Pa. Police Chief Expelled From Fire Dept. Returns Gear

May 26--OLD FORGE -- After borough Police Chief Larry Semenza was arrested on sex charges two weeks ago, his fellow Old Forge Hose & Engine Company firefighters expelled him as a member and reacquired a truckload of equipment he stored at his home, much of which they never knew the company owned, top company officials say.

The list of gear runs almost five, single-spaced pages and is worth up to $50,000, company Capt. Larry Enderline estimated. Hose company officials say they have no idea why it was stored at the suspended police chief's home when they were able to fit it all at the hose company, though that took some doing.

The list includes helmets, coats, pants, boots, protective visors, chain saws, uniforms, tools and pretty much anything else necessary to fight a fire. The gear, which the officials say is enough to outfit four or five firefighters and then some, filled the bays of the hose company, which is attached to Old Forge Town Hall.

"It took us two hours to go through and inventory everything," hose company president Ron Coles said.

"We didn't know where to start," Capt. Enderline said.

The equipment included firefighting gear of individual members and even personal items that occasionally disappeared from headquarters before company officials installed cameras to monitor the building, they said.

"I had a skull cap for the winter time, missing out of my (firefighting) gear," Mr. Enderline said. "It was over his (the chief's) house."

Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola said investigators are aware of what happened, but do not foresee filing any additional charges against Chief Semenza over the firefighting equipment.

The chief's position in the hose company -- he was a captain and treasurer -- and his willingness to return the equipment voluntarily make it difficult to prove he intended to steal the equipment, Mr. Jarbola said.

"I don't know how we could show intent," he said. "Is it a good practice to have all the equipment at home? No."

Attorney David J. Solfanelli, Mr. Semenza's lawyer, said he does not know why the chief stored all the equipment at his home, but cautioned against reading anything nefarious into it.

"To the extent that he returned it, I don't think there's anything improper about it being at the house," Mr. Solfanelli said. "I wouldn't infer anything improper about that."

Chief Semenza is free on bail awaiting further action in Lackawanna County Court on charges he had sexual contact with a 15-year-old female borough volunteer firefighter who was an Old Forge Hose & Engine member. The woman, now 23, also told investigators she was sexually assaulted by suspended Old Forge Police Capt. Jamie Krenitsky, 34, and former borough volunteer firefighter Walter Chiavacci, 46, who were both arrested and charged this month. Both are free on bail. Capt. Krenitsky is scheduled to have his preliminary hearing on June 27. Mr. Chiavacci waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual abuse.

Hose company leaders say they had no idea of the relationship between the chief and the girl, now 23 years old.

Members voted on Mother's Day to expel Chief Semenza because he had failed to respond to their inquiries for information about hose company finances, Mr. Coles said.

Mr. Coles, who took over as president in January, said he tried for months to get the chief to provide treasurer's reports and a regular accounting of spending.

"We're trying to get treasury reports off of him. We want to see the outgoing bills, what's getting paid. He gives us a piece of paper with the balance in the bank and some bills that he paid, but no prices on them," Mr. Coles said. Officials are only beginning the process of reviewing company financial records, he said.

After dismissing the chief, the hose company asked him to return of all firefighting equipment because all equipment belongs to the company.

"We knew he had a set of gear, maybe two sets of gear, we knew he had an air pack," he said.

Members never suspected the chief had such an extensive collection.

The chief called back and left a voice mail message inviting firefighters to pick up the equipment.

"Then, he sent me a text, 'You better bring a truck,'" Mr. Coles said.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Copyright 2012 - The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.