The Warren County Commissioners passed a resolution supporting a bill in the state House of Representatives calling for the restoration of full police powers to the state's sheriffs and deputies.
Pennsylvania sheriff and deputies were stripped of full police powers under a legal ruling handed down in the case of Kopko vs. Miller when the court deemed there was no legislation in place that gave those officers the power of investigation.
Commissioner John Bortz noted that the Warren County Sheriff's Department is already involved in patrolling the Allegheny National Forest at the request of the U.S. Forest Service and conducting DUI patrols. However, DUI arrests made by deputies may be declared null and void if a regular police officer is not present.
Commissioner Terry Hawk said he found it ironic that there was a push by the state to have the State Police conduct police and patrolling services for municipalities without a local police force and charge for those services. "I believe I heard a number of $52 a month," he said. "It looks like they are trying to force a monopoly here."
"This is a spot where I disagree with my fellow commissioners," said Commissioner John Eggleston, noting that the County Commissioner Association of Pennsylvania did not support the resolution due to its wording. "I support the intent of this bill," Eggleston said. "I don't support the wording. I'd ask the committee who is handling this to take it back to the drawing board.
"This is one of these issues where everyone is emotional. I don't understand why a one-sentence can't be passed to clear this up. I know there are politics involved and turf wars. It's just ongoing. And I hope they will clear it up," he said.
The commissioners passed the resolution, 2-1, with Eggleston voting against it.
"My opposition isn't toward what you want to accomplish," Eggleston told the group of Warren County Sheriff's deputies in attendance. "It's toward this specific bill."
In other business, the commissioners approved a DUI Enforcement Program Grant for the county from the state at the request of Probation Department director Carl McKee for $30,000.
The grant will be used to pay for the salaries and wages of officers conducting DUI patrols. McKee asked that the overtime pay rate for officers conducting be increased to $40 an hour.
"The problem is there is a lot of overtime out there to be done," McKee said, noting that DUI checkpoints are conducted on Saturdays between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. "It's not very attractive hours."
In other business, the commissioners:
- approved a trail structure agreement with PennDOT;
- awarded a bid for replacement of the Warren County Jail's hot water system with Innovative Construction for $24,800;
- approved an Interlocal agreement with the City of Warren and the Warren County 2010 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant;
- awarded HRSA grant contracts to the Tidioute Area Health and Dental Center.
The commissioners announced their August meeting has been changed to Aug. 12 and will be held in the commissioners' conference room in lieu of the auxiliary courtroom at the Warren County Courthouse.