A Northampton County grand jury has come to the same conclusion as we did: The Pennsylvania State Police should not be investigating shooting incidents in which their troopers are involved.

The grand jury handed up its monthslong investigation criticizing the state police for having a “somewhat arrogant opinion of their own superiority over any other law enforcement agency which has contributed to their recalcitrant position of not relinquishing an investigation to an outside agency.”

County District Attorney John Morganelli, under most circumstances an ardent supporter of the state police, has maintained the same position as we have taken, saying that they are “not above the law.” He also said that the state police are not immune from public scrutiny and accountability.

The grand jury earlier had cleared the two troopers involved in a fatal shooting in Lower Mount Bethel Township, just north of Easton, last May, which involved an obviously suicidal 47-year-old township man who threatened to blow himself up with an incendiary device wrapped around his neck.

The grand jury report also criticized the confusion among state police officials themselves and for preferential treatment given the two troopers that would not have been accorded to others in a similar situation. The troopers were not interviewed until 30 days after the shooting, and they were allowed to watch dashcam footage of the unfolding incident before they were questioned, the jury report said.

As part of its list of recommendations, the grand jury also noted the need for troopers to wear body cameras.

Morganelli wanted a county detective from his office to be the lead investigator in the case. At first, one state police official agreed, but he was overruled by the commanding officer of the Bethlehem barracks, who, the grand jury report said, indicated that state police policy does not allow a district attorney’s office investigation in such instances.

That testimony was contradicted by a state police major. It was so confused at this point that the grand jury summoned the head of the state police for clarification. Col. Tyree Blocker said the major’s interpretation was not correct, that in jurisdictions where the state police provide exclusive law enforcement coverage, it investigates such matters.

Morganelli said the grand jury report will be sent to legislators, Gov. Tom Wolf and the state attorney general’s office with a recommendation that the state police reconsider its policy and have an outside agency investigate such cases.

Morganelli also noted that the state District Attorneys Association developed best practices guidelines as to how police-involved shootings should be handled. In it, the recommendation is for an independent agency to conduct these types of inquiries. In a statement released by the governor’s office, he renewed his support for the state police but said the recommendations will be studied.

It is as plain as can be: Even if the state police were scrupulously fair, balanced and impartial, the public would still view the results of the internal investigation of two of its own with suspicion, especially in the current highly charged climate where police have been criticized for killing suspects, sometimes without just cause.

What makes this case all the more odious is when the state police went before Northampton County Court Judge Stephen Baratta in November to ask him to suppress the then-incomplete grand jury report from being released to the public.

This immediately gave the impression that the state police had something to hide. To Baratta’s credit, he summarily rejected the state police motion and allowed the grand jury to continue its investigation and research. In the process, Baratta criticized the state police attorney who had the gall to say that state police are “entirely transparent about their conduct and their investigations.”

We said it before, but it bears repeating: The appearance of a conflict of interest can be just as damaging as a conflict itself. It raises needless questions of a cover-up, improper behavior and controversy.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com