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DA Richard Goldinger: Law enforcement continues protecting growing county

TRACKING OUR PROGRESS — VOICES
Richard A. Goldinger

Summary: Butler County’s district attorney Richard Goldinger shares his thoughts on the growing population and its impact on law enforcement.

Don't miss out on “Tracking our Progress” — a series that covers how officials are framing the county for success with infrastructure projects and expansion of judicial and emergency services. Also, see how others like school districts are facing the challenges as nonprofits such as those that feed neighbors in need.

The stories in this series will be released regularly over the next month for digital Butler Eagle subscribers and in a special print edition on Oct. 22. Subscribe now or log in below to start reading.

It was the summer of 1985, and I was playing baseball for the South Butler Legion baseball team. We had an away game against a team named “Cranberry.”

I remember asking my dad where Cranberry played. Sarcastic as he is, he said Cranberry, to which I asked where Cranberry was.

At that time in my life, I had never heard of Cranberry Township. We drove west on Route 228, through Mars, and came to the intersection with Route 19. I recall the current Burger King and Denny’s being there, but there was a Conley’s resort on the left, and a gas station on the other corner.

The Cranberry Mall may have been there. There wasn’t much else there that I recall. We played the baseball game behind the elementary school on Rowan Road. I’m not sure if that field is still there.

Much has changed since 1985.

The population of Butler County has skyrocketed, mostly due to the construction of Interstate 279 connecting Pittsburgh to southern Butler County, and the low taxes that continue to exist here.

Most of that population boom has occurred in southern Butler County, although other areas have seen growth. Population growth has led to growth in businesses, restaurants, churches and schools, among other indicators. Nobody can deny that Butler County is still growing economically.

Growth and progress, while positive, can have a negative impact as well.

High population growth can lead to urban overcrowding. Densely populated areas can result in social strain and stress, traffic congestion, crowded schools and restaurants and more retail establishments which can attract larcenous-minded individuals to crowded stores where they may feel safe to steal.

Thankfully, the increase in county population has not correlated with an increase in the crime rate or the number of crimes prosecuted in Butler County.

Butler County continues to have one of the lowest crime rates in Pennsylvania. The number of cases the district attorney’s office prosecutes on a yearly basis has dropped every year since 2020.

Only time will tell if that trend continues, but I believe Butler County is in a solid position for the crime rate to remain low even while the population increases.

We have excellent law enforcement resources in Butler County.

We are the headquarters for Troop D of the Pennsylvania State Police. We are also the home to more than 20 municipal police departments.

We have a Drug Task Force and an Emergency Services Unit which is a SWAT team. The police have the resources available to them to fight crime and continue to keep our county safe.

That is not to say that we have been immune from seeing different crimes than we normally would.

Butler County is easily accessible by Interstate 79 from the north and south, the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the east and west, and Interstate 80 and Route 422 traveling east and west through the center of the county.

Having major thoroughfares makes it easier to get to and from Butler County. These roads put us within a six-hour drive of several major cities, including New York City, Philadelphia and Detroit.

The transportation system has contributed to our growth as a county, but it has also contributed to crimes we may not have seen had we not grown as we did.

Much of our drug activity in the county is committed by people from Youngstown, Philadelphia and Detroit, in addition to Pittsburgh.

We have seen human trafficking, prostitution and retail theft rings committed by people from New York City.

The correlation between these crimes and the growth in county population is not evident on its face. The people that have moved here are taxpayers, buying houses and townhomes, working in the community, and frequenting the businesses that have been built due to the county’s growth.

However, with that growth comes opportunity for those that want to commit human trafficking or steal merchandise or deal drugs. It has led to more hotels being built as businesses move into the area. More retail stores exist to satisfy the demand of an increased population. More individuals who suffer from addiction are available as patrons to illegal drug merchants.

In essence, more people lead to more opportunities, whether those opportunities involve legal activity or not.

If you have ever driven down the Route 228 corridor toward Cranberry, or driven on Route 19 in Cranberry, one thing you will notice is congestion.

Traffic can cause stress and aggressive driving. These can lead to traffic violations, or even worse, accidents. Thankfully, Butler County emergency services and law enforcement are equipped to quickly respond and get everyone safely back on the road.

All in all, Butler County has a bright future.

Housing communities continue to pop up as people choose to make their homes here. With that will come more businesses, restaurants, hotels and overall opportunity as the tax base continues to increase.

While we have to keep an eye on the crime rate with these changes, our law enforcement already does a tremendous job keeping us safe. They are equipped to keep up with the times and I have no doubt that they will continue to protect us as the county grows.

Richard A. Goldinger is a life-long resident of Butler County. He is a graduate of Butler High School, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Akron School of Law. He practiced law in Butler from 1995 to 2007, and has been the district attorney of Butler County since 2008.

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