that the couple needed a couple of days to deal with things before they would comment.
Editor’s note: Scranton had a population of 76,089 according to the 2010 census. The city is 25 square miles. According to Citydata.com, Scranton had 150 police officers and a department of 170 as of 2010. The crime rate in Scranton for 2010 was 275.7 (US average is 319.1).
Scranton currently has an acting Chief of Police whose salary is the same as the permanent Chief who stepped down three months ago. The salary for running a department of 170, in a city of 76,000 people is $81,073.
Pottstown had 22,377 residents according to the 2010 census and is 5 square miles. Pottstown had a police department of 46 officers (58 total) per Citydata.com’s data for 2010. Pottstown’s crime rate for 2010 was 539 (US average 319.1).
Pottstown’s Chief of Police/Acting Borough Manager is already making more than $100,000.00 a year.
The cost of living differences being taken into consideration, Scranton is 3 1/2 times the size of Pottstown in population, 5 time as large as Pottstown in area and has a police department 3 times the size of Pottstown’s and yet Scranton’s Chief of Police makes $20,000 less a year than Pottstown’s??? We won’t even get into the difference in the crime rate between the two (HINT: Scranton is safer).
Does this not illustrate why Pottstown’s budget is grossly over inflated? Does this not indicate paying a new borough manager way more than Jason Bobst was making is fiscal insanity?
The mayor of Scranton, who is the chief executive and not a ribbon cutter like Pottstown’s Missy Mayor, makes $81,872 (far less than Jason did) and he runs a city 3 1/2 time the size of Pottstown. And trust me, running Scranton is more challenging than running Pottstown.
Pottstown Borough Council might as well start a bonfire in Smith Plaza, throw the taxpayer’s money in, make a few s’mores and call it a day!
Here is the link to the article about how Scranton is handling their police department:
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/in-scranton-no-intention-of-changing-police-chief-status-1.1402117
Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Exeter Township Supervisor Dona L. Starr has dispelled fears that the township is considering reducing its police force to help balance the budget.
“There’s one, two, three, four board members who have never even mentioned laying off police officers,” Starr told a crowd of officers and police supporters at a special budget workshop meeting. ”I believe that the Exeter Township Police Department is the best in the county, and I want to keep it that way. I’m not willing to lay off any officers. I’m not willing to make any cuts.”
Starr’s comments at Wednesday’s meeting came after statements by Supervisor Kenneth A. Smith, who said he would not be opposed to reducing the police force to make up a $230,000 shortfall in the 2013 budget.
That number is down from an initial budget gap of about $400,000 in August.
Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Police Chief Theodore R. Roth spent most of Monday night’s Birdsboro Borough Council meeting silently staring at a copy of the 2013 budget spreadsheet.
But after more than 90 minutes of listening to council discuss how to balance next year’s $1.85 million budget, Roth could no longer keep quiet about rumors that his department was going to be downsized.
“I hear you’re facing two options, both of which are not very palatable,” he told council. “I’m asking what are those options but it seems like no one is willing to say it in public.”
Roth said his officers had heard that council discussed cutting an officer during recent executive sessions.
Despite needing 174 officers this year and budgeting for 168, the Reading Police Department has fewer than 140 officers able to do their full jobs, Police Chief William M. Heim told City Council on Monday.
And the Reading Fire Department is down seven firefighters from its already pared force – a gap being filled by mandatory overtime because the firefighters are too tired to volunteer for it – acting Fire Chief Jeffrey Squibb said.
Mass retirements have plagued both departments, and council asked the chiefs what their needs were for the city’s safety. The question was partly a reaction to council’s earlier, grudging approval of two new hires for the mayor’s office.
