Tunkhannock wrestling makes history before being eliminated from PIAA team championships

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Happy birthday to Jett Desmond Leininger!

<p>LEHMAN TWP. &#8212; An increase in criminal activity inspired a Back Mountain municipality to re-establish its 24-hour police force.</p><p>For 13 years, Lehman Township maintained part-time police protection, utilizing the Pennsylvania State Police for off-hour coverage. But as criminal activity seeped into the rural community, township supervisors agreed a full-time police force would better serve residents.</p><p>&#8220;The State Police did a fine job, but it is time to handle it (criminal activity) on our own,&#8221; said Lehman Township Police Sgt. Mark Liparela.</p><p>To prove a need existed for 24-hour police coverage, Lehman Police Chief Howard Kocher and Liparela began logging all third-shift police and emergency calls in 2013.</p><p>&#8220;About two years ago, I asked the chief if I could start a log on missed third-shift police calls,&#8221; Liparela said.</p><p>Kocher and Liparela continued to compile data regarding after-hour police calls. Their records showed an increase in police calls pertaining to vehicle break-ins, middle of the night DUI crashes and reported drug activities.</p><p>The calls were going to the State Police, who would respond if they could, he said.</p><p>&#8220;The State Police were busy, too,&#8221; Liparela said and noted a State Police officer could receive multiple calls at any given moment.</p><p>&#8220;The State Police have a wide area to cover,&#8221; said Lehman Twp. Supervisor Raymond Iwanowski.</p><p>&#8220;There were times when volunteer fire and emergency management services personnel were out (at accident scenes) by themselves with no police coverage,&#8221; Liparela said.</p><p>In 2015, Liparela approached township supervisors with a request to allow him to add third shift coverage three days a week from May 1 to Labor Day and log the police calls during this time.</p><p>They agreed.</p><p>&#8220;The supervisors are very pro-community,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The results during the three-month period revealed faster police response time, Liparela said.</p><p>Kocher and Liparela presented township supervisors with their data and asked them to consider implementing a full-time police force.</p><p>In November 2015, supervisors announced a slight property tax increase from 1.45 to 1.75 mills for 2016 would help fund the 24-hour police force. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed property. The cost to residents breaks down to 11 cents a day or $3.25 a month, Alvin Cragle, township treasurer said.</p><p>Supervisors also promoted Lehman Township Police Officer Harold Cain to full-time status.</p><p>The Lehman Township Police Department has three full-time and six part-time officers and four police cruisers, Liparela said.</p><p>&#8220;We are very confident in our police force and their ability,&#8221; Iwanowski said.</p><p>The trade-off of higher property taxes for 24-hour local police coverage is one township resident Robin Rogers is willing to make.</p><p>&#8220;You know from what is reported in the news there is more crime in the Back Mountain,&#8221; Rogers said. &#8220;We have a fairly large community and need a full-time police force to keep an eye on things.&#8221;</p><p>Lehman business owner Danielle Mimms of Big Ten Subs &amp; Pizza said she never realized the police department was part-time.</p><p>&#8220;They were always here if we needed them,&#8221; Mimms said.</p><p>&#8220;I think it is a good idea,&#8221; township resident Jerry Shilanski said of the full-time police coverage. &#8220;There is drug activity around here.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Lehman Township Police Sgt. Mark Liparela helped log police calls and response times to provide data showing the need for a full-time police force. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_lehmantwp01-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lehman Township Police Sgt. Mark Liparela helped log police calls and response times to provide data showing the need for a full-time police force. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_lehmantwp02-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Lehman Township Police force offers round-the-clock services starting Jan. 4, Lehman Township Police Sgt. Mark Liparela said. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_lehmantwp02-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>The Lehman Township Police force offers round-the-clock services starting Jan. 4, Lehman Township Police Sgt. Mark Liparela said. </caption1><photoCredit1>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Eileen Godin</p><p>egodin@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Lehman Township Police Department is now out in force 24/7