Suspicious Fire Sparks Crime Watch Rebirth
Bill McMaster - former organizer of the now-defunct Manor Township crime watch - is back to start a community crime watch after increased vandalism in Ford City. He was concerned also due to the upcoming Ford City Summerfest during the Fourth of July weekend.
by Jonathan Weaver
A suspicious pavilion fire Friday, April 17 along the Rails-to-Trails in Ford City has led to the possible re-creation of a local crime watch.
Last night, about 40 local residents attended a community meeting at Manor Township fire hall in McGrann discussed ways to fight back against vandalism, burglaries and drug use.
Bill McMaster – coordinator of the defunct-Manor Township crime watch – called for the meeting.
McMaster – also a retired Kittanning Borough Police officer and Golden Eagle Security and Investigations security guard – was also concerned due to the upcoming Ford City Summerfest during Fourth of July weekend and since vandalism has occurred in broad daylight.
“Something has to be done to solve it,” McMaster said. “What happens in Ford City affects Manor Township. If the crimes up there, eventually it’s going to come down here.”
The meeting began with MVS Security Founder Jeff McGaughey explaining costs and features of security cameras – one of the social media suggestions for policing the area.
McGaughey said the cost of security cameras has dropped significantly in the past two years without the cost of high-end computer servers while quality has improved.
The Ford City security firm has secured several of the Armstrong School District schools and estimated a fixed-view, high-definition camera would cost about $200 before cabling, labor and recording.
Security cameras would be installed 15-18 feet off the ground, and would be able to “see” about 110 feet, according to Engineer Wally Rusnica.
“We have to start someplace to get the ball rolling,” McMaster said. “If we only start with two cameras, it’s better than not having any.”
McMaster said funding in the former crime watch funding is still available to help offset cost, but he hopes for community resident or government support as well.
MVS Security has secured individual homeowners, businesses and school districts in many corners of the state of Pennsylvania
He said cameras that are able to zoom in cost about $7-10,000 each and are mainly used by high-end school districts and government agencies.
Armstrong 9-1-1 Coordinator Ron Baustert – a police officer in Apollo, Leechburg and West Leechburg – has worked with security cameras and said they were wonderful to have, but that they are not the solution to the crime problem.
“The problems you’re seeing are not just a law enforcement issue. Make sure before you start putting cameras in, you identify the problems you’re trying to solve – cameras don’t stop the crime,” Baustert said. “Cameras tell you maybe who committed the crime, but you still have to follow up on it.”
McGaughey agreed.
“It’s going to take humans to be the answer more than anything,” McGaughey said. “These are going to be very helpful in some instances and maybe not so much in others to help putting pieces of the puzzle together.”
Manor Township Firefighter Luke Linnon and Ford City Renaissance Community Partnership Co-Founder Paul Klukan said crime is a community problem due to not enough social juvenile activities.
Vandals have also struck Renaissance decorations – damaging half-a-dozen hanging lights made for Ford City’s light-up events at the end of November and he said have also ransacked park bathrooms.
“There could’ve been 50 officers that night, all the cameras in the world in that park, but they’re still going to do it,” Klukan said.
Ford City Police Sergeant John Atherton said he will request free information from the National Association of Town Watch regarding the annual National Night Out Tuesday, August 4 – an evening encouraging local residents to turn on their porch lights to deter criminals
Pastor Ed Walters at Saint Luke’s United Church of Christ in Kittanning led the evening in prayer.
McMaster – who hopes to have another meeting after Memorial Day next month - said Manor Township fire fighters allowed for the meeting to be held at the hall at no cost, but is looking to hold future meetings in a different location.
Sergeant Atherton said the pavilion fire is still under investigation, but officers have determined a vehicle that the 9-1-1 caller identified near the fire was not involved.
According to Police Sergeant Mark Brice, the Parkview Apartments tenant saw a vehicle near the intersection watching the fire for about five minutes and thought Armstrong 9-1-1 had already been called. But, she was the first to contact emergency authorities.
The 10 foot-by-10 foot pavilion - originally built by the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps in the early 2000’s – and the picnic table and garbage can underneath were a total loss, according to Ford City Fire Chief Ron Wojcik.
County Commissioners Rich Fink and Bob Bower also attended the meeting, as well as Ford City Borough Council members and Manor Township supervisors.
MVS Security Founder Jeff McGaughey estimated it would cost about $200 per high-definition camera before labor and cabling costs, among others, if community residents are interesting in purchasing the surveillance equipment.
Local News | jweaver April 28, 2015
By jorn jensen, April 28, 2015 @ 8:29 AM
Paul Klukan - Community crime is also a result of poor parenting and a slap-on-the-wrist legal system.
I recall a few years back, during the festival/car show, a Fox-body Mustang was stolen two blocks from the car show and was burned at Moraine Park. I don’t think that one was ever solved.
By createawareness, April 28, 2015 @ 10:30 PM
Jorn Jensen-Community crime and vandalism is the result of many social and economic factors…including poor parenting/little guidance—and parents having no time for their children. I think that Paul is right in wishing to work with the youth, allowing them an opportunity to work directly with the FCRCP in helping the community. All need to work together to “teach the youth to care”—working for the betterment of the community. Not sure what your reference to a car being stolen (which would involve at least a sixteen year old)—has anything to do with his dream of working with the youth? Are your referencing an incident that occurred during the former Heritage Days? The crimes listed within the article have not been solved either….but, everyone needs to take a stand in deterring further senseless destruction…and working directly with the youth is a start in that determent…
By jorn jensen, April 29, 2015 @ 10:23 AM
createawareness - I fully support Paul Klukan’s, and his wife’s efforts in Ford City. I’ll be involved in running the car show at this year’s event.
The reference to the stolen car is that it happened with a town full of people. I’m cautioning antique car people that attend - watch over your car, don’t leave your keys in it, and so forth. I believe that the stolen car theft/burn was an out-of-towner attending the event. Reason? It WAS’T burned along the river at Rosston, it was burned all of the way over at Moraine Park.
By blutoblutarsky, April 29, 2015 @ 1:28 PM
createawareness- It sounds like Paul Klukan has a plan in mind at least. We have zero control over how anyone else parents and how the legal system hands out sentences.
As citizens we can attempt to control these kids involvement in the community to show them they’re as big a part of it as everyone else. Hopefully with some guidance they’ll respect it.
A plan like that sure beats having the attitude of letting the legal system sort them out after a crime has already been committed as it seems jorn is suggesting.
P.S. Hopefully this wasn’t adults that were involved!
By createawareness, April 29, 2015 @ 6:40 PM
Jorn Jensen—The Klukans are not involved with the festival car show of which you speak. I know them well, and they are passionate volunteers of The Ford City Renaissance Community Partnership as the article states of Paul. I believe that they host the Motoring Memories events (car shows) in Ford City, along with many other events hoping to engage the community.