Will New Sheriff Rein In Renegade Northampton County Deputies?

There are at least thirty-six detailed applications for the Northampton County Sheriff's slot being vacated by Jeff Hawbecker. Whoever gets this job will have his or her hands full. Sheriff Hawbecker has done a fine job - establishing efficient systems for concealed permit applications, transporting prisoners and PFA. But there will still be a major problem re-establishing control over some renegade deputies who think we work for them. Last Thursday, I briefly mentioned some of my past criticism of the Northampton County Sheriff's Department. It's time to open up.

They react poorly when anyone looks at them too closely. So as critical as I can get, even I hesitate when it comes to deputies. Let me give you some examples of this vindictiveness.

Last February, I published a complaint from Exec John Stoffa about deputies who were propping open side doors and disabling alarms. They would leave and enter the government center through these side doors because it was convenient. They could grab a slice of pizza across the street. Depending on where they parked, they could get to their cars more quickly. But then members of the public started entering the courthouse through these side doors, too. Stoffa decided it was time to act, and complained to the judges. Amazingly, deputies entrusted with the lives of judges would risk that for a slice of pizza. When Stoffa's criticism was published here, deputies were furious. They did batten down the hatches. But as punishment for what really was their own haphazard approach to security, they decided to force everyone entering the building to undergo third degree searches. Searchers were specifically told they could thank me.

In years past, I've been pulled over by them, too. One deputy who worked part-time as a Palmer Township cop ticketed me for a burnt out tail light instead of providing the written warning he would give to anyone else. I fought that in court ... and lost.

When I arrive at the courthouse today, who knows what wonders will be in store? But it's time to tell you about these prima donnas.

For one thing, there's far too many of them. $5.2 million in county tax dollars was poured into that bloated department this year, well in excess the $3.6 million paid to operate the District Attorney's office. It has become a retirement home for state troopers and Allentown cops looking for a second public pension.

They milk taxpayers at every opportunity. Want some examples? Unfortunately, I have a few.

They love to don SWAT team uniforms, but one of their few real jobs is to transport prisoners. When they drive fifty or sixty miles, they can get lunch free on the county. So what these guys were doing is running up to Monroe or Carbon, making sure they have fifty miles, and then sticking the County for their lunch at some restaurant in Easton. Stoffa stopped that.

They hate Stoffa. When he became county executive, he also stopped the practice of allowing most deputies to drive county cruisers home every night. At one point, he even had to count cruisers in the lot every night to make sure they were listening to him. Deputies shrieked this would lead to all kinds of increased criminal activity and hamper their ability to respond quickly to emergencies. Time has taught us that these concerns, like their budget, is overblown.

They've tried to play County Council off on the Executive. On several occasions, they've marched en masse before the county's legislature to whine about Stoffa's refusal to pay them time and a half or whatever for providing security at Easton football games, something Stoffa had no idea they were even doing. Instead of getting their time and a half, they may have blown their gig. Stoffa may have stopped all this moonlighting.

Council member Ron Angle, who bluntly told this crew that the legislative branch has nothing to do with administrative matters, was rewarded with a letter from the deputies' union, telling him they don't consider the Northampton County Bulldog "law enforcement friendly."

I'm sure you've all seen and grumbled about cops who park cruisers in fire lanes while they rush into some restaurant for their caffeine fix. Imagine what it's like at the courthouse. In Northampton County, deputies regularly parked cruisers up and down the metered parking spots outside the courthouse. In fact, they'd even drive right up onto the sidewalk so they would only have to walk about ten feet to one of the side doors. This would force members of the public to walk for blocks while depriving Easton of the parking money that deputies never put in meters. Stoffa and Sheriff Hawbecker have tried to end that, too. To set an example, John Stoffa gave up his reserved parking spot even though his hip was replaced. Sheriff Hawbecker purposely parks at the lot located farthest from the courthouse. Now, I see deputies' personal cars parked along side streets with signs like "official business."

For whatever reason, too many deputies believe we exist to serve them. Perhaps they developed that attitude in their previous careers elsewhere, but it's a flop in Northampton County. Workers in other departments see what is going on.

My criticism of deputies on Thursday was much milder than what you're reading today. In fairness, I mentioned that I've seen them save lives when someone collapses at the courthouse and provide comfort to many of the distraught people who visit that building. I should also add that this criticism is only directed at a handful. Most take their work seriously, despite a corrupting atmosphere. But my criticism last week was still apparently too much. On Friday morning, courthouse bulletin boards were decorated with diatribes aimed at me. When I asked the Sheriff's office to investigate something they very well may have done themselves, I was repeatedly disconnected and misdirected to Human Relations.

For folks who like to brag they are really cops, they seem particularly uninterested in looking into criminal harassment that may come from one of their own.