The office of county district attorney has traditionally been a stepping stone to higher office. It comes from the nature of the position itself. Law enforcement officials arrest an offender, the courts will try them, but it is the DA’s office that prosecutes. The DA is the one who, in effect, determines how justice will be served. They will get the credit for a successful prosecution and take the blame when it is not. Unfortunately, if a particular DA is more interested in his or her future career than objectivity and fair-mindedness in dealing with crime, they can be selective in their actions (only prosecuting slam-dunk cases) which could result in a sky-high prosecution rate without a corresponding decline in the crime rate. 

This is why when Ryan Gardner was elected as Lycoming County District Attorney last November, there was a normal amount of skepticism that he could just be grooming himself for greater things. However, there was something electric about his passion that did not appear to be put on. The general attitude was that time would tell. Well, after five months in office, it is time to officially bury any doubts about this man’s integrity of motives. Ryan Gardner is as real as they get — a Real Deal District Attorney. 

Back in February, I wrote a feature on DA Gardner, and noted how he had spent every day after his election to prepare for his new office. In fact, it was his full-time job (without pay) for two months to interview every employee in the DA’s office, reviewing their job description and accessing their work ethic and values. He was deeply disturbed in a case log that was stuck in excess of 400, and he felt that it was not as much a rise in crime as much as disorganization and inefficiency in the office itself. Gardner devoted hundreds and hundreds of hours in studying these problems before he formally took office in January.

At the first County Commissioner’s Meeting of the new year, Gardner presented his massive reorganization plan which involved eliminating clerical positions, shuffling workloads and hiring two new detectives. The new Commissioner board had been thoroughly briefed on the plan and wholeheartedly approved it. Almost overnight, the case load rapidly declined as rapidly as efficiency went up. Best of all, it was evident that the atmosphere had changed. People in the DA’s office were now enjoying going to work because they could see fruit coming from their efforts.

What is so impressive about Ryan Gardner is that he is not resting on his laurels. At a county press conference on Monday, May 18th, the district attorney made some amazing statements. He outlined the design of the department (which it seems he is always tweaking), and noted that he is beefing up investigation units at the expense of clerical staff. This has been made possible by upgrading software so Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs), who have a broad job description, can accomplish their duties more quickly and efficiently. Gardener also singled out the importance of the Narcotics Enforcement Unit, that had a particularly challenging job for he noted, “the criminal mind is this area is very much advanced.” All of this moving and shaking is like an army commander who is trying to move his troops around where they are most needed to fight the battle they are in. 

DA Gardner concluded his press conference by posing the question, “how to efficiently harness all relevant criminal information data on a county-wide level and quickly process this material and then distribute same to law enforcement?” His answer was the creation of an Intelligence Office in the Detective Unit which would be served by the County Information Office or Intel Officer. He has selected as the first person to serve in this position, Loretta Clark, noting that she is an outstanding individual and the first female detective in this county in the past ten years. Information is one of the most important weapons in any battle, and this position will serve as another valuable tool in the war against crime. 

And as if this was not enough, DA Gardner also announced that he is reopening a very old Williamsport cold case involving a 23-year-old mother, Gale Matthews, who was murdered along with her five-year-old daughter Tamara Burkheiser on September 1, 1994. It is extremely exceptional that a district attorney would want to make public such a venture, but Gardner does not play by the rules of the status quo. In his public appearances, he always makes it clear, “No crime will be committed in this county that will not be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” A heads-up for all would-be criminals in Lycoming County — this guy is the real deal, and he really means it.