Trending
MIFFLINTOWN -- Welcome home, Sgt. Jared Hartsock. The Juniata Valley has missed you.
A Mifflin County native, the 39-year-old Hartsock has been assigned by the Pennsylvania State Police to replace the retiring Lucas Rankin as station commander of the Troop G barracks in Lewistown.
"Working here in my hometown has always been my goal," said Hartsock of his new post which started on April 13.
"The local community here in the area has been a great support to law enforcement over the years," he added. "The men and women at the Lewistown station are working hard to have a positive impact on our community."
Hartsock's career in law enforcement began in 2007 with the Mifflin County Regional Police Department as a patrolman. In May 2011, he entered the Pennsylvania State Police Academy and was first stationed at Troop H in Newport as a patrol trooper.
After a few years, Hartsock was able to transfer back home to Troop G in Lewistown. While stationed at the Lewistown barracks, he worked as a patrol trooper then as a member of the crime unit.
In 2016, Hartsock was promoted to the rank of corporal at Troop G in Bedford as a patrol unit supervisor. He worked as a patrol supervisor at both the Bedford and Lewistown stations. In 2018, he was promoted to sergeant at Troop F in Lamar as the station commander. Hartsock later transferred back to Troop G and was assigned to the Rockview and Huntingdon stations.
Hartsock couldn't have been happier to accept his latest assignment to the Lewistown station last month. He is ready to get to work, protecting and serving the residents in the Juniata Valley.
"My goal is to work with the communities in both Juniata and Mifflin counties to have a positive impact on the families who live here," Hartsock said.
"As issues or problem areas arise, we will focus our resources and efforts on effective responses," he added. "The Lewistown station over the past year lost one of its members, as you well know. It is apparent the members at the station have banded together and are continuing to provide excellent police
coverage."
Initially Hartsock looked into a career in law enforcement when he was in high school. A ride-along with a state trooper ultimately led him to pursue this career.
He earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Penn State-Altoona, returning to patrol the streets of Mifflin County.
"The summer I graduated college, I was hired by the Mifflin County Regional Police Department and began my first academy in Harrisburg," Hartsock recalled.
"This has been both a challenging and rewarding career, and I have been blessed with many opportunities throughout my time in law enforcement," he added. "I have been fortunate to have worked with many great people, people who are willing to go out and do their jobs with integrity and selflessness."
Hartsock thanks his family for their understanding of the time and commitment this career requires. He is also eternally grateful for their support over the years. "I would whole-heartedly encourage others to pursue a career in this field," he said.
A class of 81 cadets graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy on Friday and received their new trooper assignments. None were assigned to the Lewistown barracks.
"As far as the state police's hiring of new troopers," Hartsock said. "New applicants go through a hiring process which has been streamlined over the years.
"Routinely, we are conducting background investigations on the applicants and several new cadet classes are scheduled over the next year," he added. "Currently the station is made up of a majority of local men and women. As vacancies open at the station, new Troopers will be assigned here."
Those stationed at Troop G in Lewistown are looking forward to the upcoming new barracks.
"Law Enforcement has changed since the current station was built more than 20 years ago," Hartsock explained. "The new station will be built to meet our needs for many years to come.
"The process to build a new station is underway and will take several years until completion," he added.
As a native of Mifflin County and after working as both a local officer and a state trooper here, Hartsock is certainly familiar with the area. "I am excited to be back at the Lewistown station and am looking forward to working with the station and with this community," he said.
It certainly feels good to be home. While it's been six years and much has changed, still many of the people he has worked with have remained.
"It is easier to get things done when you have a good relationship with those you are working with," Hartsock said. "I have had the opportunity to work with both of our district attorneys over the years.
"They both have done an excellent job, and I am pleased that they are still in office," he added. "I'm familiar with the other police departments in the area and I know we have a solid relationship."
Just this week, Hartsock said multiple departments worked together on an extraordinarily successful detail which ended with arrests for driving under the influence, drug possessions and several warrants being served.