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Riverside Police Department

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Riverside Police Department
301 Dewart Street
P.O, Box 307
Riverside PA 17868-0307

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Office Phone: 570.275.4305
(A dispatcher is available 24 hours a day)

FAX: 570.275.3569

Email: riversidepd@riversideborough.org

    If you want to contact a specific officer via email, please note the intended officer's  information on the email that you send.  That email will be received by the officer on duty and will be forwarded to the appropriate officer that you want to contact.

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    The Riverside Police Department's main function is the protection of persons and property within the Borough of Riverside. The Department enforces Local, State and Federal laws during its daily activities and consists of the following officers:

   The Department also works hand in hand with the Danville and the Mahoning Township Police Departments.  Mutual Aid agreements are in place for RPD to assist with or receive back up police assistance from them when the need arises.  We also work with the combined Northumberland and Montour Counties Drug Task Force.

        The Riverside Police Department was formed when Riverside Borough Council developed a plan for police protection June of 1953.  It was decided that only Riverside Borough residents could apply for the part time police position and five men applied.  They were William Oberdorf, Edward Rothermel, Ralph Balliet, Jr., Donald Burkland and Albert Burkland.  The plan consisted of paying the officer $1.50 per hour and he had to use his own personal vehicle for patrol.  The Borough would furnish the uniform, compensation insurance and other necessary equipment.  On June 30th, 1953, Donald Burkland was hired as Riverside Borough’s first Chief of Police and to begin work as soon as possible.  Albert “Abe” Burkland, the Constable at the time, was sworn in as a special officer when needed in 1955.

         On March 24th, 1958, an ordinance to maintain, regulate and govern the police department of the Borough of Riverside, Northumberland County was adopted.  It was also authorized by Council to use Merck guards as special police when the Burgess of Riverside (today’s mayor) authorized their use at $1.00 per hour.  In 1962 it was adopted to use Merck security guards when Don and Abe Burkland were not available.

          In March of 1962, Frank Huntington, George Dietz and Lewis Wray from Merck were given authority to patrol the Borough to compliment the Police department.  The question arose concerning the police having to use their personal vehicles as police cruisers and in November 1964, bids were received for the Borough of Riverside’s first police cruiser, a 1965 Chevrolet from Lewis Chevrolet for $2,125.00.

        The move to a full time police department started in early January 1966.  It was discussed and moved by Council to requested Borough Solicitor Arthur Peters to advertise for a full time police officer and go as high as $4,200.00 for a salary.  By April, Richard Miller was hired as the first full time Chief of Police for the Borough of Riverside.

         On November 3rd, 1969, Chief of Police Richard Miller resigned his position for personal reasons and it was decided to advertise for a new Chief of Police.  Five applications were received and Albert “Abe” Burkland was hired as the new Chief of Police, starting salary of $6,200.00 annually.

         In September 1972, Mayor Frank Webber began checking into hiring a second full time Police officer using Federal Funds, however, funding was not available to hire policeman at that time.  A decision was made in February 1974 that a second full time police officer was needed.  Twelve men applied for the position and the Borough chose John Mutchler in April 1974.

         Talk of hiring a third full time officer began in 1976 after the police department moved into a small office on the southwest corner of the Riverside Municipal Building.  In April 1977 Ms. Sharon McCrum was hired under the CETA program as its third, full time police officer. She was the first female municipal police officer in the area.  CETA was a government funded training program, which paid the wages while persons learned certain skills or vocations.

         Shortly thereafter in 1978, McCrum resigned her position for unknown reasons.  Mutchler was then promoted to Sergeant while Frank Maresca was hired as a police officer under the CETA program.

        Chief of Police Burkland resigned his position November 1979 and the Borough investigated the possibility of hiring police protection from an outside source, possibly due to the current police contract negotiations. Nothing ever materialized from the investigation.

        In April 1980, John R Blackledge was hired as the new Chief of Police for Riverside Borough at a salary of $15,000.00 annually.  Later that year, Frank Maresca was hired full time as a police officer without CETA funding, but resigned a few days later for unknown reasons.

         Jay Berthelsen was hired as a full time police officer in June of 1981 from a part time position under the CETA program.  His full time status was also short lived when he resigned in December of that year to take a full time position with the Mahoning Township Police Department.

         The hiring process was already in progress to bring the police department up to a full compliment of three full time officers when John Mutchler suddenly resigned in May of 1982. The Borough then appointed part time police officer Isaac Ramer to take Mutchler’s former full time position, and shortly thereafter completed the hiring process and hired Steven Watkins in June 1982 bringing the police force back to three full time officers.

        In 1985, the borough found itself included in a lawsuit that involved a police officer attempting to stop a car in August 1984, for speeding in which the driver attempted to flee the police.  In this incident, one passenger was killed and one partially paralyzed after the vehicle in which they were riding slammed into the mountainside at the west end of the borough.  (A twelve-member jury by a unanimous decision found the Borough and the police were not guilty after a two week civil trial in October 1989.)

        In July of 1987, Chief Blackledge resigned under controversy.  It was learned that he was working as a police officer and driving the borough police cruiser while his driver’s license had been under suspension for about four years due to an incident, which occurred prior to him being hired by Riverside Borough. In early August of that year, then Corporal Ike Ramer was appointed Officer in Charge of the department until being appointed the Chief of Police in January 1988.

        A number of other full time officers had come and gone after that.  John M. Haas was hired full time in August 1988 and resigned in July 1991; Michael J. Sheldon was hired in October 1991 and resigned in September 1993; Harold A. Lerch, Jr. November 1st, 1993 and resigned in May 1995 to work at Danville PD; and Kerry Parkes, hired in July 1995 and still currently works for the Borough today.

            The first Riverside Police Cruiser was a 1965 Chevrolet received in January 1965 from Lewis Chevrolet for the cost of $2,125.00; other bids were Danville Studebaker, $2150.00, and Lawrence-Horton Ford, $2,129.60.

             September 1967, a 1968 Chevrolet from Hawkins Chevrolet for $1,425.00 plus trade.  One other bid for $1,481.20 plus trade was received from Lawrence-Horton Ford.

             September 1969, the cruiser was a 1970 Ford for $1,205.21 with trade.  Heritage Motors bid $1,590.00 with trade for Plymouth and Hawkins Chevrolet $1,387.00 with trade.  It was decided to purchase air conditioning for the cruiser bringing the total cost to $1,639.21.

            November 1970, a 1971 Plymouth Fury was purchased from BZ Motors of Lewisburg for $1,840.00 plus trade in.  Higher bids were Triangle Motors, $2,500.00 and Hawkins Chevrolet, $2,290.00, both included trade in of old cruiser.

             February 1974, bought a 1974 police cruiser (unknown model) on State buying program for $3,639.68.

             November 1976, one bid from Hawkins Chevrolet for a Chevrolet Nova, $4,800.00 with an AM\FM radio.

             March 1980, one bid received from Hawkins Chevrolet for a Chevrolet Malibu at the cost of $7,100.00, without trade.  The 1977 Chevrolet Nova kept as second cruiser.

             December 1983, three bids received:  Hawkins Chevrolet, $10,650.00 for a Chevrolet Impala; Metzer Ford (2 bids) $10,254.00 for a Ford LTD and $10,379.00 for a Ford Crown Victoria.  The Borough chose the Ford Crown Victoria.

             February 1987, one bid received from Hawkins Chevrolet for a Chevrolet Caprice, $13,210.00.

             January 1990, a 1990 Chevrolet Caprice from Hawkins Chevrolet for $14,296.83 over Metzer Ford, $14,498.00.

             In November 1992, Boro chose a 1993 Ford Crown Victoria from Metzer Ford for $13,610.00 over a Chevrolet from Hawkins:  $16,543.63.  1987 Chevrolet Caprice used by Borough Manager.

             October 1994, a 1995 Ford Crown Victoria from Metzer Ford at $18,420.00, Hawkins Chevrolet, Caprice $19,360.00, trade in 1987 Chevrolet Caprice; 1990 Chevrolet Caprice used by Borough Manager.

             October 1997, Hawkins Chevrolet was the only bid received, a Chevrolet Lumina, V6, for $21,185.00, and trade in the 1990 Chevrolet Caprice.  The Lumina was the main cruiser in use and the 1993 Ford Crown Victoria was the unmarked cruiser.  The 1995 Crown Victoria is used by Borough Manager.

            On April 23rd, 2001 the Borough placed into service a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria police cruiser from the State piggy back purchasing program.  This allows boroughs and townships to be able to purchase equipment through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at bulk purchase discounts.  The vehicle cost was $19,881.48 including the Chevrolet Lumina as a trade in.