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By MICHAEL McNARNEY mmcnarney@leader.net
Wednesday, March 19, 2003 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – With fourteen new officers and new scheduling powers, police
Chief Anthony George says more cops than ever will be on the streets.
The new cops come just in time for the May 20 primary election, when Mayor
Tom McGroarty will defend himself against Councilman Tom Leighton.
Leighton has made improved police protection a key part of his campaign.
But George – who serves at McGroarty’s pleasure and who has donated $1,500 to
his campaigns over the years – said the new hires have been planned for some
time and are not a political response.
Twenty-five officers were available at one point Friday night, George said,
and 16 on Saturday night. Up to 14 officers are on duty during the day, George
said.
“We’re a real aggressive department – real aggressive now,” George said.
“We have more men than in the 20 years I’ve been on the job.”
Last year, the department was plagued by complaints that officers took a
long time to respond to calls, if they responded at all. Especially vocal have
been residents south of downtown who have been circulating a petition asking
for state help.
“I don’t know where they complaining residents] get off saying you can’t
walk the streets,” George said. “We spoke to them. I don’t know what their
story is.
“Ross Street – that area has always been the red-light district. It’s a
lot cleaner now that it ever was.”
George said the department was hamstrung last year by too many officers
taking vacation at once and by up to six officers on a shift calling in sick.
That allowed officers to accumulate $307,604 in overtime in 2002.
George said he is limiting officers’ vacations and has disciplined officers
– who he would not name – who were allegedly abusing sick leave.
“To have six people call off sick one day and come back the next day,”
the chief said, before stopping and smiling. “That doesn’t occur any more.”
Sgt. Robert Hughes, president of the Police Benevolent Association, said
all the recent hires will drive down overtime.
George said the department has new scheduling powers that allow chiefs to
schedule when they are needed – not according to a pre-existing formula
mandated by the police union.
That puts more officers on the streets and reduces the number of officers
on contract-mandated desk jobs inside.
“Under Mayor Lee] Namey, we had 78 men, but we had 8 to 10 people who
never came outside,” George said.
Michael McNarney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7305.