Sunday, 22 November 2015 19:00

To the Editor: Questions about losing our police department.

Well, that didn’t take long.  Only a few months after getting rid of the Barrett Township Police Department, the ESSA Bank on Route 390 in Mountainhome was robbed.  

This article may be “too little, too late,” but we can still ask questions about the way our Township Supervisors are conducting business.

1.  Why did we go with Regional over State?
Looking only at the distance between Barrett Township and the corresponding police headquarters:
- State Police Barracks in Swiftwater: 11.1 miles (19 minutes according to Google)
- Mount Pocono Regional Police: 14.9 miles (26 minutes according to Google)

Realizing that modern police use their vehicle as a mobile office, this may be an irrelevant point.  However, it’s plain to see that the drive from State Police Barracks in Swiftwater is much shorter and goes through less congested areas.  In particular, the State Police barracks don’t have to cut through the intersection of Routes 611 and 940.

2.  Why didn’t we just downsize?  The whole thing had to go?
In 2009, we had 2 or 3 officers.  By 2014, we had over 5 full time officers.  When budget issues arose, why didn’t we simply get rid of a few officers?  I realize that there are real people and families that depend on these officers’ incomes, but was this decision really made based on the best interests of the community at large?


 

“When seconds count, the police are only minutes away”
You are responsible for the protection and safety of you and your family.  While we do still enjoy an active police patrol / presence, it may take over half an hour for them to arrive when you call.  This means that it is of the utmost importance that you purchase a firearm, ammunition, and learn how to use it.  Most shootings happen in “gun free zones” because the victims are unable to defend themselves.  

Signed,
Concerned Citizen

Last modified on Tuesday, 29 December 2020 10:41