Communications, hours factor in sheriff race

Both candidates tout their law enforcement experience.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Two men with very different ideas of how to do the job are vying to become Lawrence County sheriff.
Incumbent three-term Republican Robert Clark and Democrat Anthony Mangino, a constable for the New Castle School District, will face off in the November general election.
Clark says his priority if re-elected will be to work out a better communication system between his office and the county courts.
The sheriff's office and courts clashed earlier this year when President Judge Ralph Pratt ordered deputies to start transporting prisoners to hearings at district justices' offices. Police had previously handled the transportation.
Clark initially balked at the idea, saying there wasn't enough manpower. Eventually, more deputies were added to the payroll, and they started transporting the prisoners.
Clark says he now wants to work out a better communication system that will give deputies more than 24 hours' notice when they must transport a prisoner.
Clark sees the sheriff's office growing in the future and would also like to train the office staff to be interchangeable in their duties.
"I would like the office staff to rotate jobs," he said. Clark noted that clerical duties in his office have tripled this year.
Full-time office: Mangino wants to convert the sheriff's office into a full-time law enforcement office.
Mangino says there are state and federal grants that will pay for the office to become a 24-hour operation.
The sheriff's office currently handles prisoner transportation and serving documents for the courts. No police powers or patrols are given to the deputies or the sheriff.
Experience: Both candidates tout their law enforcement experience.
Clark was an officer and sergeant on the Washington, D.C., police department for 18 years and returned to Lawrence County in 1981 to work in the county's correctional system.
Mangino has been a Pennsylvania constable for 40 years and has worked as police officer in Wampum, as a constable for the New Castle parks and recreation department and as a security guard.