Wyoming Area Regional Police (WARP) Chief Michael Turner, left, thanked former State Rep. Aaron Kaufer, right, for his contribution in forming the regional police department from municipalities making up the Wyoming Area School District. WARP dedicated a plaque in Kaufer’s name and image, noting the occasion on Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
State Rep. Brenda Pugh, left, spoke on the importance of regionalization in law enforcement. Wyoming Area Regional Police Chief Michael Turner, right, looks on.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
State Rep. Brenda Pugh, along with Exeter Borough Council Chairman Joe Pizano, helped former State Rep. Aaron Kaufer take down the shroud covering his image in recognition of his contribution in creating the Wyoming Area Regional Police in a ceremony on Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
State Rep. Brenda Pugh, along with Exeter Borough Council Chairman Joe Pizano, hidden, congratulates former State Rep. Aaron Kaufer, right, in recognition of his contribution in creating the Wyoming Area Regional Police in a ceremony on Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Members of the Wyoming Area Regional Police Commission accepted a grant from the PA House of Representatives, presented and sponsored by State Rep. Brenda Pugh. Members of the commission, from left: Michael Baloga, Wyoming Council; Joseph Scaltz, Wyoming Council; West Pittston Mayor Angelo Alfano; Wyoming Mayor Joseph Dominick; State Rep. Brenda Pugh; Wyoming Area Regional Police Chief Michael Turner; Joseph Pizzano, Exeter Borough; Exeter Mayor Denise Adams; Gary Stavish, West Wyoming Council; and West Wyoming Mayor Randy Colarusso.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
WYOMING — A ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Wyoming Area Regional Police (WARP), the former site of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Barracks, for former State Rep. Aaron Kaufer for his work and dedication in getting the WARP department off the ground on Jan. 1, 2023.
Then State Rep. Kaufer was on the initial team in assembling the five municipalities: Wyoming, West Wyoming, Exeter, Exeter Twp., and West Pittston police departments to merge, creating the first regional police force of its kind in Northeast Pennsylvania.
All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place after several attempts at creating a regional police force dating as far back as the early 2000s.
Cassandra Coleman, then working in the PA Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration at the time, was able to help secure a grant to purchase the vacated State Police Barracks when the PSP relocated in 2021 for their new barracks in Hanover Twp.
Once the building was purchased and secured, WARP was off and running, taking over nine months of meetings to complete the process in order to create WARP.
“It took a village to bring this together with five communities working to get this done,” Kaufer said. “It’s all the commission members that deserve all the credit. I certainly sat there as the chair, or referee, as Chairman (Joe) Pizano said, it really took all the communities to put their egos aside to get it done. Nothing ever happens until it does, and we proved that we could get something done.”
Kaufer said WARP is now the gold standard when it comes to law enforcement regionalization.
WARP Chief of Police Michael Turner thanked many for getting the police department finalized, including Kaufer, in applauding his efforts to make WARP a reality.
He also included former Gov. Wolf, former State Sen. John Yudichak, Cassandra Coleman, and Solicitor Atty. Shannon Lapsansky, as well as former and current commissioners.
Turner singled out the first and former WARP Chief of Police D.F. Pace.
“I give a lot of credit to former Chief D.F. Pace,” Turner said. “Just seeing what he did and the foundation he laid, the foundation of a professional police department by setting up programs, policies, and procedures, and when I took over, I just continued his foundation.”
At the conclusion of the unveiling of a plaque with Kaufer’s name and likeness, a brief reception was held at the new conference/community room.
During the reception, State Rep. Pugh handed over a check for $110,000 to WARP for additional training equipment and infrastructure renovations.
“Regionalization is the way to go, and public safety is a top priority for me,” Pugh stated. “So being able to help and fund public safety inside our communities, I will fight every day for that. Regionalization makes us stronger, bigger, and a more forceful police force.”