Dunmore names Richard Barth acting police chief; two officers hired full time as chief outlines enforcement, training plans

Dunmore Borough Council on May 11 appointed Captain Richard Barth as Acting Police Chief and approved the full-time hiring of officers Dalton Boback and Andrew Fazio after a series of motions that passed during the meeting.

At the meeting Council President Thomas Hallinan called for a vote to appoint Barth; the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Max Conway congratulated Barth, saying, "He's been a great officer for us for decades. I am looking forward to working with him." Barth thanked council and said he will be "present at every Council meeting" and keep his door open to residents.

Barth then delivered the department's monthly report for April, reporting 953 calls for service (down 129 from March), 121 traffic stops, 10 criminal arrests, 67 traffic citations and 44 written warnings. He said the department recorded zero overdoses in April, handled 16 burglar alarms and one confirmed burglary, and conducted 110 business checks. Barth also described a new business-check card that officers will leave for owners noting whether doors or windows appeared secure.

On enforcement programs, Barth said the department participated in the state-funded Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Campaign in April and will use May funding for pedestrian safety enforcement focused on crosswalks. "For the month of May, the funding is pedestrian safety," he said, adding that enforcement typically uses a decoy/officer to identify violations and conduct stops nearby.

Barth outlined training and policy changes: the state testing agency MOPETC now requires a hands-on Use-of-Force Tactical Handcuffing requirement combining computer and four hours of hands-on training; the department also contracted with a vendor called PROFS to host policies online and track officer signoffs as they roll out new policies through the year. He said the evidence room inventory is being updated with barcodes and a scanner to speed evidence retrieval for court.

Barth reported a development in an investigation: a truck shown in a widely circulated video was recovered in Scranton and "we ultimately made an arrest on a juvenile male from Dunmore" who admitted to stealing the truck; Barth said the investigation was ongoing and more arrests were possible.

Council members praised the department and the new hires. Hallinan noted conflicts of interest when relevant (he said he would abstain on some police-related votes when required); the council later recorded an abstention by Hallinan on at least one police appointment vote.

The council recessed briefly to allow photo opportunities after the swearing-in; Mayor Conway administered the oath to the officers and Barth.

What happens next: Barth said the department will continue evidence inventory work and complete required hands-on training before year-end; the pedestrian enforcement effort funded by state grants will occur in the coming weeks.