The Buffalo Township supervisors were right Wednesday in deciding not to hire a police officer who has been suspended from his police position in Saxonburg.

In Saxonburg, Erik Bergstrom, 42, of Natrona Heights, the police officer in question, is accused of inappropriate actions such as mishandling cases, interfering with another officer's case, downloading a registry cleaner to erase all Web sites visited and e-mails sent from his police computer, and misrepresenting his work hours on time sheets.

Although Bergstrom is innocent until proven guilty of those Saxonburg allegations, Buffalo Township was right in deciding to wait and see how the borough situation shakes out before giving permission for Bergstrom to patrol the township — assuming that Bergstrom still would want to work in the township if he ultimately is cleared of the borough accusations.

Supervisor Al Roenigk probably summed up the immediate situation best.

"He might be a fine gentleman, (but) I think it's irresponsible for us to jump into a pile of crap," Roenigk said.

Indeed, a person should not be permitted to serve in a police position — at least not on patrol duty — while the target of official accusations about misdeeds or wrongdoing.

The accusations against Bergstrom are, at the very least, troubling, even if some people at this time might be reluctant to classify them as serious.

A borough hearing on the allegations against Bergstrom is scheduled for July 29. If the borough council determines that Bergstrom is guilty of any of the allegations, he could be fired.

Still, for now, the observation of Lt. Alan Behanna, officer-in-charge of the Buffalo Township department, is valid.

"You can be accused of anything (but not be guilty of anything)," Behanna said.

Behanna reminded the council that Bergstrom had backed up township police in the past when his help was needed — including in an armed robbery case — and already had worked a few days as a part-time officer for the township.

"If (I thought) there was a problem, I wouldn't have suggested it," Behanna said, about recommending Bergstrom's hiring.

Still, caution by the supervisors was the right attitude during this month and a half leading up to Bergstrom's Saxonburg hearing.

Such a hiring should not occur under a cloud of such uncertainty about Bergstrom's possible fate and status in Saxonburg.

Just like in Saxonburg or anywhere else, Buffalo Township residents should have confidence in those who are hired to protect and serve them. Considering the accusations targeted at Bergstrom, Buffalo residents would have been justified in not having such complete faith and confidence, had their supervisors gone ahead with Bergstrom's hiring on Wednesday.