Police Commission Approves Hire to Conduct Background Checks on Applicants

CLEARFIELD – On Wednesday, Police Chief Vincent McGinnis and Assistant Chief Julie Curry asked the Clearfield Regional Police Commission to consider hiring Harry Lingenfelter on a part-time basis to conduct the background checks needed for current and future applicants.

Lingenfelter works with the Tyrone Police Department as well, and his rate is $25/hour. Both McGinnis and Curry said that Lingenfelter is willing to tailor his background checks to their needs.

The police commission voted to move forward with working with Lingenfelter.

Mary Tatum reported that she is working on a grant to obtain a side by side from the state Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, another grant from PennDOT to help with another police vehicle and a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would benefit the building.

The week of March 20, there will be Lock Haven students traveling to the area to speak with local residents at random about the regionalization of both Lawrence Township and Clearfield Borough police departments.

Commission member Dr. Michael McSkimming, who is also a professor of criminal justice at Lock Haven Clearfield, is hoping to have the data collected and a report given by the end of summer. 

Township Supervisor Randy Powell also said that the first official car of the Clearfield Regional Police Department fleet should be arriving the first part of next week. 

Secretary-Treasurer Barb Shaffner reported that she is currently working on the budget and it should be ready by next week. 

Township Supervisor Jeremy Ruffner, Powell and Borough Councilwoman Stephanie Tarbay gave their congratulations to everyone on how smoothly the move for the borough went, as well as to the officers working together as the Clearfield Regional Police Department.