SUNBURY – The former Sunbury police chief announced this weekend that he plans to run for District Judge in Sunbury. Brad Hare was a guest on WKOK’s On The Mark program talking about the decision to run for the position currently held by District Judge Ben Apfelbaum.
Hare said, “I’ve had some people approach me and ask me if I would be interested. It is something that has always been in the back of my mind, after the last couple of years. Obviously, I can’t do my job forever. You always have to progress and move forward and if this is something that I can do to better myself, make myself go forward; it’s a good opportunity right now. It’s just a good time in my life, a good point in my life, where I think I am ready for a position like this.”
Hare would have to resign from the Sunbury Police Department and take an educational training on the district judge position. He talked about goals he has for the office, including streamlining the process so court hearings don’t last for long periods of time, “Police officers are busier, so I think it’s the job of the magistrate not to hold them up in the courtroom so much and get them back out on the street doing what they have to do. They are very busy. I’ve seen it, I’ve lived it and I know what it’s like.”
And Hare has an idea for those who struggle to go to court during the day, due to work and family commitments, “One of the ideas I would like to throw out there, is to try to get started a night court. Essentially what that means is I’d like to open it to evening hours. I’m not saying it’s going to work every day of the week, but at least one day a week for summary violations and landlord-tenant issues.”
Hare was a telephone guest on WKOK’s Monday On The Mark program. You can hear the entire interview online at www.wkok.com. District Judge Ben Apfelbaum will run again in 2017. He will be on an upcoming On The Mark program on WKOK. (Ali Stevens)
