By Kathleen Brady Shea

Inquirer Staff Writer

Scores of sheriffs from across the state who descended on Chester County Wednesday will be easy to spot as they tour the region: Look for the white cowboy hats.

Borrowing from old TV westerns, where "the good guys wear white hats," Chester County Sheriff Carolyn Bunny Welsh included the chapeaus in materials distributed at the 88th annual conference of the Pennsylvania Sheriffs' Association.

"This is hat central," Welsh proclaimed as her counterparts donned their headgear in the lobby of the Inn at Chester Springs.

As Welsh, the president of the state association, instructed one sheriff to give the hat "a tilt to the front," another asked facetiously whether the hat might make his derriere "look fat."

Despite the frivolity, sheriffs said the four-day conference will tackle some serious issues, such as determining how to promote passage of House Bill 2585, which would authorize sheriffs and deputy sheriffs to make arrests in some circumstances.

"We don't have the money or the manpower to do police work, but we should be able to effectuate an arrest if we see a crime happen in front of us," Juniata County Sheriff Tom Lyter said.

Welsh said another focus will be training in "rapid response to active shooters." Since the shootout at Columbine High School in 1999, she said, law enforcement has moved from assembling SWAT teams and surrounding buildings to taking more immediate action.

"If someone is shooting, you need to take out the shooter before more casualties occur," she said, adding that Philadelphia Deputy Paris Washington will lead that session.

Other safety initiatives will include a presentation by Chester County President Judge James P. MacElree 3d on a firearms course for judges and a seminar on defensive tactics for K-9 teams by Terry Fleck, a 26-year police dog trainer and handler.

The opportunity to trade experiences with colleagues of varied backgrounds from diverse counties is invaluable, participants said.

Welsh said Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties have about 200 deputies while Forest County has eight.

"Four are part-time," added Forest County Sheriff Robert L. Wolfgang.

The conference, which is designed to mix education with brainstorming and camaraderie, will offer myriad opportunities for the latter during evening hours, Welsh said.

In addition to entertainment by the Mummers, the sheriffs, chief deputies, and their families can attend a Blue Rocks game in Wilmington or throw the dice in Atlantic City. Trips to QVC, the Chadds Ford Winery, Longwood Gardens, and Valley Forge will be available during the day for spouses and children.

Welsh hopes the activities will lure some of the sheriffs back as tourists.

"We have a lot to offer here," she said.