New Police Department for City of Lock Haven: Senator Bob Casey Visits City Hall To Announce $1M Federal Investment
By Emily Wright
LOCK HAVEN—Senator Bob Casey made an appearance at City Hall in Lock Haven Thursday morning to present $1M in federal funding he has procured for the Lock Haven City Police Department. Also in attendance to speak on behalf of the new police department were Chief of Police Matthew Rickard and members of the Lock Haven City Council.
“The worksite for any organization is critically important, and for the police department to have a safe and efficient workplace is critically important,” Senator Casey said.
Senator Casey stressed the importance of creating a safe and efficient workplace for Lock Haven police officers. He asserted that the new facility will help with the retention of officers, which is an issue that was specifically raised on the application for the funding sent by the city. “You can’t expect over time to retain the talent and the skill and dedication of these police officers if we don’t have a place where they can work that is both safe and efficient,” Senator Casey said.
The Lock Haven Police Department is currently the only 24-hour police service in Clinton County, serving over 8,000 residents.
“This is an investment in a law enforcement agency, and it’s the kind of investment we should make with federal dollars. When a community comes to me or comes to any member of Congress who is open to advocating for these dollars, it makes the case that this is a worthwhile investment of taxpayer dollars,” Senator Casey said while providing his comments.
Senator Casey shared with The Record that several business owners spoke with him directly during his visit to Lock Haven in January 2023 to address their concerns and emphasize the importance of constructing a new police facility in the city. “When you hear it directly from business owners, it kind of makes it more significant,” he said.
When it comes to officer retention in the city, the Senator stressed that losing even one or two due to the work environment has a big impact. “You’ve got to make the workplace attractive to people, or you’re not going to get the help you need. Being the only 24-hour police service in the county, this has to be viable, and it has to be a place where they aren’t losing officers.”
The Senator seeks to ensure that every law enforcement agency in the state has appropriate resources, tools, and personnel to combat drug trafficking and do so safely. “Whenever you make an investment in a police department, you’re making an investment in law enforcement generally, but in particular, you’re helping some of the more urgent issues our communities face. One of those urgent priorities for so many Pennsylvania communities, whether it’s a small town or a rural area or whether it’s a big city or suburban community, one of the big challenges that all of those communities face is the problem with Fentanyl. We have to do more on the federal level to intercept doses of Fentanyl coming through ports of entry,” Sen. Casey said.
In closing, Sen. Casey emphasized, “We’ve got to provide them safety as much as they are providing safety to the community, so this is good news, and I’m looking forward to the dollars getting out the door and this rendering becoming an actual photograph that corresponds to the future of this community.”
A rendering of the new police headquarters, provided by city-hired engineers Buchart Horn Architects, was on display in Council Chambers. The facility will house only the police department rather than being situated in the same building as other city-related departments.
Steve Stevenson, Vice President of the Lock Haven City Council, attended the press conference and provided his comments. Stevenson expressed that he recognizes the grant funds for the new police department as a valuable investment in the community that will help address concerns around officer recruitment and retention. “I have been able to witness a variety of projects in my time on council, and I’m happy to see this large improvement for our police department. On behalf of the City Council, we thank the Senator for his involvement in the city of Lock Haven. With his support, we’re able to address the tremendous needs of our community and develop an adequate facility for the Lock Haven City Police Department,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson highlighted that the City of Lock Haven provides residents with a range of services, including water, sewer, recreation, fire, police, and more. He says that finding a balance between these services and taxpayers’ wallets is a challenge that the city council often faces, leading them to seek outside funding sources for support, especially for large-scale projects. “The $1M grant will reduce the burden on taxpayers by allowing us to use a smaller amount of borrowing to complete the project. In addition to aiding in the project, that contribution will bring federal monies back to the City of Lock Haven,” Stevenson said.
According to Stevenson, the city council has heard from many residents, organizations, and business owners who have expressed the importance of constructing a new police department. “We took those comments and worked with city staff to find the best path forward to address those concerns. We found that those concerns, while all valuable and insightful, boil down to officer recruitment and retention and, furthermore, the department’s work environment,” he said.
The new police department will include more functional spaces and a secure environment for LHPD to conduct their duties. Stevenson, Chief of Police Matthew Rickard, and Senator Casey agree that this will assist with recruiting and retaining a full staff of police officers.
Chief Matthew Rickard provided his insight regarding the new department during the press conference, stating that he has first-hand experience with the shortcomings of the current police facility. “In a unique turn of events, I was also able to play a role in designing the new building. I worked with Scott from Buchart Horn to develop a safe, equitable, and secure police facility that puts function before fancy,” he said. “It was my pleasure to be so involved in the development of this project and to be able to use my experience in Lock Haven, the military, and other police departments to design a practical facility for the Lock Haven Police Department.”
Chief Rickard reported that after completing the facility’s design phase, construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2025. “I’m excited about the opportunities that it will bring for the City of Lock Haven, mainly the increase in officer retention and new hires for the department. Officer turnover has been a continuous issue for the department,” Rickard said before asserting that the department has lost officers to better working environments. “Developing an equitable facility with an efficient workspace will help attract new and retain existing officers. This will ensure the longevity of the department and the 24-hour police protection it provides,” he said. “We are thankful for Senator Casey for not only his funding support but for listening to the needs of Lock Haven and, most importantly, caring about the future of our city.”
