Municipal police chiefs throughout Butler County support the concept of regional booking centers for people accused of crimes.

But it's at least eye-opening, if not troubling, that leaders of most of the municipalities with police departments have ignored offering official opinions about the proposed centers.

County Commissioner Jim Kennedy was correct in expressing concern about the lack of comment on the part of municipal officials. The fact that police of some communities would have to travel significant distances to access the services of the centers (with the municipalities being required to foot the travel expenses) should have been an incentive for officials of all of the municipalities in question to go on record regarding their views on the new booking concept. That's true even though use of the booking centers would not be mandatory.

Although the county commissioners voted Wednesday to accept state grant money, paving the way for setting up the centers, it would not be out of order for municipal officials to offer belated opinions. Providing such opinions could be the basis for any questions or concerns on the part of the municipal governments to be adequately addressed.

Initially, the booking centers will be at the Butler City and Cranberry Township police stations. The Butler center will be moved to the new county prison after construction of that facility is completed in 2007.

Even if most municipal governments haven't come forward, the support by police chiefs is understandable. The centers will help expand the effectiveness of their duties.

There will be a state-of-the-art digital photo identification system hooked up to a state and national network. And, there will be hand scanners, replacing the traditional ink fingerprinting. The fingerprint scanning will run matches against any previous charges within six minutes, providing police with an additional criminal-history perspective regarding the people with whom they are dealing.

The capability could help police be of assistance to departments elsewhere in Pennsylvania or in other states that might be seeking a person currently being booked.

The bottom line is that the two centers will be a valuable adjunct to police work in this county, essentially making law enforcement more in tune with the requirements of the 21st century.

It's commendable that the county commissioners didn't delay their action as a result of the anemic response from the municipalities. But the municipalities that didn't express an opinion should rethink their decision to ignore the issue.

The importance of the centers warrants their interest.

— J.R.K.