Allentown council promotes community policing

By Darryl R. Isherwood and Paul Muschick

The Morning Call

May 09, 2008

Another salvo has been fired in the ongoing battle over a proposed community policing program in Lehigh County.

Allentown City Council introduced a resolution Wednesday in support of the program, which would provide county-funded matching grants to pay for the cost of local police in high-crime areas.

During the introduction, council members had sharp words for the county commissioners, who last month cut funding for the proposal from $1 million to $1, citing the need for additional information.

''I was shocked and appalled they are that unconcerned with public safety in the city of Allentown,'' said council President Michael D'Amore.

Councilman Peter Schweyer called the commissioners' vote an ''absolute abomination.''

As proposed by County Executive Don Cunningham and District Attorney James Martin, the program would provide $1 million in matching grants over the next three years. The money would be used to fund street officers in high-crime areas of the county.

The $1 million was to be taken from the county's surplus, but the Republican majority on the commission balked at funding the grants. During the public hearing on the program, called ''Safe Streets,'' commissioners wondered what support existed among the local governments, which would pay half of the new officers' salaries.

The five Republicans who opposed the measure also questioned whether the county should get involved in local law enforcement. Others questioned whether putting a few more officers on the streets would have any effect.

Reached Thursday, Commissioner Chairman Percy Dougherty, who opposed the funding, said he is unlikely to change his vote.

''The county has as much right to support the police in Allentown as Allentown has to support Cedarbrook [nursing home], the zoo and other county functions. Police is a function of the municipality.''

Dougherty said he has spoken to elected leaders in several outlying boroughs and townships, who have said they would rather see the money go to other programs.

Commissioner Andy Roman, who has also opposed funding the measure, said support from City Council won't sway his vote either. Roman said the county voted to fund $3 million in other anti-crime initiatives, and it's ridiculous for City Council to attack the commissioners over one.

''We are doing all of these broader initiatives such as the regional crime center and the [universal] records system,'' he said, ''but if we don't support cops on bikes, we're not supporting the city.''

Roman said the commissioners will look to use the money to upgrade the county Sheriff's Department, which he said is ''outgunned, understaffed, ill-equipped and lacks proper training.''

''We need to address those issues before we begin handing out money to other municipalities,'' he said.

But Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski said there should be no doubt that area governing bodies support the plan, based on the lobbying by police chiefs and other public officials who attended the county meeting where it was voted down.

''I wonder if this just isn't political posturing on their part,'' he said. ''This is not an issue to politically posture on.''

D'Amore also said support for the program among the county's 25 municipalities is clear.

For his part, Cunningham said he doesn' plan to abandon the proposal for additional police. The measure was defeated by just one vote, 5-4, and Cunningham believes eventually the commissioners will vote to fund it.

''I think this is a logical investment into the greater good of the entire county,'' he said.

Bethlehem City Council President Robert Donchez said the county has asked him to consider a similar resolution. Donchez said he will present it to the council at the next meeting.

darryl.isherwood@mcall.com 610-820-6533

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