Sheriff in western Pa. wants to play posse

CLEARFIELD, Pa.

- Apparently, the idea of a posse is no longer passe' - at least in one western Pennsylvania county.

The Courier-Express reports Sheriff Wes Thurston is forming the first Volunteer Clearfield County Sheriff's Posse.

The members will help the sheriff and his deputies respond to natural disasters, or to search for missing children or endangered people, and gathering information or other nonemergency tasks.

The sheriff is recommending that volunteers carry a firearm, although he says that's not necessary to be a volunteer. Thurston says simply, "I think everyone should carry a firearm."

The largely rural county is seated in Clearfield, about 110 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.