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Wolf selects sheriff nominee

Former sheriff deputy Books to fill vacant post if confirmed by state Senate

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A former sheriff deputy and retired Allegheny Township police chief has been nominated to serve as Blair County’s sheriff through January.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday that he is forwarding the name of P. Richard Books to the Senate for confirmation to fill the vacant post.

If confirmed, Books will remain in office until January when the sheriff elected in November takes office to serve a four-year term.

Duncansville Police Chief Jim Ott is the leading candidate for that role, having won the Republican and Democratic nominations in the recent primary.

Blair County Democratic Commissioner Ted Beam Jr. said Tuesday that he provided Books’ name to the governor on behalf of the county.

“As a former township police chief and deputy sheriff, I think he’ll be able to fill the void very well,” Beam said.

“I’m honored that the commissioners thought enough of me to offer my name,” Books said. “If I’m confirmed, I’ll sit down with the staff, and we’ll prioritize things. They are a great group of people who work in the sheriff’s department.”

Blair County’s last elected sheriff, Mitch Cooper, retired from the post by stepping down in January, about a year before his term was scheduled to end.

While Cooper’s chief deputy, Sam McClure, initially stepped into the sheriff’s role and handled responsibilities associated with the office, McClure was placed on leave in mid-March, after sexual harassment allegations surfaced and were later labeled as the reason behind his firing.

While McClure attempted to fight the county’s actions in court and retain the sheriff’s position, commissioners subsequently sought the governor’s assistance and asked for an appointment to the post, prior to a pending deadline. Wolf responded by naming one of his staff members as a placeholder nominee.

Beam said he did not know how soon the Senate will act to confirm Books’ nomination.

Books was a deputy for about two years, retiring from that post in July. Before working as a deputy, he spent 35 years as an officer and police chief for the Allegheny Township department, retiring in August 2014.

Beam said that if Books is confirmed by the Senate, then Books will be expected to remain in the post until the newly elected sheriff takes office. Books said that would be his intention.

“And I hope I can do half the job that Sheriff Cooper did,” Books said.

Beam also praised Chief Deputy Holly Garner for the job she’s done since McClure was put on leave.

“We’re quite pleased with how she has been handling supervision of the department,” Beam said. “She’s been a very valuable asset during this time and done a remarkable job.”

In the primary, Garner conducted an unsuccessful write-in campaign for the sheriff post.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.

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