Gun Safety Seminar to Educate Community

Manor Township Police Corporal Eric Petrosky gives the monthly report to supervisors during last night’s public meeting. Corporal Petrosky will again lead a safety seminar this month, but this month instead of home security, it is regarding gun safety.
by Jonathan Weaver
Hunters anxiously waiting to get back into the woods will want to stop by a Manor Township safety lesson before the weather gets colder.
Manor Township Police Corporal Eric Petrosky and Township Supervisor Don Palmer have brainstormed another community seminar for Wednesday concerning gun safety.
Scheduled to start at 6:30PM at the Manor Township administration building, Corporal Petrosky said the training comes as many find the area “a good place to hunt.”
“Hunting season is coming up, so there (are) going to be more firearms available to people – adults and children. So what we want to do is take a proactive approach and just cover the basics of firearm safety – pointing the weapon in a safe direction, do not put your finger on the trigger until you’re ready to squeeze, how to handle the firearms, Corporal Petrosky said.
“If somebody’s out hunting and accidentally leaves a firearm in the woods or on the back of a pick-up and it falls off and someone else finds it, (we’re trying to) put into somebody’s mind how they can safely handle the firearm or leave it there and contact the police.”
While being the primary speaker, Corporal Petrosky said County Sheriff Bill Rupert was also invited to assist with the presentation.
“We’re always trying to work with other departments as other departments want to work with us,” Corporal Petrosky said.
All ages are invited to the estimated-90 minute seminar.
Next month, township supervisors will consider a motion that was tabled last night to hire more part-time police.
Supervisor Palmer last night recommended Supervisors hire at least four new officers – including at least one female.
Palmer said nothing specifically made him make that request, but that it was to ensure a smooth-flowing allotment of police patrol during the month.
Corporal Petrosky stood behind the recommendation to help with grant writing and organization diversity.
“A female officer would be great to search females that we bring in, but it also shows that we’re a diverse department. Any time you can diversify the department, it’s going to help it along the way,” Corporal Petrosky said.
However, Supervisor Chair Paul Rearick and Bob Southworth requested some more time and information to consider the hires. There is currently only one vacant police badge in the 11-man department.
“I agree 100 percent - I just want to have some more time to sit down and think about it, discuss with (Petrosky), Chief (Michael Karabin) and Sergeant (Terry Bish) about where you see this going,” Rearick said. “I’m probably going to go for it, but I want to make sure it’s justified.”
Supervisors did approve to retain Officers Mark Brice and Bryce Foreback after their six-month probationary period and give them the conditional monetary raise.
In other police matters, Corporal Petrosky and Officer Mark Brice attended the Labor Day Weekend “Operation Nighthawk” DUI enforcement.
Corporal Petrosky said the weekend was successful to ensure local residents’ safety. Those traffic arrests and citations will be evident on the September police report.
That was the third “Operation Nighthawk” training Corporal Petrosky attended – the past two being with the Pennsylvania State Police in Greensburg
“Every time I go, I learn something new,” Corporal Petrosky said. “There’s always something new to learn.”
State Police Lieutenant Chris Yanoff and Sergeant Douglas Smith also met with supervisors before the meeting
Palmer said he wants to continue the working relationship between departments.
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By jorn jensen, September 8, 2016 @ 8:31 AM
11 man police department and they need to go to 14?
Maybe hire out to other communities like West Kittanning, or Worthington?