RIDGWAY — Upon the request of Elk County District Attorney Shawn T. McMahon, the county’s salary board approved the creation of a county detective position, which is expected to be filled by St. Marys City Police Officer Gregg McManus.
During a presentation before the commissioners on Tuesday, McMahon said the county’s municipalities have limited resources and there are times that additional assistance is needed.
“We’re confronted with limited resources, and we do the best that we can,” McMahon said.
The purpose of the county detective would be to provide assistance to the county’s law enforcement agencies on drug investigations and other major crimes.
McMahon said the county detective position has been set up so the detective can spend 80 percent of his time working on drug investigations, while the remaining 20 percent would be used for other major crimes as assigned by the district attorney.
McMahon said the detective would increase coordination between agencies and thus improve the efficiency of drug investigations. He added that another goal of the move would be to decrease reliance upon agencies outside of the county for fighting the drug epidemic in Elk County.
McMahon said he hoped the position would help the county get ahead of the drug issues and to take control of the issue at a local level. McMahon added that he wanted to make sure that he did not look back in 30 years and wonder why the county did not do more to combat the drug issues locally.
Doing nothing could have devastating impacts on the area’s population and property values, McMahon said.
Elk County Commissioner Matt Quesenberry said the drug issue is not isolated anymore and impacts nearly every aspect of the county.
Employers in the county have struggled to find workers to fill open positions, and McMahon said that schools are being impacted by the issue as well.
He said it is important to work with at-risk youth to instill the values of an honest day’s work and to show the need for them to be productive members of the community.
During his presentation, McMahon revealed that he plans to appoint McManus to the position, which he hopes will be effective Jan. 1, 2017.
McMahon and several others at Tuesday’s meeting — including the commissioners and Elk County Prison Warden Greg Gebauer — commended McManus on his integrity and qualifications as a law enforcement officer.
McManus has been working for 20 years in law enforcement and currently works on the North Central Municipal Drug Task Force.
Overall, the detective position will cost the county nearly $70,000 annually, however McMahon said he hopes to pay for up to 80 percent of that cost through forfeiture funds that the position would generate.
The starting salary for the position is $49,961.60 and features the standard county benefits.
Elk County Commissioner Janis Kemmer said the position was evaluated in the same fashion as any other potential position in the county.
This includes having the position evaluated by an independent third-party.
The motion to create the position was passed unanimously by the salary board, which featured Commissioner Janis Kemmer, Commissioner Dan Freeburg, Quesenberry, County Treasurer Peggy Schneider and McMahon.
