2015 Lehigh County Sheriff General Election
***Clicking on a candidate's name will take you to their campaign website.
(Vote for One- 4 Year Term)
Ed Zucal (D)
“Sheriff for the People”
Sgt Allentown police dept-traffic division
Age 58
Education:
-Penn State
-Southern Career Institute, Paralegal
-Graduate of Allentown police academy
Experience:
-24 years Allentown police dept
-22 years Lehigh county deputy coroner
-Former NRA instructor
-Completed Penn State’s supervisor in training course
-Currently traffic division supervisor-in charge of the motor unit, Hamilton Mall bike patrol, and is the Hit and Run investigator
-Coordinates the dept’s DUI enforcement and child seat belt enforcement programs
-Previous member of the emergency response team
-Received 9 dept commendations
-Member of the Queen City fraternal order of police lodge #10 Allentown
-Member of the PA DUI assoc
-Registered diplomate on the board of medicological death investigators
-Completed PA coroner’s education course
-Member in good standing-PA state coroners assoc
-Child car seat technician
-Former EMT
Issues:
-The sheriff needs to be good at communicating between staff and the public
-The public should have a say in how their tax dollars are used
-Says dedication and commitment are part of his ethics.
-Believes he will win the election base don his leadership skills and personal kindness
-Will have an open door policy with both the sheriff’s office employees and the general public
-Wants a more efficient gun permit process, as well as offering training for residents obtaining permits (endorsed by firearms owners against crime)
-Wants to establish a computerized system for officers in the field to establish whether someone has a valid gun permit.
-Strict background checks for concealed carry permits
-Create a summer youth camp like the ones run by the PA state police and Allentown police
-Create a board among the rank and file to evaluate training and equipment needs, contracts and union and management issues
-Create a crisis management team for employee or security crisis’s that arise in a courthouse setting-including medical personnel and officers with advanced non-lethal weapons training
-Have the courthouse security guards that check visitors at the door armed with tasers
-Apply for grants through homeland security
-Will be in his office and in the courtrooms to make sure his people are doing what they are supposed to and that the courthouse is secure
-Wants to start a gun accident prevention program for children
Cons:
-Exceeded his word limit on the voter guide twice
-Campaign website isnt working, only his facebook page is
Joe Hanna (R)
“A Record of Distinctive Service”
Lehigh County DA detective
Age: 59
Education:
-B.A. Criminal Justice from Moravian
-FBI National Academy
-Northwestern school of police staff and command
Experience:
-34 years Allentown Police dept
-Awarded police officer of the year in 2004, and an award for professional excellence in 2013
-Manager of law enforcement personnel since 1997
-Over 3 decades law enforcement experience
-Positions held in the Allentown police dept: patrol officer, detective, captain of vice and intelligence unit, captain of the patrol division, captain of the criminal investigations division, assistant chief of police operations, chief of police from Sept –Dec of 2013
-Director of training, Allentown police academy
Issues:
-Will provide a safe and secure environment to all who work or do business in the courthouse and county gov’t buildings
-Will implement modern technology while remaining fiscally responsible
-Leadership to bring the most cutting edge in training
-Establish a good working relationship with all law enforcement and gov’t officials
-Streamline things to improve efficiency
-Secure alternative forms of funding
-Would look at policies and procedures of other sheriff’s offices in the commonwealth and nation
-Would increases weapons training for officers in the courthouse, as well as negotiations training to talk down angry visitors
-Believes the demeanor and approach of an officer can determine the outcome of a situation
-In favor of streamlining the gun permit renewal process, possibly allowing online renewal
-Does not believe the computerized system that Zucal recommends is necessary since permit holders are required to carry their permits with them. (How hard are these to fake I wonder?)
-Believes it is important that the people who work for you know they can depend on you, and that you understand what they deal with.
-Wants to start a program to help seniors avoid scams
-Wants the dept to establish better standards for hiring and promotions, and to see the dept earn state accreditation
Cons:
-Was called an “Interim Police Chief” by his opponent due to only serving 4 months. His response was that even though his time was short he did carry the title of “Chief of Police” and even presented the 2014 budget during that time.
(Vote for One- 4 Year Term)
Ed Zucal (D)
“Sheriff for the People”
Sgt Allentown police dept-traffic division
Age 58
Education:
-Penn State
-Southern Career Institute, Paralegal
-Graduate of Allentown police academy
Experience:
-24 years Allentown police dept
-22 years Lehigh county deputy coroner
-Former NRA instructor
-Completed Penn State’s supervisor in training course
-Currently traffic division supervisor-in charge of the motor unit, Hamilton Mall bike patrol, and is the Hit and Run investigator
-Coordinates the dept’s DUI enforcement and child seat belt enforcement programs
-Previous member of the emergency response team
-Received 9 dept commendations
-Member of the Queen City fraternal order of police lodge #10 Allentown
-Member of the PA DUI assoc
-Registered diplomate on the board of medicological death investigators
-Completed PA coroner’s education course
-Member in good standing-PA state coroners assoc
-Child car seat technician
-Former EMT
Issues:
-The sheriff needs to be good at communicating between staff and the public
-The public should have a say in how their tax dollars are used
-Says dedication and commitment are part of his ethics.
-Believes he will win the election base don his leadership skills and personal kindness
-Will have an open door policy with both the sheriff’s office employees and the general public
-Wants a more efficient gun permit process, as well as offering training for residents obtaining permits (endorsed by firearms owners against crime)
-Wants to establish a computerized system for officers in the field to establish whether someone has a valid gun permit.
-Strict background checks for concealed carry permits
-Create a summer youth camp like the ones run by the PA state police and Allentown police
-Create a board among the rank and file to evaluate training and equipment needs, contracts and union and management issues
-Create a crisis management team for employee or security crisis’s that arise in a courthouse setting-including medical personnel and officers with advanced non-lethal weapons training
-Have the courthouse security guards that check visitors at the door armed with tasers
-Apply for grants through homeland security
-Will be in his office and in the courtrooms to make sure his people are doing what they are supposed to and that the courthouse is secure
-Wants to start a gun accident prevention program for children
Cons:
-Exceeded his word limit on the voter guide twice
-Campaign website isnt working, only his facebook page is
Joe Hanna (R)
“A Record of Distinctive Service”
Lehigh County DA detective
Age: 59
Education:
-B.A. Criminal Justice from Moravian
-FBI National Academy
-Northwestern school of police staff and command
Experience:
-34 years Allentown Police dept
-Awarded police officer of the year in 2004, and an award for professional excellence in 2013
-Manager of law enforcement personnel since 1997
-Over 3 decades law enforcement experience
-Positions held in the Allentown police dept: patrol officer, detective, captain of vice and intelligence unit, captain of the patrol division, captain of the criminal investigations division, assistant chief of police operations, chief of police from Sept –Dec of 2013
-Director of training, Allentown police academy
Issues:
-Will provide a safe and secure environment to all who work or do business in the courthouse and county gov’t buildings
-Will implement modern technology while remaining fiscally responsible
-Leadership to bring the most cutting edge in training
-Establish a good working relationship with all law enforcement and gov’t officials
-Streamline things to improve efficiency
-Secure alternative forms of funding
-Would look at policies and procedures of other sheriff’s offices in the commonwealth and nation
-Would increases weapons training for officers in the courthouse, as well as negotiations training to talk down angry visitors
-Believes the demeanor and approach of an officer can determine the outcome of a situation
-In favor of streamlining the gun permit renewal process, possibly allowing online renewal
-Does not believe the computerized system that Zucal recommends is necessary since permit holders are required to carry their permits with them. (How hard are these to fake I wonder?)
-Believes it is important that the people who work for you know they can depend on you, and that you understand what they deal with.
-Wants to start a program to help seniors avoid scams
-Wants the dept to establish better standards for hiring and promotions, and to see the dept earn state accreditation
Cons:
-Was called an “Interim Police Chief” by his opponent due to only serving 4 months. His response was that even though his time was short he did carry the title of “Chief of Police” and even presented the 2014 budget during that time.