AS I SEE IT DAVID M. KLING

Why deputies deserve to receive more respect


Monday, January 28, 2008

As the House Judiciary Committee gets ready to discuss a bill addressing the powers and duties of sheriffs, I feel it is time to let the community and the various associations that are opposed to House Bill 466 know what deputies do on a daily basis.

Dauphin County sheriff deputies and deputies throughout the commonwealth have daily duties that often seem commonplace to those on the outside looking in. The dangers, however, are real.

Deputies transport prisoners hundreds of miles every day and often the inmates are dangerous. Many are convicted murderers who have been sentenced to life in prison or death.

The next day the same deputies may have to serve a protection from abuse order that includes evicting the defendant from his home, confiscating his weapons, removing his children, listening to the defendant's story and being a counselor. If serving the PFA isn't bad enough, remember that deputies may have already served or have to serve the same person divorce papers, mortgage foreclosure papers or post his house with a sheriff's sale notice telling the person and neighbors of his financial woes.

Imagine the deputy who has to walk to the door of a person who has just gone through a divorce, lost his children, had his vehicle repossessed and is going to a receive mortgage foreclosure notice. Is he nearing the end of his rope? Do you think he really wants to see that deputy?

Deputies respond to local police calls, secure accident scenes and back up police officers as a normal daily duty.

Deputies serving domestic relations and criminal warrants face these same dangers and more. These deputies often have to break down doors to perform search warrants looking for criminals, deadbeat parents, guns and other property. They arrest criminals possessing guns and other weapons. They have been in numerous foot chases in Harrisburg and other communities. One has been struck by a car attempting to make an arrest; they have been hit, punched, beaten and often are required to use force during the arrest.

Deputies also work as correctional officers whenever court is in session. They deal with prisoners facing serious criminal charges. They deal with the prisoner who was found guilty of rape, assault, theft or murder within minutes of the jury's verdict. They have to break up fights and handle the prisoners who have hepatitis, AIDS, the flu and other illnesses.

Deputies provide the routine, often unappreciated, security to the courts where tempers boil between victim's families and defendant's families.

The amazing thing is that we and all the deputies throughout the commonwealth do all of this on a daily basis simultaneously. The fact that we have not made the headlines because of a serious injury or death is a matter of professionalism and training.

But the disappointing thing is as we perform all these duties, some of our brother and sister officers, including our state Fraternal Order of Police, feel that our powers and duties should not be equal to that of a police officer. They feel we are not trained to their level, though our academy is professionally run and more stringent than that of municipal police officers. They feel that we don't have the appropriate experience level. They are mistaken. More than half our deputies currently work as police officers in surrounding communities, are former or retired police officers, military police or state troopers.

I sincerely believe that when citizens call for help they don't care if it is a police officer or a deputy who responds -- they want help. Stop the bickering, there is no need to be jealous, we are not trying to take over others' jurisdiction, we simply want respect. We are here to help.

DAVID M. KLING is a lieutenant in the Dauphin County Sheriff's Office.

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