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VOLUME 29, NO. 15/VOLUME 17, NO. 11
MID-MAY 2025
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New fund will support Kidder Twp. First Responders Golf Tournament Sept. 8 kicks off fundraising The Carbon County Community Foundation announced the establishment of the Kidder Township First Responders Fund, made possible through the generosity and leadership of Blue Ridge Real Estate Company, during a press conference May 6 at Jack Frost National Golf Club. This charitable fund will support the critical work See FIRST RESPONDERS, page 2
PMRPD accepts annual report, hears monthly updates by Pat Albano At the regular meeting of the Mount Pocono Regional Police Commission on May 13, Police Chief Chris Wagner provided updates on the department’s monthly police report. He noted that arrests for Type 1 offenses—more serious crimes—declined in April, except for burglary, which saw an increase. Type 2 offenses also rose during the month. Wagner assured the commission that burglary trends would be closely monitored.
The discussion then shifted to the 2025 Annual Report, highlighting key departmental statistics. Wagner reported that the Pocono Mountain Region has a population of 43,299, with a police officer ratio of 1.04 officers per 1,000 residents. Officers patrol a jurisdiction encompassing 335 miles of roadway. Wagner further outlined personnel changes in 2024, including four new hires, two promotions, two lateral transfers, two retirements, and a record high 14 commendations. Financial allocations among municipalities
were also reviewed, with Coolbaugh Township incurring the highest cost at $3 million (38% of total department expenditures), followed by Tobyhanna Township at $2.3 million (32%), Mt. Pocono Borough at $1.027 million (12%), Tunkhannock Township at $893,000 (11%), and Barrett Township at $670,000 (8%). Several notable findings from the annual report include the stability and predictability of arrest trends from 1997 to 2024, the leveling off of police service hours since 2022, and a significant increase
in officer training over the past decade—recovering from the pandemic-related downturn. Wagner also assessed investigative versus patrol time across municipalities, affirming that all jurisdictions remain stable with respect to Type 1 and Type 2 crimes, both of which have decreased over the last decade. He further noted rising fleet repair costs. The commission approved a motion to accept the annual report, which is now available on the department’s website. Regarding new business, discussions centered on the
2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement and Pension Plan. Wagner refrained from commenting on the ongoing Collective Bargaining negotiations but stated that another meeting would be scheduled next week to continue discussions. A Pension Plan meeting is also scheduled for May 20. Wagner also noted recent departmental outreach efforts, including officers attending the Monroe County Technical Institute advisory meeting and Criminal Justice Day at East Stroudsburg University.