I was delighted to learn that three Panther Valley communities might consider developing a regional police force. I have been advocating this step as a significant way to deal with the many issues that beset smaller departments, and the problems are only getting worse.

Other clusters of smaller communities would be well-served to explore how regionalization could help solve some of their major policing issues. The good news is that the federal and state governments are encouraging communities to go this route and provide not only expertise support, but there are funds available to finance such studies and help get them off the ground.

Carbon County District Attorney Michael S. Greek, a native of Nesquehoning, has requested that Lansford, Summit Hill and Nesquehoning look into the formation of a regional force. He is hoping to meet with representatives of the three communities soon.

There was a previous study some years ago that included Coaldale, Lansford and Summit Hill, but Summit Hill pulled out because officials said regionalization would have been too costly for its taxpayers.

It is a struggle for these communities to keep a fully staffed force. There are any number of reasons. Fewer are willing to go into police work because of the political and social climate in our country. Experienced officers are quitting police work and deciding to pursue different careers.

These smaller communities are relying more on part-timers, some of whom are also employed in other communities on a part-time basis. Once they acquire valuable experience they are frequently snatched up by bigger departments, including those in the Lehigh Valley, where pay, benefits and conditions are friendlier.

As a result, these communities spend a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to keep the forces operating at levels that give adequate protection. These cash-strapped communities are finding it tough to do it.

This also has a trickle-down effect, because state police are often called to fill in the gaps of coverage. Of course, our area is not alone. More than 80% of police departments in Pennsylvania have fewer than 10 officers. Just about a fifth of all departments are regionalized. Some smaller communities have disbanded their police forces altogether and now rely exclusively on state police coverage.

A few years back, a federal study commission strongly recommended that departments with fewer than 10 officers consider consolidation to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

A recent roundtable at the Lackawanna College Police Academy brought community police and state police representatives together to discuss the shortage of police personnel. The seminar focused on the critical need for not only finding qualified personnel but also how to train them properly and retain them.

Law enforcement officers are among the most visible constitutional protectors in our nation. We ask them to take a pledge to defend and uphold the Constitution, but I doubt that they, like most Americans, have read the Constitution recently, if ever.

Police academy training in some cases regards the Constitution in opposition to efficient police work, so officers suddenly find themselves in direct opposition to their oath.

Here is the oath that a police officer in Pennsylvania takes when putting on his or her badge. “I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Pennsylvania against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter.”

As with any government job, it’s critical that law enforcement officers work within the rules and regulations that govern their job. In police work, which is so analyzed and super dangerous, having a strong constitutional foundation is important when making split-second decisions.

When emotions take over in intense situations it can lead to bad judgments which can be the difference between life and death. That’s why in some communities there is a crisis of trust between law enforcement and the public. Thank goodness, this is not as prevalent in the smaller communities in the five-county Times News region as it is in cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and Detroit.

Even so, I can’t help thinking of the response of a Carbon County officer who quit his community’s force two years ago. When I asked him why he quit, he said sadly, “Because everybody hates us.”

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.