New Portable Radios in Pa. Link Public Safety Crews

Within one hour of borrowing a portable radio last year, wildlife conservation Officer Brian Singer tracked down a poacher.

With a recent gift from the Ligonier Valley Endowment, in cooperation with the Ligonier Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania Game Commission office in the township now owns three portable radios.

The radios allow commission officers to connect with the 911 emergency dispatch center and local police, fire and EMS departments.

According to Singer, the radios offer increased safety for him and three officers as they patrol the 350-square-mile District 4, which includes the Ligonier Valley.

The equipment lets officers assist other local agencies, which has led to a higher number of violators being caught, Singer said.

"I've enjoyed working with previous Game Commission officers," township police Chief Mike Matrunics said. "But I didn't know what they were doing, and they didn't know what we were doing. The radios allow us to be in constant communication."

The local district received one radio in January from the Kingston Veterans Sportsman in Derry Township. The Ligonier Valley group provided $3,800 for two more radios last month.

"We wanted to do it because there was a need. It's a safety issue not only for our citizens, but for those people who are protecting us," said Bill Stablein, a member of the endowment board. "It's just one of those 'why not?' situations."

The endowment's secretary, Helen Shannon, read about the officers' need in a newspaper article about the Kingston club's donation, Stablein said.

"This was really her pet project," he said. "And it was a good one. Our mission is grass-roots giving. This is just the kind of thing we want to help fund."

Although the state provides radios for officers' vehicles, they encounter connection issues if they lack a direct line of sight with a radio tower, Singer said. The state radio system is not online 24 hours a day and allows officers to contact only each other, he noted.

"Even though the Game Commission is a state agency, I work on a local level," Singer said. "It's important to have a relationship with the local agencies. And these radios provide a stronger connection."

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