W-b Area Gets High Marks On Budget, Crime 
District Reports Surplus, Lower Crime Rate, But Hears Criticism About
Appointing Minorities.

Accountability Required So Columbia's Astronauts Don't Die In Vain

By LAUREN ROTH lroth@leader.net
 Wednesday, February 19, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





HARVEYS LAKE - Charles Musial got news in two strong doses Tuesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 First, he opened his mail to find a new card certifying him as a Harveys
Lake police officer. Then he heard Robert ``Hot Dog Bob'' Prescott had filed a
complaint asking the district attorney to arrest him for impersonating a
police officer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``I can't even believe this is happening to me,'' Musial said. ``It's
unbelievable. It can't get any worse, I think.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Musial's certification was called into question Jan. 22 when the state
confirmed it had no record of his training. A part-time borough officer for
four years, his training was not in question. But he stopped work until the
situation could be resolved. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I'll hopefully be on the force for the weekend,'' he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Councilwoman Betty Jane West said she heard about Musial's certification,
but did not see the paperwork. West said the mayor and some other council
members also knew of the certification. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Prescott is awaiting trial on charges of disorderly conduct and harassment
in connection with a June 4 scuffle with Musial. He was arrested the following
day by Musial and John Edwards, one of four other Harveys Lake officers whose
state certification was lacking. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In his complaint and request for a warrant, filed Tuesday in Luzerne County
Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Prescott said Musial wrestled him to
the ground to handcuff him, then pounced repeatedly on him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Legally he had no more right to do this to me than I have to do it to
you,'' Prescott said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 An officer must be certified to carry a weapon and enforce state laws,
including making arrests, said Maj. Richard Mooney, director of the
certification commission. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Prescott is requesting that Musial be arrested for ``repeatedly''
assaulting him and abducting him while he ``impersonated a police officer.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``If I am arrested, I am arrested. We'll go from there,'' Musial said.
``We'll see what the district attorney's thought is.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But even Prescott doesn't expect Luzerne County District Attorney David
Lupas to arrest Musial. ``I think they'll kick it back, then I can appeal to
common pleas court. I hope they put this out for a trial.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Prescott has been battling the borough since 2001, when it prohibited him
from selling hot dogs on leased land on state Route 415. He said he thinks his
prosecution was ``all political.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His wife called police after Prescott was involved in an altercation with
neighborhood teenagers. The tussle started when Musial tried to pull
Prescott's arms behind his back, Prescott said. Because of an old shoulder
injury, one of his arms couldn't ``go that way,'' he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Musial ``put both arms around my neck, both legs around my legs and we
tumbled to the ground,'' according to Prescott, who said he suffered a
dislocated shoulder and many cuts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Police said Prescott was being cuffed for Musial's safety. Former police
Chief Jeff Butler, who resigned because of the certification controversy, and
Mayor Richard Boice were unavailable for comment Tuesday night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Musial said he's just glad to have some good news. His new card from the
Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission is
``very nice,'' he said. ``It looks like a drivers license.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`hot Dog Bob' Wants Officer Arrested For Impersonation