Patrol Division

The Department's Patrol Division has the primary responsibility for the patrol and call for service response functions within the Department, which includes crime prevention and deterrence, investigation of criminal offenses, traffic and parking enforcement, vehicular accident investigation and crash reduction, and the expedient apprehension of criminal offenders. It is the Patrol Division that is the front line of the Department's efforts to provide for our safe and secure neighborhoods, entertainment venues, and shopping facilities. The Patrol Division seeks to meet and exceed the expectations of the Department's mission, goals, and objectives through its' various training and educational mandates, law enforcement and crime control and prevention programs, and Special Services, including our Police Sub-Stations, Directed Enforcement Unit, K-9 Unit, Community Service Officer Unit, which provides for community relations programs, and our Critical Incident Tactical and Crisis Negotiations Teams. Each of these specialties within the Patrol Division are endeavors to maintain the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of police service to our community.

Questions, comments, and/or concerns can be addressed to our Patrol Division via telephone at 570-208-4635 or by email at patroldivision@wilkesbarretwppolice.org.

Carl E. Gembitski, Lieutenant          

Lieutenant Gembitski has been a member of the Department since 1989. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1998 and to Lieutenant in 2001. As Lieutenant, he oversees the Patrol Division and Special Services Section, as well as the various units within the Department, such as the Community Service Officer Unit, Directed Enforcement Unit, and the Police Sub-Station, located at the Wyoming Valley Mall, as well as serving as the TACT Team Commander. He successfully completed a course of instruction in Police Executive Development from Penn State University. Lt. Gembitski received the Department's Exceptional Duty Award in 1999 and 2001 and the Community Service Award in 2001.

Thomas B. Wardle, Sergeant    

Sergeant Wardle has been with the Department since 1995. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1999. He is currently assigned as the C Platoon Watch Commander. He is also a member of the Department's TACT Team. He has served as the Department's K-9 Officer from 1997 to 2005 serving with K-9 partners Draco, Rolf and Blitz. Sgt. Wardle earned an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Luzerne County Community College and received the Department's Exceptional Duty Award in 1999, 2003 and 2005 and the Community Service Award in 2001.

Thomas J. Elick, Sergeant    

Sergeant Elick has been with the Department since 1995 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2001. He is assigned as the A and B Platoon Watch Commander and is the Department's Firearms Instructor and he also serves as part of the Detective Division as the Evidence Custodian. He is also a member of the Department's TACT Team. Sgt. Elick is a graduate of Penn State University, where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Hospital Administration and has also served as a Medical Specialist Sergeant in the PA Army Reserve National Guard. Sgt. Elick received the Department's Lifesaving Award in 2003 and 2005.

Kevin S. Kistler, Sergeant    

Sergeant Kistler has been a member of the Department since 1997 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2001. Prior to becoming a member of our Department, he was a police officer with the West Wyoming and Wyoming Borough Police Departments for 4 years. Sgt. Kistler is assigned as the A and B Platoon Watch Commander and as Sergeant of Special Services, overseeing the operation of the Police Sub-Station, Community Service Officer Unit, and Bike Patrol Unit. Sgt. Kistler is a member of the Department's TACT Team. Sgt. Kistler attended Bloomsburg University and Penn State University. He also successfully completed a course of instruction in Police Executive Development from Penn State University and received the Department's Community Service Award in 2001.

Mark A. Phillips, Patrolman    

Patrolman Phillips has been with the Department since 1994 and assigned to the Patrol Division. He is the department's K-9 handler and serves with his partner, K-9 Sisko. Ptlm. Phillips has received two commendations for Exceptional Duty.

Robert Capparell, Patrolman       

Patrolman Capparell has been a member of the Department since 2002 is assigned to Patrol. he also serves as one of the department's Firearms Instructors. Ptlm. Capparell previously served with the McAdoo and Beaver Meadows Police Departments. He has been a member of the PA Army National Guard for the past seven years, serving as an armor crewman specialist. Ptlm. Capparell  received an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Lackawanna College. He is a member of the TACT Team and he received the Department's Lifesaving Award in 2002. 

James Reh, Patrolman    

Officer Reh has been a member of the Department since 1997 and is assigned to the Special Services Section. He is also a member of the Department's TACT Team and is a member of the Directed Enforcement Unit.

Lee Ann Reh, Patrolman

Patrolman Reh has been a member of the Department since 2000. She is assigned to the Special Services Section as Officer In Charge of the Wyoming Valley Mall Sub-Station and on the Department's TACT Crisis Negotiations Team. She received the Department's Community Service Award in 2003.

Michael Amditis, Patrolman      

Patrolman Amditis has been a member of the Department from 2000 to 2001 and from 2004 to the present. He currently serves with the United States Air Force Reserve since 2001, holding the rank of Staff Sergeant and has completed two tours in Iraq. He was the recipient of the Exceptional Duty commendation in 2001.

Shawn M. Whitebread, Patrolman

Officer Whitebread has been a member of the Department since 2001 and is assigned to Patrol and Special Services and is a member of the TACT Team.

Jason Mozdziock, Patrolman    

Patrolman Mozdziock has been a member of the Department since 2001. He attended the University of Scranton. He is currently assigned to both the Patrol Division and the Detective Division as the Department's Records and Identification Officer and he received the Department's Lifesaving Award in 2005.

Mark Hampton, Patrolman

Patrolman Hampton has been a member of the department since 2006. He recently returned from serving oversees in Iraq with the PA Army National Guard Reserve, and previously served in Bosnia in 2002.

Thomas Zurawski, Patrolman

Patrolman Zurawski has been a member of the department since 1995 upon his retirement from the Plains Township Police Department, where he served for 30 years. He is currently assigned to the Special Services Section and received the department's Exceptional Duty Award in 1998.

Timothy McCann, Patrolman

Patrolman McCann has been a member of the Department since 2000. He is currently assigned to Patrol and Special Services and is a member of the Department's TACT Team and Directed Enforcement Unit. He received the Department's Community Service Award in 2003.

Brian Bouton, Patrolman

Patrolman Bouton has been a member of the Department since 2003 and is assigned to Patrol and Special Services. He also is a member of the Lackawanna County Sheriff's Department.

Michelle Klinefelter, Patrolman

Patrolman Klinefelter has been a member of the Department since 2003 and is assigned to Patrol and Special Services. She is also a member of the Luzerne County Sheriff's Department. 

Thomas C. Farver, Patrolman

Patrolman Farver has been a member of the Department since 2003. Ptlm. Farver is assigned to Patrol and serves as a Departmental First Aid/CPR Instructor and he is a member of the Directed Enforcement Unit. He holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Lackawanna College.

Jack Robshaw, Patrolman

John Kapacs, Patrolman

Gerald Ricci, Patrolman

James Thiemann, Patrolman

Randall Demming, Patrolman

Tracey Schultz, Patrolman

Joseph Wozniak, Patrolman

Michael Stiefel, Patrolman

David Wehrer, Patrolman

Nicholas Mazur, Patrolman

Denna Krammes, Patrolman

John Krumsky, Patrolman

Joleen Lesho, Patrolman

Troy Clawson, Patrolman

Matthew Godlewski, Patrolman

Brian Mierzwa, Patrolman

John Owens, Patrolman

Robert Evans, Patrolman

Justin Graham, Patrolman

Michael Kotwasinski, Patrolman

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