orth Strabane NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP NEWS |
Law enforcement is a profession that is in a perpetual state of evolution. It is imperative that Police chiefs keep pace with societal trends and issues in order to meet the needs of the communities we protect. Current technology and training are vital to this mission, however, both necessities are a challenge for small police departments due to funding. The International Association of Chiefs of Police( IACP) has identified training and technology as two of the greatest challenges facing small police agencies across the nation. One way in which the North Strabane Township Police Department has met the challenge is through its membership with the PA Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force( PA ICAC). As the number of children and teenagers using the internet and latest technologies increase, so does utilization by online predators. This creates an ever increasing demand for proactive and reactive enforcement as well as public education. The Department’ s assigned PA ICAC liaison is Officer Gary Scherer, who has received training in topics such as Victims of Child Sexual Exploitation, Child Sex Trafficking, Identity Theft, ICAC Investigative Techniques, Online Undercover Investigations and Advance Undercover Chat Investigations. Our membership with PA ICAC provides investigative experiences with serious high profile cases that are not typical for small departments. A few examples include:
• The investigation, arrest and subsequent guilty plea of George Flory. Flory was the executive director of Arc of York County, a non-profit organization that provides services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. He pled guilty in March of this year to several felony charges which include Unlawful Contact with a Minor and Child Pornography.
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We are constantly seeking to obtain and deploy every resource at our disposal in order to deter and prosecute those who prey upon the youth in our community.
• A year-long investigation produced the arrest of Steven Green for Unlawful Contact with a Minor and five counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. Green was on parole at the time of his arrest for First Degree Murder, and is currently awaiting trial.
• Rosendo Decal, a retired attorney and opera performer, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of Child Pornography, Unlawful Contact with a Minor and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. Dacal was an active Deacon with the Diocese of Pittsburgh at his time of arrest. He was immediately suspended from those duties with the church. He is currently awaiting trial and there is an ongoing investigation based on this case.
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Investigations that meet certain criteria are eligible for salary reimbursement, which offsets the costs to the Department. The greatest gain from this partnership is the development of the Department’ s greatest asset, our officers. The North Strabane Township Police Department now has the capability of investigating and prosecuting crimes against children in the Township.
Technology is not only changing the world, but it’ s also changing the preferences and methods used by criminal perpetrators. We are constantly seeking to obtain and deploy every resource at our disposal in order to deter and prosecute those who prey upon the youth in our community. I am proud of our officers. They are a group of focused, determined and motivated professionals, committed to the betterment of this Township.
Respectfully serving, Chief Brian D. Hughes
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60 NORTH STRABANE |