Crime Watch

On Thursday evening of last week, I was pleased to have the opportunity to attend a public meeting held at the Burgettstown Kids Center about the possibility of Burgettstown residents forming a community crime watch program. A Pennsylvania State Police officer was the night's main speaker. He explained how participants in a community crime watch program work with the state police and local police departments to make their streets safer.

THANK YOU to Burgettstown resident Carla Rosenberger for organizing this meeting and for her future work in making this program a reality. If I am elected to the PA House on November 7, I would seek to be a supporter of local crime watch programs -- perhaps by providing some organizational leadership and by helping to secure grants if funding becomes necessary.

As a McDonald Borough Councilman, I have learned firsthand how challenging it can be for small towns to provide for public safety. In McDonald, approximately 50 percent of our annual budget (of about $600,000) is dedicated to the police department. If I am elected on November 7, I would be an advocate for state programs that help local communities improve their public safety operations and emergency services.