here.<\/a><\/p>\nUnited force<\/p>\n
One of its biggest recommendations is to combine the game commission\u2019s Bureau of Wildlife Protection with the Fish and Boat Commission\u2019s Bureau of Law Enforcement.<\/p>\n
“The two agencies contain roughly 221 more positions when benchmarked against agencies of a similar size. After careful agency analysis and evaluation, it is possible that the combined workforce could potentially be reduced by about 17% through unified law enforcement and reductions in overlapping executive, legal, and engineering functions,” according to the report. <\/p>\n
The study estimates combining certain operations could save about $34 million a year.<\/p>\n
\u201cBroadly speaking, the report validated the need to do this study,\u201d said Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. \u201cIt validated the need to look at how we operate and find some of those efficiencies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adding that under the recommendation, the unified law enforcement operation would fall under the game commission.<\/p>\n
“I just want to be clear, those are recommendations. There’s nothing imminent that’s going to happen anytime soon. They’re just recommendations that we are now going to look at and determine which ones to pursue and examine further,” said Smith. <\/p>\n
Questioning the timing<\/p>\n
The study also recommends eliminating the deputy warden program, citing potential liability concerns and the opportunity to create a stronger professional workforce.<\/p>\n
“Currently, some support needs are provided by the deputy law enforcement volunteers in both commissions. The deputy law enforcement program in both commissions is a legacy program with declining participation. Deputies receive minimal training before being issued a badge, citation book, and authorization to carry a firearm. Both agencies reported an increase in confrontational engagements during enforcement activities. Using fully trained CLE officers to provide support would reduce potential liability risks of using minimally trained deputies a support.”<\/p>\n
The report was published the day after all deputy wardens lost their job. Now, they’re questioning the timing. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s smoke and mirrors,\u201d Kale Geiswite said. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on at the executive level that they\u2019re not telling people?\u201d<\/p>\n
Geiswite served as a deputy game warden for 10 years before the game commission ended the program.<\/p>\n
The game commission said the study was ordered about eight months before it was released. <\/p>\n
“They knew this was coming beforehand and they could have planned this better,” said Geiswite. “If they had been honest with us deputies from the getgo, we probably would have been more receptive to what\u2019s going on.”<\/p>\n
Smith said both commissions independently reached the conclusion that their deputy programs should end, after communicating with one another.<\/p>\n
About 140 game commission deputy wardens were let go. Geiswite said deputies were notified by email.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey continue to say they didn\u2019t know how to break it to us. They didn\u2019t know how to say it,\u201d Geiswite said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m going to say that was a very unprofessional way to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith said the decision to end the deputy program was not a reflection of the people who served in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy message to our deputy game wardens would be that we appreciate their service and their sacrifice over the years,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe decision to end the program was in no way a reflection on their level or dedication or commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not a merger<\/p>\n
The game commission is pushing back on the idea that the study signals an impending merger.<\/p>\n
The agency said the report does not recommend combining the game commission and fish and boat commission into one agency.<\/p>\n
Smith said a full merger would require action from state lawmakers and the governor.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, a merger is a legislative issue,\u201d Smith said. \u201cBoth agencies are created by a statute. Only the General Assembly and governor can change the way we function”.<\/p>\n
Smith said the report will now undergo further review and discussion with lawmakers, stakeholders, the commissions\u2019 constituents and the fish and boat commission.<\/p>\n
The game commission also said any potential staffing changes would require additional Pennsylvania-specific analysis.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this report gives us a baseline, gives us some numbers to consider,\u201d Smith said. \u201cNow the next step we believe would be a real PA-specific focus before we can make any determination about staffing orders.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. \u2014 A new study examining Pennsylvania\u2019s two wildlife agencies is recommending changes that could save…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":277773,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-277772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}