COURT HEARING SCHEDULED TODAY BETWEEN WESTMORELAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND SHERIFF JAMES ALBERT

A Court hearing is scheduled today between the Westmoreland County Commissioners and Sheriff James Albert.  The Trib reports that the hearing today will focus on a county fleet policy put in place in 2024.  Sheriff Albert objects to GPS trackers being placed on county vehicles, saying it violates his autonomy as an independent elected official and the vehicle monitoring is a power play by commissioners to potentially intervene in personnel decisions and could endanger the safety of his deputies.  Commissioners say the policy was designed to ensure county vehicles are properly used. They deny that it was crafted to influence personnel decisions.