Saturday, February 22, 2003
MERCER, Pa. --The Mercer County district attorney and the sheriff are running for re-election as a team again.
"Our offices have worked together to address major issues," District Attorney James P. Epstein and Sheriff Bill Romine said in a joint news release announcing their bids on the Democratic ticket for another four-year term.
They said they have carried out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively in the face of an ever-increasing caseload and they view themselves as law enforcement professionals committed to the firm and fair administration of justice in Mercer County.
Epstein and Romine have teamed up in past elections as well.
Epstein has served as district attorney since 1986 and was an assistant in the office starting in 1976.
Romine has been sheriff since 1988 and was a deputy sheriff and a police officer in both Hempfield and Hickory townships before that.
During the last term, they worked together to secure support and funding for a new county jail, assigned uniformed sheriff's deputies to high-crime areas to assist local police, continued a K-9 drug detection program, participated in the Weed and Seed community revitalization effort in Sharon and Farrell, pushed for a central screening system for courthouse security and continued efforts to prevent crime through community education.
Both are unopposed in the May primary so far.