By Hal Johnson
Herald Writer

When Assistant District Attorney Robert G. Kochems is not in a courtroom, he likely will be on the street in high crime areas of Farrell and Sharon.

Mercer County commissioners and the Salary Board appointed Kochems as the federally funded community prosecutor. His $44,190 salary is being funded by a grant obtained through Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

To replace Kochems in the District Attorney's office, commissioners and the Salary Board hired Jarrett Whalen, Sharon, as an assistant district attorney at $40,495.

Kochems has been with the District Attorney's Office for nearly 10 years, most recently as its child abuse prosecutor, said District Attorney James P. Epstein.

In his new role, Kochems will be primary prosecutor for all areas of crime in an identified high crime area along the border of Sharon and Farrell, Epstein said.

Kochems will be working with Southwest Mercer County Regional police and Sharon police departments to focus on nuisance bars and nuisance houses, which may be crack houses, Epstein said.

The community prosecutor will be working with community groups to identify crack houses "and hunt them down," the district attorney said.

The aim is to concentrate on small crimes before they become major crimes, he said.