Luzerne County PFA filings have been up during pandemic, sheriff says

Filings seeking protection from abuse have increased significantly in Luzerne County since a stay-at-home order was imposed in March to reduce the spread of coronavirus, new statistics show.

In May, a total 380 temporary protection-from-abuse, or PFA, filings were granted in the county, compared to less than half that — 168 — the same month last year, according to statistics released by county Sheriff Brian Szumski.

The April PFA count: 284 this year and 207 in 2019.

March also had a higher 220 requests granted, versus 136 the same month last year.

Adding up all three months, there were 884 PFA requests granted, or 373 more than the same period last year.

Szumski said he personally believes the increase largely stems from more people stuck under the same roof in the pandemic.

“You have to be with someone to have domestic violence, and if people are together more, there’s a propensity for violence,” Szumski said.

The PFA cases in the first two months of this year were comparable to those in 2019, further bolstering the argument that the subsequent increase was linked to the pandemic, Szumski observed.

In January there were 193 PFA cases granted, which was only three more than that month’s count in 2019, his report shows. The following month, the county had 164 cases, or 12 below the February 2019 numbers.

While public access to many county government services was reduced due to the coronavirus shutdown, the county’s receipt and processing of PFA filings continued, he said.

When PFAs are granted, Szumski’s office must serve notice to the accused, and a copy of the decision also is sent to local police, he said.

County Manager C. David Pedri pointed out the spike in PFA filings during last week’s county council meeting. The stay-at-home order ended for the county Friday, when the county advanced to the less restrictive coronavirus yellow phase.

Pedri said abuse victims — both men and women — should not hesitate to seek help.

“Even with the pandemic, the county court system and others are available to help them. These men and women should never feel trapped,” Pedri said. “This pandemic should not stop anyone from making a change in their life.”

Concerns about child abuse also have been raised at government meetings.

Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck, an educator, said in April the confinement of children in their homes also means “nobody is seeing them in the community.”

“That is a concern, and it’s been a concern of the education community,” she said.

Pedri said county Children and Youth has had fewer referrals since in-person education was halted because teachers are often the ones picking up on signs of potential abuse or neglect.

“Child abuse cases are down here and across the state,” Pedri said last week.

Gun permits

Szumski’s department also handles gun permits, which are picking up again.

The county had suspended applications for licenses to carry firearms on March 17, largely due to concerns about too many people waiting in lines.

The department resumed acceptance of gun permit applications May 11, but with a different format due to the coronavirus.

Under the new plan aimed at eliminating crowds and physical contact, permit seekers must place all required application paperwork in a sealed envelope and deposit it in a box set up at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays.

Starting Monday, scheduled appointments will begin for applicants to be photographed and provide electronic signatures that must be recorded, Szumski said.

These sessions will be held at the county record storage building in Hanover Township to reduce foot traffic at the courthouse.

Applicants must wait in their vehicles until their appointment time.

After signatures and photograms, the license will be placed on a table so there is no physical contact with recipients, Szumski said.

“This will be the process for the near future until we have guidelines on what we need to do going forward, he said.

His office processes 6,055 to 7,732 gun permits annually, according to statistics he released covering 2015 forward.

This year’s count is down — 1,898 as of May 27 — because no permits were processed in April.

Additional information on the current gun permit procedures is posted on the sheriff’s section at www.luzernecounty.org.