Penn. police form gambling unit

September 7

In Pennsylvania,  State police are developing a gambling unit to investigate crimes at slot machine facilities.

The Office of Gaming Enforcement will operate under a two year budget of $7.5 million and will handle crimes including theft, cheating, identity theft, assault, and money laundering.

Capt. Ronald Petyak of the state police Bureau of Criminal Investigations in Harrisburg will head the new unit and is overseeing background checks on the state's regulatory board.

 Petyak says that armed troopers in plain clothes will work and observe casino floors to augment private security and minimize the impact from activities inside the facility on the local police jurisdictions..

He also stated that they have been talking to their counterparts in other states where gaming enforcement is ongoing. With the idea of not becoming redundant.

Troopers assigned to the gambling unit will be experienced officers who will undergo specialized training to deal with crimes that might occur in casinos.

Police administrators began planning their duties last summer, in anticipation of the gaming legislation, which was approved in July.

State police will coordinate with a separate Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, which the gaming law requires the control board to create. That body will draft industry regulations outlined in the law.

Once the board is in place, they will discuss how they can work together so that there are no real duplications of resources in the facilities.

The state police complement of 4,100 officers will not be reduced, because new hires will replace those who are transferred to Gaming Enforcement.