WESTMORELAND COUNTY JUDGE ORDERS SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT TO RESUME WARRANT SERVICE

A Westmoreland County Judge has ordered the Sheriff’s department to resume warrant service.  The Trib reports that the sheriff’s office announced they had stopped warrant service temporarily to reorganize the team’s personnel.  Judge Christopher Feliciani said in a letter sent to the Sheriff that serving warrants is “one of the primary public safety functions performed by the Sheriff’s office,” and cannot be temporarily suspended “as a matter of administrative convenience.”  Albert last week suspended the team’s leader, Sgt. Irvin Shipley, with pay pending an ongoing investigation. Neither Albert nor county officials offered specifics about the substance of that investigation.