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HAZLETON — City Police Cpl. Keith McAlarney is one of the few officers in Luzerne County who has been shot in the line of duty and returned to active service.
But that harrowing experience has not diminished his enthusiasm for what he does.
“I love my job,” said McAlarney, a 15-year veteran of Hazleton’s force. “To be honest, I don’t know what else I would be doing if I wasn’t in law enforcement.”
McAlarney is a second-generation lawman. He considers his father the driving force behind his decision to put on a uniform every day.
“My father was a member of the Hazleton City Police for 27 years,” he said. “He loved to help people and I do too.”
Early on in McAlarney’s career, he was thrust into a situation no officer ever hopes to be in.
In November 2006, McAlarney and another officer were wounded during a shootout outside Harman-Geist Stadium on North Cedar Street. The assailant approached McAlarney’s passenger door and fired numerous rounds into his police car.
One bullet struck McAlarney in his left arm before officers shot and killed the suspect.
McAlarney, just a few years into his crime-fighting career at that point, had to endure a 13-month recovery before returning to the force.
“Some people say it doesn’t hurt when you get shot because of the adrenaline,” McAlarney recalls. “I can tell you it hurts a lot. But in that situation, you have to keep going. You have to make sure you stop the threat.”
Despite that close call, McAlarney remains committed to protecting the city.
“This is certainly a dangerous job and it’s not to be taken lightly, but it’s a great job,” said the veteran lawman. “After my incident, my wife could have easily asked me to leave the job. I’m lucky I have the love and support of my family.”
McAlarney was involved in another incident with bullets flying earlier this year.
“I guy opened fire on us,” he said. “I had a bullet zip past my head. Had I been two inches taller, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
McAlarney credits the camaraderie and great teamwork everyone on the department displays on a daily basis.
“Whenever something serious happens, everyone has your back,” he noted. “We are a family. We are always there for each other.”
‘Bad things can happen’
Patrol work can be tough for any officer because McAlarney says there are so many variables involved, especially when it comes to pulling over vehicles.
“Whatever you observe in the initial moments approaching the car sets up the way your interaction is going to go,” he says. “When you look inside the car, you try to observe what’s inside, how the person is acting and often times it’s a good indicator of what will happen.”
Like many other cities across the country, one of the biggest problems Hazleton faces is the drug and opioid epidemic.
“Most of the crimes that happen in this city are drug based,” said McAlarney.
And that only adds another element of danger.
“There is no such thing as a routine call,” he said. “There can be a million different outcomes. You just hope for the best one.
“There’s always a good chance you might not come back,” he added. “That’s something that’s always in the back of your head, but you can’t think about it because you would never be able to do your job safely.”
McAlarney also stresses the importance of staying on high alert.
“You can’t let yourself become complacent,” he said. “Bad things can happen when you let your guard down. You have to be on high alert at all times. Sometimes you have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
McAlarney serves as a patrol supervisor for the department.
”I really make sure everyone is doing their jobs so they get home safe every day,” he said.