Bethlehem police chief Jason Schiffer retires
By Pamela Lehman and JD Malone, Of The Morning Call 8:34 p.m. EDT, July 9, 2013
After two years at the helm of Bethlehem's police force, Jason Schiffer will retire this summer, according to city officials. Schiffer, 43, became the city's top cop in 2011 after the retirement of Stuart Bedics. Schiffer, who has a law degree, worked for the department for 20 years. Before rising through the ranks of the department, Schiffer was an international award-winning bicycle officer.
Schiffer will be replaced by Deputy Chief Craig Finnerty, according to a news release issued Tuesday by city officials. Schiffer's plans are to spend more time with his family "while selecting his next career," according to the release. Schiffer could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Bethlehem police union President Wade Haubert said he wishes Schiffer the best of luck in his future endeavors. "I look forward to working with the next administration to improve the morale and working conditions within the police department," Haubert said. The city said an internal search for Finnerty's replacement as deputy chief will begin immediately.
Schiffer joined the department in 1994 after a shin injury ended a brief stint in the U.S. Marine Corps. The injury suffered in basic training landed him back in the civilian world. He began working in Bethlehem at a medical device company, but after the experience of boot camp, wanted to do something that mattered more to him. He saw a newspaper ad for the police department and applied.
After training, Schiffer said he requested the night shift because that's historically the busiest time for calls. He took the early morning to afternoon shift while commuting to Philadelphia to earn his law degree.
After his shin injury, Schiffer began mountain biking and turned his passion into his profession. He rose to fame in the annual International Police Mountain Bike Association Conference, snagging eight first-place medals.
Schiffer, who studied computer science at the University of Pittsburgh before joining the Marines, introduced the department to social media during his tenure as chief. He turned to Twitter and a blog to publish news releases, spread descriptions of alleged criminals and give the public access to daily blotter sheets.
The use of social media got Schiffer a bit of heat from Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli last year. The department posted a freelance video to its blog depicting a chaotic scene during a shooting near the Puerto Rican Beneficial Club on East Third Street in December. A 23-year-old woman died and five men were wounded in the melee.
Morganelli ordered the department to take down the video, saying that it might complicate prosecution of anyone implicated in the shooting.
Although Schiffer was an outspoken advocate for the use of social media for police, he said he hoped his legacy as chief would be to help preserve the department's history. Schiffer worked to create a display of photos of retired officers that was recently installed in the hallway of the police station.
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