`heaven And Earth' 
Is Vintage Stone

Above, Rick Derringer Heads Up A Multi-talented Roster Of Musical Guests 
Including, Right, Dead Letters.

By ROBERT SITTEN; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Friday, January 07, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: REESE SAYS ORDERS JUST
SHOW HE CARES 





KINGSTON -- Mayor Gary Reese said Thursday his intent in ordering that he
be informed of emergencies in the municipality isn't to become "some kind of
ambulance-chaser. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I'm not a cop. I don't want to be a cop. I'm not going to jump and run at
the first hint of any kind of police call," Reese said. "My being there is
just showing that I care about what's happening in Kingston." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Acting police Chief James Keiper issued a memo to emergency-services
dispatchers on Tuesday, ordering them to notify the mayor immediately of
emergency situations, including fires, explosions, homicides, riots or other
major disturbances. On Tuesday night, Reese was called about a man found dead
in his home. He said he went to the scene and spoke to the widow. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It was a DOA (dead on arrival); a man died of natural causes. He'd been
dead for several hours. There's nothing suspicious about it," police Chief
Gerald O'Donnell said. O'Donnell is participating in an FBI training program
for police chiefs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Reese said he stayed outside the house until Deputy Coroner Andrew Strish
finished an investigation of the site. Only afterward, Reese said, did he go
in. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I went to offer any support I could give. I didn't go to gawk, and I
didn't go looking for a murder," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The mayor also wrote letters of commendation to the police department and
fire department for the way they handled the incident. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It isn't unprecedented for mayors to be present at emergency scenes or to
ask that they be informed of emergency situations. Frank Sorochak, former
mayor of Kingston, said Thursday he occasionally rode in police cruisers when
he first became mayor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They do three different shifts, and on those shifts it's like you see
three different sides of Kingston. I was in a police cruiser in places where I
didn't know you could fit a cruiser," Sorochak said. "But once I'd done that
for a while, I didn't want these guys (the police) to think I was checking up
on them." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sorochak said he went to emergency scenes only when he deemed it necessary
and was satisfied as long as he was kept up to date. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's just a different philosophy of doing things," he said of Reese's
orders. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Forty Fort's new mayor, Robert Megatulski, gave a similar order to his
police chief, Robert Sulitka. As a borough councilman for 10 years, Megatulski
said he was always at emergency scenes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I don't have any role there at all. I leave everything up to the chief.
All I'm concerned about is knowing what's going on," Megatulski said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sulitka said there's never been a problem with having Megatulski or his
predecessors at emergencies. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "When they go to the crime scene, the mayors usually know better than to
get in the way," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Reese requested a beeper and a two-way police radio when he took office, he
said, so he can be reached easily and can keep track of the police, fire and
other municipal departments. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 O'Donnell said Reese is under the same guidelines as any civilian at crime
scenes, fires or other emergencies. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He won't be involved in any investigation or take control of any crime
scene, or tell any officer what to do," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Being present while police, fire or other emergency personnel work also
will give the mayor a hands-on knowledge of how they do their jobs, O'Donnell
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If they have a complaint or need something that would help them do their
jobs better, I'll understand it because I've seen them work," Reese said.

Reese Says Orders Just Show He Cares Kingston Mayor's Dictate That All Emergencies Be Reported To Him Is Not Unprecedented