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Law Enforcement Debating How to Handle Rising Murder Rate in Reading
Reading’s homicide rate finished 2018 at more than double what it was in 2017, a statistic that has alarmed both community members and law enforcement officers. City and county officials largely blame issues associated with drugs and gangs, but there have been differing opinions over which strategies can best resolve those issues. Reading has a […]
Data Analytics Become a Big Part of Fighting Local Crime
Local law enforcement officials recently demonstrated a new strategy they’ve been using to fight and reduce crime throughout the Reading area. The method involves the use of data analytics. While this is not entirely new to the Reading Police Department, officers have been expanding their use of data in recent months. All county departments in […]
18 People Arrested in Major Drug Bust in Reading
Law enforcement officials in Reading recently arrested 18 people in connection with a drug trafficking organization. The bust, called Operation K-O’d, was the result of an investigation that began in May, 2018 when a concerned citizen informed police of suspected drug activity at two locations in the city. Upon investigating, police discovered the distribution network […]
When Are Police Allowed to Search Your Vehicle?
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects you from unreasonable searches and seizures. However, it does not mean you are fully protected from a search if an officer pulls you over in your vehicle. There are some circumstances in which officers can search your vehicle without a warrant, including when the following are present: […]
Do Police Need Warrants to Extract Evidence from Social Media Profiles?
People are putting information about themselves and their lives on the internet more than ever, thanks to the explosion of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If you are not careful with your privacy settings, you might find that content you thought you were just sharing with friends and family is actually available […]
Private Attorneys vs. Public Defenders: How Do They Stack Up?
When you are accused of a crime, you have the right to an attorney. As the arresting officer tells you while reading your Miranda rights, if you are unable to afford a private defense attorney of your own, you will be provided with an attorney known as a public defender. In either case, the job […]
New Anti-Hazing Law Introduced After Death of Penn State Fraternity Member
The Pennsylvania state legislature recently passed an anti-hazing law that was proposed after the death of a Penn State student who had been drinking at a fraternity house in early 2017. Gov. Tom Wolf signed the bill into law shortly after the legislature passed it. The bill allows prosecutors to seek stricter criminal penalties and […]
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Toughen State’s DUI Penalties
After years of receiving criticism about Pennsylvania’s relative weakness in the area of driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement, state legislators passed a bill in October that would impose stricter penalties on repeat offenders. The legislation is Senate Bill 961. It is expected to levy harsher penalties on those convicted of DUI starting in 2019. […]
Are Felony Drug Charges Helping Deter Opioid Use in Pennsylvania?
Drug-related deaths and overdoses are on the rise across the country, and Pennsylvania is one of the states hit the hardest by the opioid crisis. In fact, earlier this year, the state declared the epidemic a state of emergency, indicating just how serious the problem has become here. One of the tools state officials are […]
Pennsylvania to End Mandatory License Suspensions for Some Crimes
The Pennsylvania State Legislature recently passed House Bill 163, which will eliminate mandatory driver’s license suspensions in cases involving drug crimes that were not related to driving. The state had been one of only about a dozen left that would implement mandatory driver’s license suspensions in cases that had nothing to do with operating a […]
