`w' To Savor For Dallas 
Mounts Stay In Division Ii Title Hunt By Whipping Reigning Class A State Champ
O'reilly.

Organisms Found in Deepest Part of Ocean

By LANE FILLER lfiller@leader.net
 Friday, February 04, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE -- Mayor Tom Leighton said seven to 10 new police officers
will be sworn in this morning at 10 a.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Several city council members place the number at 10 patrolmen. Leighton
would not commit to a precise number because he could not confirm that all the
candidates had been spoken to and accepted the job by Thursday evening. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whatever happens, the number is higher than most expected. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 City Administrator J.J. Murphy said that in the past the department needed
five new policemen, and any more would be a bonus. The general consensus was
that five to seven new cops would be hired. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The city listed 51 patrolmen on the original 2005 budget, but has
significantly fewer on day-to-day duty. Leighton said eight patrolmen are out
on disability or workers' compensation and Chief Gerry Dessoye said about
three are assigned to specific task forces, so the true number sits at 40.
Dessoye refused to comment on the new hires until they are sworn in, deferring
to Leighton. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "What we're going to see is protection, visibility and a safe and clean
atmosphere in this city," the mayor said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Some council members, even while supporting more police, question why the
mayor would hire so many. The money for the new hires comes from the recently
passed Emergency and Municipal Services tax, and several on council have asked
why more of the money won't be used to fix dilapidated or closed fire
stations. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I've supported the hiring of more police officers for five years," said
Councilwoman Kathy Kane, "but I think we could have gotten by with six and
taken care of the firehouses. I'm very excited, but I didn't expect 10." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kane, a Heights resident, has been a staunch advocate of re-establishing
fire service in that neighborhood since the closure of the station on
Northampton Street several months ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Of the approximately $850,000 expected to be raised by the new tax in 2005,
$200,000 is earmarked for repairs to firehouses on Ross Street, Scott Street
and at Parrish and High Streets. But no money is budgeted to repair the closed
stations in the Heights and on Conyngham Avenue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's kind of more than I expected," said council member and former police
Chief Bill Barrett. "Certainly, it's a wonderful thing but I have a lot of
serious concerns about the bigger picture. We need to come up with a plan and
know where we're going with the fire stations." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Leighton said he has heard those concerns before. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We are putting a plan in action for the protection of the whole city, and
while fire protection is important and is a priority, so is the police force,"
he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Leighton favors building two new stations in the city using federal and
state funds rather than repairing closed firehouses with the city's money. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But some see the issue going beyond firehouses, and straight to the number
of firefighters working each day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I'm just disappointed that the mayor chose to address the shortages in the
police department but ignored the staffing reductions the fire department has
gone through," said Assistant Fire Chief and union President Tom Makar. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

7-10 New Cops To Be Sworn In W-b Some Council Members Say Number Is High, More Cash Should Go To Fire Stations.