CLEARFIELD – Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35) issued the following statement in response to the announced closure of the Quehanna Boot Camp and SCI Rockview:
“The Shapiro Administration has failed rural Pennsylvania. The governor allowed an unelected bureaucrat to defund our local schools, hurt small businesses, and significantly reduce the safety of our region and our Commonwealth. This decision is shortsighted and destructive, with real-world consequences for our community.
“At the center of this decision are our corrections officers, men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep violent offenders off our streets and maintain order inside our correctional facilities. By moving forward with this closure, the Shapiro Administration has abandoned these dedicated professionals, stripping them of their livelihoods and undermining the very system that relies on their courage and discipline.
“In the shadow of darkness, the administration advanced a plan that turns away from accountability, choosing instead to shelter convicted criminals rather than enforce the tough discipline that keeps our neighborhoods secure. This reckless move abandons the values that Pennsylvanians expect from their leaders: fairness, responsibility, and a commitment to protecting families and keeping our communities safe.
“Despite bipartisan efforts in the Senate to preserve and modernize the Quehanna Boot Camp, the Governor and Secretary chose to side with a misguided plan that ignores the voices of the people of Clearfield and Centre counties. They chose bureaucrats over citizens, political expedience over sound policy, and ideology over common sense.
“This closure is more than a policy decision, it is a betrayal of the men and women who depend on these jobs, of the corrections officers who have dedicated their lives to protecting the public, of the families who rely on strong schools, and of the communities that deserve to live in safety. It is a disservice to hardworking families, to public safety, and to the principles of fairness and responsibility that Pennsylvanians expect from their government.”
CONTACT: Gwenn Dando