By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Just a few months ago, a resident who called the Lawrence Township Police Department to report a bat in the house or a mailbox that was knocked off its post could expect to see a police officer at the front door within a few minutes.
But faced with the loss of 12 police officers within in the past three years including four who transferred to another police department, a police officer who retired and one who quit the police academy such a quick response won’t happen now, say the police chief.
The Lawrence Township Police Department, which is authorized to have 70 officers, has been reduced to 58 said Police Chief Daniel Posluszny. That number includes every officer from the chief to the patrol officers.
The number of officers has been dropping steadily since 2008, Chief Posluszny said. There were 70 officers in 2008, and 69 in 2009. In 2010, there were 67 officers, but only 65 in 2011. Now, there are 58 officers which is near the low point of 57 officers in 1994, he said.
And additional police layoffs are a possibility in the 2013 municipal budget.
”The Police Department was always service oriented. It was our mission, no matter what (someone called about), we would respond whether it was a squirrel in the closet or the attic 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Chief Posluszny said.
”(But) we have to do a balancing act. I am more concerned about crime prevention and suppression than service calls. We will have to reorganize the Police Department to be pro-active to keep a lid on property crimes. I am really concerned about an increase in property crime theft, cars being entered and burglaries,” he said.
Chief Posluszny said there has been an increase in the number of burglaries during the first seven months of 2012 when compared to the same time period in 2011 65 this year versus 54 in 2011. But there have been fewer thefts 407 this year as compared to 485 in 2011 and fewer robberies. A dozen robberies have been reported this year, compared to 17 last year.
While the Police Department has always prioritized its response to calls, fewer police officers means the priorities are being re-arranged, Chief Posluszny said. A police officer will respond quickly to calls that involve protecting a life, but the response won’t be as quick for one that involves property, he said.
”It’s much more of a clear-cut mission statement,” he said. “If there is no harm or threat to a person, we will not be able to respond to a call. People can file a police report online for minor crimes. We will see if we need to have a detective or a police officer follow up (on the report).”
Minor crimes range from identity theft to vandalism and criminal mischief cars whose paint has been scratched by a sharp object, a mailbox that has been damaged, or a purse or wallet that has been lost or stolen. Unlocked cars that have been entered also may be reported online.
Chief Posluszny said a kiosk might be set up in the Police Department lobby for victims to file a report for that type of incident. A copy of the police report, which might be required by the victim’s insurance company, might be sent by email because there are two clerks not four, as in the past in the Records Department, he said.
The Police Department’s detectives will not be deployed unless there is a pretty good likelihood the crime can be solved, he said. If there is a lead that can be followed up or a suspect who can be identified, then the detectives will work on the case. Otherwise, a case will be closed and not reopened unless a lead or suspect is provided.
Fewer police officers also means that they will not be sent on routine ambulance calls with the Lawrence Township Emergency Medical Service, Chief Posluszny said. If the medical call is about chest pain, someone who has difficulty breathing or who is having a heart attack, then a police officer will respond. If the caller has a sprained ankle, the police will not be sent, he said.
The dwindling number of police officers resulted in the elimination of the school resource officer program a couple of years ago, he said. Police officers had been assigned to the schools to work with students. It was a “wonderful” program that promoted trust between the children and the police officers, but “we can’t do it,” he said.
And the Drug Awareness Resistance and Education program, known informally as D.A.R.E., has been dropped, Chief Posluszny said. The program is geared toward younger children in an effort to prevent them from using drugs and alcoholic beverages, he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Department’s juvenile officers have been reassigned to other duties. Although they still work with young people, there are times when they will be assigned to patrol duties, because “everyone is pitching in,” he added.
”I know the Police Department is committed to providing the best service we can,” Chief Posluszny said. “We will continue to provide the best service we can. We are reinventing how we provide police services. We are re-evaluating the model.”

