Bob Shedlock did not start out wanting to become a police officer. He was employed for 31 years with the Clarks Summit Police until he retired. Prior to his work in Clarks Summit, he also worked in security and enforcement in upstate New York before moving to Pennsylvania. In that job, he worked closely with local police departments and other agencies, which gave him the idea of what law enforcement was about.
He started his career as a police office in Clarks Summit on Dece. 10, 1990, and retired on Dec. 31, 2021.
“I never grew up planning to be a police officer,” he said “I recognized that law enforcement is a very important and necessary job but circumstances presented the opportunity so I took it. I am confident that life and circumstance will take me where I am supposed to be next.”
He attended high school in Oneonta, N.Y. and has taken college classes through Lackawanna College.
“The Clarks Summit Police Department has tried to cultivate the elective training towards an individual’s interests and skill sets. Not everyone is good at everything. I was fortunate enough to receive lots of training in interview/investigation which is part of the job I enjoyed the most,” said Shedlock.
Shedlock has had ongoing training which is required to maintain law enforcement certification. When he joined the police department then Police Chief Dunn wanted an in-house firearms training program. He had an interest for firearms and was sent to national and internally recognized schools.
He remembers the incidents where someone was actually helped and their life improved by the outcome and not just the administrating of justice. Those cases involved children or drug dependences or mental health intervention.
He participated the CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training sponsored by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
“I think it was on of the best programs I became a part of. Although the training focuses on dealing with mental health issues in the community, it provides tools that applied throughout the job of law enforcement such as de-escalation, active listening and referral process.
“A Crisis Intervention team officer or CIT officer is an officer that has participated in a voluntary 40-hour first responder program to receive intensive training on recognizing and responding to individual in the community who have a mental illness or other behavioral health crisis,” said Marie Onukiavage Executive Director NAMI Northeast Region PA and CIT Coordinator, The Advocacy Alliance. “The training includes segments on various mental health crises, conservations with individuals with mental illness and with families, information about resources in our community and crisis de-escalation training that they practice through scenario-based role play. The impact on the community can be profound because individuals are connected to the most appropriate resources to help them through the crises, allowing them to begin recovery quicker. The training helps to create empathy, encourages all parties to see other differently and reduce stigma.”
Officer Shedlock was recognized with the NAMI CIT Leadership award in 2016 for demonstrating exceptional leadership, service and commitment to making a difference in the lives of people with mental illness
“Police officer Shedlock was one of the longest employed police officers in Clarks Summit,” said Gerri Carey president Clarks Summit Borough Council. “He and I were on the pension committee together and he was very helpful to the Clarks Summit Borough Council,” she said.
He is married to Lynne Shedlock and they have two daughters, Elizabeth and Kathleen.
He is not sure what he will do in retirement bur he has many hobbies and interests. These are guitar, music, audio, writing, photography, firearms, reading, reloading, classic target shooting.
He was honored at a dinner at the Inn of the Abington’s.
“Bob was a firearm instructor and inspired others how to shoot. He was a really good instructor,” said Clarks Summit Police Chief Chris Yarns. “If someone was making mistakes then he changed what they were doing. They became better shooters after a short time. The firearm instructor and the CIT officer were 2 of the things I remember best about him.”
