web1_TTL100316pens1.jpg

Competition gets stiffer at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins camp

web1_julius.jpg

Penn State’s Joe Julius reveals eating disorder

JACKSON TWP. &#8212; The township supervisors approved hiring a part-time police officer Monday.Joshua Evans is a former part-time police officer for Jackson Township and a current full-time police officer with Larksville Borough, said John J. Wilkes Jr., supervisor chairman.&#8220;He was a part-time police officer with Jackson Township for four years,&#8221; Wilkes said. &#8220;He is returning back.&#8221;Also, resident Ed Chesnovitch asked supervisors about the status of the Back Mountain Police Regional study.&#8220;I know that this board was in favor,&#8221; Chesnovitch said. &#8220;I have heard many rumors about what municipalities were opting out.&#8221;Wilkes said the township is still committed to police regionalization, but &#8220;our neighbors opted out.&#8221;&#8220;That could have brought us into the 20th century, but it doesn&#8217;t look like that now,&#8221; Chesnovitch said. &#8220;(The study) was all positive.&#8221;The Back Mountain Police Regionalization Study was developed by the state Department of Community and Economic Development Governor&#8217;s Center for Local Government Services and presented to the Back Mountain Community Partnership in May 2016.Out of the six municipalities that participated in the study, Dallas, Kingston, Franklin and Lehman townships have opted out of pursuing the concept any further. Dallas Borough did not officially announce its position at the September BMCP meeting.Harveys Lake Borough, also a member of the BMCP, opted out of participating in the study.The study was designed to create a proposed plan on how six of the seven BMCP municipalities could create a regionalized police force.The study revealed the 84.6-square-mile region could be served by a police force consisting of 32 full-time police officers, including a police chief, two lieutenants, four sergeants, two detectives and 23 officers costing a total of $3,235,100.According to the study, a police headquarters would be established at the Kingston Township Police station with a substation located in Lehman Township.The next municipal meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 7 in the township building.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Eileen Godinegodin@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</shirttailMeta></div>

Jackson Township hires new police officer