Police unit sponsors 5k run to raise money for equipment
Uniontown Police Chief Kyle Sneddon would rather see his officers spending their off-duty time training, not fund-raising. On the other hand, he is proud that they have been able to raise enough money through grants and private donations to establish the department’s 10-man Emergency Services Unit.
The specialized training and equipment are too expensive to be funded exclusively through the city’s “strapped” budget, so patrolman David Rutter is organizing the first of what he hopes will become an annual Uniontown Police Department Emergency Services Unit 5K Run/Walk.
It is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20, beginning at 1 p.m. at Bailey Park on Dunbar Street with a goal of attracting 300 to 400 runners and walkers in all age groups, and raising $5,000 for the ESU.
The entry fee is $13 for those who pre-register by Sept. 10th and $15 on race day.
Rutter said racers will compete in age groups of 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59 and 60 and over.
Trophies will be awarded to the top three male and female overall finishers in each event and age group. Rutter said 150 trophies will be awarded and door prizes include a weekend at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa and Seven Springs Resort.
Racers who pre-register will receive an event T-shirt, but only a limited number of shirts will be available for those who sign up on race day.
Registration forms are available at the city police station, the YMCA and at the Herald-Standard.
With checks made payable to the Uniontown Police Emergency Services Unit, registration fees or donations should be mailed to Uniontown Police ESU 5K, P.O. Box 1652, Uniontown, Pa., 15401.
Rutter said the money from the race will be spent on equipment, weapons and certification training.
“It’s better to have and not need than to need and not have,” Rutter said. “We’ve had a lot of robberies. It’s just a matter of time before one of our guys catches somebody in the act. Our ultimate goal is to not have anybody hurt – no civilians, no cops, no bad guys.”
Sneddon said the ESU is trained for rapid deployment in response to a barricaded gunman, school violence, terrorist, high-risk entries, civil disobedience and a variety of other incidents.
“Our guys will respond first and hopefully quell the situation,” Sneddon said. “In the event of a full-blown tactical situation, we would still rely on the state police SERT (Special Emergency Response Team) team and out guys would contain the situation and keep it from getting out of hand.”
The annual cost of training and equipping each ESU officer is $1,000 and the unit already has more than $50,000 worth of equipment, Sneddon said, estimating that the city has paid for less than 10 percent of the ESU’s costs since it became operational last summer.
He said the ESU has Kevlar helmets, a shield, machine guns, automatic shotguns and self-contained breathing apparatus.
Still needed is forced entry equipment, tear gas, bean-bag guns, tasers, ropes, harnesses, ladders and other equipment for van, which was donated by the fire department and is being converted for law enforcement use.
ESU officers train eight hours a month without pay to use specialized weapons and equipment, the chief said.
The training helps reinforce the bonds between officers and allows them to network with officers from other departments who train with them.
Sneddon said increasing police training and forming such a unit were goals he set for himself when he was named police chief in 1998.
“It’s necessary to have a specialized unit like this. Sometimes we don’t realize the gems we have,” Sneddon said. “For a small city (police department), these guys really do a good job. I’m confident these guys can handle any situation that comes down the pike. Hopefully no situation will come down the pike.”