BARRETT TOWNSHIP -- The search for Eric Frein affected communities throughout the Poconos.
For people who live in Barrett Township, their lives have been much different over the past seven weeks. It was nearly seven weeks ago that the search for Eric Frein picked up in Barrett Township.
For about two days early on, authorities told people who live there not to leave their homes.
But now that Frein is in custody, it's quiet, and the police chief says it's a nice change of pace.
The capture of accused cop killer Eric Frein means life can go back to normal for many communities in the Poconos.
The Barrett Township police chief has been there through almost the entire manhunt, especially when the areas of Route 447 and Snow Hill Road in the Canadensis area were the focus of the search.
The chief says seeing Frein handcuffed in an orange prison jumpsuit gives him feelings of anger, pride, and a sigh of relief.
"It was an experience to be there. From the time they rolled into Barrett, executed the search warrant, through when they took Frein into custody," said Barrett Township Chief Steven Williams.
Chief Williams says he never thought this area of Monroe County would be at the center of a manhunt for almost seven weeks.
"It's still hard to believe it happened here. Everybody has the cliché, 'Oh, it's not going to happen here.' It just shows you, that in a small community, even when we're all close, still bad things can happen."
The police chief in Barrett Township says he's ready for this area to go back to normal. However, he's not sure what the new normal will be.
"Barrett obviously is a quiet community. This is going to be talked about for a very long time," the chief said.
"Thanks to police and Barrett Township police. I'm friends with all of them. It's great people. It's a great town," said Raymond Cawolsky.
Cawolsky owns the Deli Cafe on Route 390 in Mountainhome. He said it will be different not seeing state police there every day.
But it's the kind of different that he's been looking forward to.
"Business was a little off, but I'm always busy. It's OK. Life goes on and it's over, that's the biggest thing."
The other of the cafe also had is own way of celebrating Frein's capture, he posted a sign outside his business that said, "Hey Eric! Boo to you!"
Cawolsky said he thought of the sign when he heard that Frein was in custody. "When I first saw that it was, like, wow. I mean, it really was a big feeling of relief."
John Hornby lives near Frein's parents and he said he's thinking of them during this time. "Happy he's caught. I feel sorry for the poor mom, dad. That's a heartache."
Hornby also said he'll be happy to enjoy life in rural Pennsylvania now that all the authorities are leaving. "They chased everything out of the woods. Turkey, deer, bear, we look forward to see them roaming."
Some people who live in the Barrett Township area said the appreciate all that the state police and local authorities did for them in the past few weeks. They also said they can't wait for this quiet community to go back to being just that.
"There is nothing to talk about now. We have nothing to talk about anymore now! We'll have to find something else," said Jackie Jasko from Cresco.
Jasko works at the Mountainhome Diner. She said it will be nice to go home at night and fall asleep to peace and quiet, rather than the sound of helicopters searching for a man on the loose. "It's going to be nice to go back to the peaceful, calm Cresco and have people say, 'Where's Cresco?'"
Another big thing that will go back to normal in Barrett Township is a Halloween tradition. Since the search for Eric Frein is over, kids in Barrett Township are allowed to go out and trick or treat.