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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Is It Time For Upper Mt Bethel to have Its Own Police Department?

Last time I took you on a trip to Upper Mont Bethel Tp, residents were upset about mysterious and very loud explosions. As first reported here, it was a state trooper and his pals, shooting up tannerite. This hardly enhanced the Pennsylvania State Police image. Since then, there have been complaints about state police response times, the shooting of automatic weapons at all hours of the day and night and Supervisors have been discussing whether it's time for the Township to form its own police department. The township did once have a police department, but it was disbanded in 1996.

The Township has heard a presentation by East Bangor's police chief, Robert Mulligan. He just happens to be Portland's police chief, too. It was also supposed to hear a presentation by Slate Belt regional, although i do not know whether that has occurred.

Comm'r Ron Angle
On Monday night, Supervisors voted 3 to 2 to hire a consultant from New Jersey to study the question. I have no idea why they would do this when the state Department of Community and Economic Development is willing to do its own evaluation at no cost. But this consultant is supposedly only charging $1.

Supervisor John Bermingham, who calls himself the "Voice for the People" on his Facebook page, has previously said that Supervisors will get public input before making a decision. I believe that putting this on the ballot would be illegal, but the township could do a survey.

Upper Mount Bethel is a very large township with no major highways. So though some troopers live in he Township, response times are probably very slow.  An independent police department would make certain that no rogue troopers would embark on a tannerite tantrum, something state police refused to address.

My guess is that most who live in the township would just as soon allow Easton and Bethlehem to subsidize their state police coverage. I have long felt that any municipality unwilling to provide for its own public safety has no reason to exist and should be abolished. On the other hand, Lower Macungie is the third most populous municipality in the Lehigh Valley and has no police department.

I do understand why Upper Mount Behel residents would want their own police department. The last time they felt safe, Ron Angle was the Commissioner.

And I was Batman.

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

NO!

Anonymous said...

Ron Angle is sorely needed to make Upper Mount Bethel great again!

Anonymous said...

The police should be black so there is no racism.

Anonymous said...

I'm starting to come here just to read the comments.

Anonymous said...

They've been fine since 96. If you don't like the state police set up, you may vote to change things in the state legislature in a few weeks.

Anonymous said...

We dont need no police force here, We will protect ourselves, Of course you her lots of rifle fire, we are a well regulated militia and must keep ready. Upper Mount Bethel is fine just the way it is.

Anonymous said...

Contracting for police services is the only real option for the township at this time. Bangor's force could handle it much better than either E. Bangor or Portland. An Eastern slate belt regional force should be a top priority and it makes the most sense dollar wise.

Anonymous said...

The only thing Ron made great...was his ego and his wallet.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Ron forgives you. That's just the kind of guy he is. He's also considering opening a dental office.

Anonymous said...

I understand sludge pellets are now being used in dental fillings. When I think of Ron, I think synergy. Or synagro or something like that ...

Bernie O'Hare said...

Sludge fillings are quite economical. They are also being used to make false teeth.

Anonymous said...

Sounds more like the local busy bodies would like to have a police force to tell their neighbors what they can do on private property. I don't know what happened to our society but try talking with your neighbors first. People always want the police to do the heavy lifting so they can be an innocent bystander. Anyway both issues you mentioned are due to ignorance and lack of common courtesy. . . criminal? that's a long shot. (no pun intended)

Anonymous said...

P.S. Appoint Ron as the Twp. Sheriff. After Ron works you over for 5 minutes you will agree to almost anything.

Anonymous said...

The Ron Angle "wanna be" is narcissist UMBT Chairman John Birmingham who is calling himself the "Voice of the people". To recall history- Hitler called himself the "voice of the people" when he ran in the late 1930's. Beware! of someone who touts himself with such a delusional view of themselves such as Birmingham and Angle. Although Ron knows how to work the crowd... Birmingham has the intelligence to work a mop.

As for the Police? The thought of Barney Fife as Chief Mulligan is laughable patrolling anywhere more then Penn Jersey or Dunkin Donuts. Whatever is in the air coming off that pig farm is clouding Birmingham's mind. We live here because we don't want nor need to be harassed with tickets as we all lived thru the days of police in Mt. Bethel. If Birmingham needs Police he can pull up his carpet and go back to Jersey where he came from and leave us locals alone.

Anonymous said...

We want Ron Angle as Chief Of Police and Commissioner and his honor!

Anonymous said...

I think that Upper Mount needs is a few less "ideas" and an "ed-u-Kated" goofy like Birmingham.... he will need more carnivals and fun things for the kids to sell this wagon of nonsense.

My message to Birmingham is.. we did not have police here when you dropped your carpetbagger self here and we do not need it now..

If the local way is not good enough for your Jersey way then MOVE!

A good question is what the other writer asked? What is in the air blowing thru John Birmingham's space between his ears? Must be pig manure for sure.

Anonymous said...

For those without force protection, the keystone cops have demonstrated that strategically deployed Tannerite statuary and garden gnomes, along with well positioned entry loads in door frames and window casements, can add considerable force protection to the tactical home owner.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the locals should remember to vote and try to avoid one issue candidates. Mr. Chairman comes across as quite liberal and is now playing with other peoples money.

Anonymous said...


So Dave Due, Bob Teel and Birmingham spent our tax money for a consultant for something that the state does for free? They should be surcharged and made to pay for it out of their wallets not the tax payers! What a crew of total jerks



Bernie O'Hare said...

The consultant is working gratis, but that alone should send alarm signals. The state DCED will do it for free and no one can suspect a hidden agenda.

Anonymous said...

What is in the air up there? Why would a Township government go to a New Jersey consultant for advice when the State of Pa Dept. of Community Affairs can give it to you for free? This is not any new invention here they do them all over the state and did one prior to Slat Belt Regional force ever got passed the talking stage.

This does not pass the smell test and smells like that pig farm for sure. And to think this was approved by David due? A piss poor businessman? Bob Teel (not the brightest tool in the shed) and and Birmingham? 3-2 vote? 3 IDIOTS!

Anonymous said...

Any thing that ends with "great again" is a shitty proposition filled with corruption. Even Ron Angle does not deserve that tagline.

Anonymous said...

So who is the consultant? Inquiring minds want to know.

Anonymous said...

Yes three tools for sure..In North Bangor David Due's nickname is "Dopey"... no wonder, Teel cannot tie his own shoe's and Birmingham the carpetbagger-

Anonymous said...

So you don't see a conflict of interest in the state doing this for free? I would imagine they'd be incredibly biased towards getting away from State Police coverage and off the state dime.

Maybe they're not, but the appearance of that bias would certainly be there if that's what they recommended.


I wouldn't mind doing both. If they come up with different conclusions, it would seem that you could then compare and evaluate the points brought up in both. If they both agree, then all you have to evaluate is any bias that one or both might have.

Either way, you get two opinions for $1. That averages out to 50 cents per opinion. Unless there's some time urgency at play here, what do you have to lose?

Anonymous said...

So now we find out that relationship of Birmingham and the consultant.

Well Angle has always been known as Weasel and John Birmingham tops that as just- Slippery John

Cheapest way for police protection= Issue every property owner a box of shells...cut out the middle man

Anonymous said...

Maybe they can use constables.

Anonymous said...

Just spend some time on Mr. Chairman's "Voice of the People" facebook page. Seems like he just wants to make everyone happy. That type of accommodating personality ends up making everyone very unhappy in the long run.

Anonymous said...

The ultimate slow news day item, BO.

Bernie O'Hare said...

28 comments before you is not slow.

Anonymous said...

Ron isn't qualified to be a police officer, you could make him constable, lock people up in a closet with Twinkie's.

Anonymous said...

Hire Chief Kessler to lead the force

Anonymous said...

It's turning into a shit show out here. He's great at spending taxpayer money for his own agenda.

Bernie O'Hare said...

5:00, He can shoot a watermelon seed at 150 yards, runs the mile in 6:30, and benches 250 twice a week. He WAS U Mt Bethel’s Police Commissioner and I am sure the state would gladly certify him and ask him to teach a few courses.

Anonymous said...

Why do they need a police department? Is crime rampant in Upper mt. Bethel?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Well, Commissioner Ron Angle lives there. My bat cave is there, too.

Anonymous said...

"I am sure the state would gladly certify him and ask him to teach a few courses."

Sure they would s they certify people who end up in the state hospitals' still operating or the prisons for the criminally insane. There he could surely teach a few courses.

Bernie O'Hare said...

You sound like you could teach a few courses yourself. Not wrapped too tight, are you?

Anonymous said...

Bermingham needs to step down as chairman with his one way agenda

Anonymous said...

If I remember correctly, the original study that recommended regionalization of police departments in the Slate Belt was conducted in the early 2000s and recommended one larger regional department encompassing the entire area from Plainfield Township out to Portland. However, some of the municipalities immediately did not want to lose their own departments and opted out, pretty much throwing a monkey wrench in any such idea. Perhaps a copy of that study could be obtained at this point? One of the borough managers in Wind Gap/Pen Argyl/Bangor should have it.

Anonymous said...

The redundancy with our law enforcement is staggering. How many times do we have to duplicate the wheel. I once went to the equipment auction when the Berks Lehigh Regional Police disbanded, the amount of "gear" was amazing all of it had to be sold to the public so the new Upper Macungie Police Department could re-equip with the exact same stuff. All these little towns look like they are going to war. Let alone the duplicity in the administration / pension and health cost. We really should have county police that cover all jurisdictions except the major cities like Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. Yes we want local control but this is crazy and expensive.

Anonymous said...

The Slate Belt regional plan failed because the Pen Argyl area school district muni's and their police wanted nothing to do with Bangor! Never shall these two agree on anything because of provincialism! Stupid decision to go it alone rather than bring the entire region together and at a cost savings to all. Ignorance abundant across the Slate Belt.

Anonymous said...

John Bermingham is a decent person who cares about his community. If you think you can do better...run for office and stop your whining!

Anonymous said...

John Birmingham is a self promoting narcissist and blunder and should go back to Jersey where he carpetbaggered from. This guy does nothing but to promote himself.. Who touts himself as THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE?
The people have to words for you... and it isn't GOD BLESS.. its go back... get lost and something along those lines.... Voice of Stupidity and self promotion is what the bottum line is.

Self promoting narcissistic buffoon!

Anonymous said...

"The voice of the people"... Hilarious! Must be in the bathroom looking in the mirror...

Anonymous said...

Gotta love Buford T. Justice. RIP Bandit.

Supergirl said...

That comment was completely uncalled for! Supervisors represent the residents. So yes they are the “voice” for them. John is not arrogant nor a narcissist. UMBT residents should be glad that he is there to look out for their best interest. And what is with the “go back to Jersey” comment? That’s bats man

Bernie O'Hare said...

I agree the personal insults are over the top, but i allow them against elected officials so long as they are not vulgar.

Anonymous said...

The PSP is the ultimate regional police force option for all Township's and Borough's. Cities, on the other hand, are best off with their own. Ask Bath Borough, Ask Lower Macungie, Ask North Whitehall, and so on. Tell me why these municipalities can save millions in local tax payer dollars by not having their own or being part of a regional police force while other communities spend? Is the crime rate really that different? Are the response times really that different for calls that matter? Local Police Departments exist so that the local elected officials can have the perception of power. Luckily many local departments are becoming accredited and have put up barriers between them and the novice elected officials who think they can use those police to their benefit. Interesting how Bath Borough is doing ok with PSP now protecting it at zero cost to its local taxpayer.