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Their view: America’s angry presidents

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Mountain Top man accused of sexually assaulting four women while on duty as a police officer for Wilkes-Barre has retired, Mayor Tony George said Monday.</p><p>George said Robert M. Collins, 53, submitted a letter in early February indicating he has retired as a city police officer. He was a member of the city police force for 12 years and was paid $71,680 in 2018, city records show.</p><p>His pension status could not be confirmed Monday due to the Presidents&#8217; Day holiday, but a reading of the city&#8217;s Code of Ordinances shed some light on what someone in his position could expect.</p><p>Collins has not served the minimum 20 years, however he is older than the normal retirement age of 50. Participants in the pension plan with at least 10 years of service, but less than 20 years, are eligible for lifetime benefits that are calculated by a formula spelled in the code. It was not immediately clear if any other conditions might apply.</p><p>Prior to becoming a police officer, he was employed as a postal worker in Scranton.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/731194/wilkes-barre-police-officer-charged-with-raping-womenb" target="_blank">Collins was suspended with pay shortly after he was arrested by state police Jan. 22 on allegations he sexually assaulted four women while he was on duty from August 2013 to December </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/731194/wilkes-barre-police-officer-charged-with-raping-womenb" target="_blank">2014</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/731255/suspended-wilkes-barre-police-officer-collins-released-on-bail" target="_blank">Collins remains free on $125,000 bail he posted hours after his </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/731255/suspended-wilkes-barre-police-officer-collins-released-on-bail" target="_blank">arrest</a>. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 5 on multiple felony and misdemeanor sexual assault and official oppression charges.</p><p>The state Office of Attorney General is prosecuting Collins.</p><p>Collins is the second area officer facing charges of sexual assault while on duty.</p><p>Mark Icker, 29, of Dickson City, was arrested Dec. 20 by Luzerne County detectives after a woman claimed he took her to a secluded park where he forced her to perform a lewd sex act.</p><p>Within two weeks of his arrest, detectives charged Icker with additional allegations by two other women.</p><p>Court records show Icker was released from the county correctional facility Jan. 28 after posting $200,000 bail.</p><p><em>Staff writer Jerry Lynott contributed to this report.</em></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Collins </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_R-Collins-mug-shot-cmyk-4.jpg</photo0><caption0>Collins </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Collins retired from WB police force amid sexual assault allegations