A donation from the Newberry Independent Club is supporting Penn College Police officers.
The organization, also known as the Polish Club for the ethnic group that founded it in 1933, has a long and rich history of community empowerment, assisting local families and organizations.
Past support includes the donation of K-9 units to the City of Williamsport and South Williamsport police departments. This year, the club is supporting the Penn College, Old Lycoming and South Williamsport police departments with $3,500 donations each.
“Law enforcement is presented with unique challenges in a variety of environments throughout their time of service to our communities,” said Michael Schelb, of the Newberry Independent Club’s board. “We want to empower efficiency and safety for all engaged.”
The donation enabled Penn College Police to obtain eight Wolfcom Halo police body cameras with an accompanying docking station.
“The use of body-worn cameras has a twofold purpose,” said Penn College Police Chief Chris Miller. “It provides the ability for officers to capture real-time information as it is happening in front of them; it also promotes officer safety and enables them to collect valuable evidence and information about crime.”
“In today's ever-changing climate on policing in the United States, it provides legitimacy for both the community and the officer that their work is being done constitutionally and with transparency,” Miller added. “The video and audio quality are exceptional, and the units have already proved to be valuable in gathering evidence and corroborating information collected by the officers.”
“We are incredibly appreciative to the Newberry Independent Club for its generous support,” said Elliott Strickland, vice president for student affairs. “The body-worn cameras these funds have made possible will continue to help us ensure the safety of our campus for faculty, staff, students and the community.”
For more information on Penn College Police and campus safety, visit the department's website.
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