Frustrated with a perceived overbearing state police presence in
the area, the mayor of Bradford has taken the problem to
Pennsylvania’s top officer.
Bradford Mayor Tom Riel said he had an amicable conversion
Thursday with Col. Frank Pawlowski, commissioner of the state
police, about what he believes is an overstepping of boundaries in
the city.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m satisfied,” he noted. “I’ll be
satisfied when it stops.”
Riel had made the inquiry due to complaints from drivers about
being tailgated or pulled over by state police without probable
cause. The mayor believes officers are pulling vehicles over
randomly to see if they can catch someone driving drunk.
He has made it clear that his problem lies not with the fact
that officers are enforcing laws, but how they are doing so.
According to the mayor, Pawlowski will speak to Capt. Kimberly
Leemhuis, a commander from the Troop C headquarters in
Punxsutawney, and other state police leaders in the area about this
issue.
“He assured me that he’s not of the mind they just have the
right to pull anyone over,” Riel said. “They have to have probable
cause.”
Last week, the mayor met with Kane station commander Sgt.
Jeffrey Wilson and Leemhuis to first broach the issue. Riel said
that during the meeting, he was told by police leaders that the
heavy surveillance was a “small price to pay for the numbers we’re
getting.”
Wilson was not available for comment Thursday.
Riel also took his case to the chief of staff for Gov. Ed
Rendell on Wednesday.
The mayor isn’t alone in the struggle. He and Bradford Township
Supervisor Chairman Don Cummins have both openly criticized the
methods they say are used by state police during patrols.
Cummins’ criticism has steered more toward the fact that both
Bradford City and Bradford Township have their own police forces
which are capable of handling themselves. His township has a
full-time police force which taxpayers fund for $500,000 a
year.
“How many people do we need patrolling?” Cummins said Tuesday.
“They’re ticketing for frivolous offenses.”
