Joining Forces Regional Approach To Policing Effective But Not Easy

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There’s a certain charm to a small-town police force such as Chief Richard Leisey Sr.’s department in Mohnton.

“Our residents like to see our car,” he said. “With a small department, we know the people who are in town, who they are, where they live.”

Like a number of other Berks County police chiefs, Leisey fears that personal touch would fade if his department joined a regional police force.

But as budget cuts force small departments to work fewer hours, cut officers or even disband, the idea of a regional force is looking better and better to Leisey.

“We would have 24/7 (local coverage) again,” he said.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=450019

Boyertown, Colebrookdale To Again Talk Police Merger

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Colebrookdale Township and Boyertown will soon return to a familiar topic of conversation between the two neighbors: a possible merger of their police departments.

At a recent Colebrookdale commissioners meeting, Township Manager Cindy Conrad said Boyertown has approached the township about holding merger talks for the second time in two years and the third time in the past decade.

The board agreed to renew the discussion, with President Todd M. Gamler noting that it doesn’t cost anything to talk.

The police forces have historically worked together.  Because the township nearly surrounds Boyertown, Colebrookdale officers often have to drive through the borough on the way to calls.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=433906

Super-Regional Police Force Being Considered In York County

Image via Wikipedia

A new study is about to begin that would consider merging the following police departments:  York City, Dover, East Manchester, Manchester, Springettsbury and Spring Garden townships, Manchester, Mount Wolf and West York boroughs.  Several of these departments are already part of regional police forces but will consider further consolidation to make one super-regional police force.  Benefits include elimination of duplicate administrative positions, more combined personnel and access to specialties that some of the smaller departments now lack.

A state grant of $39,000 will go toward the $78,000 cost of the study.  YorkCounts, a local nonprofit group, is picking up the other $39,000.

York City Police Captain Russ Tschopp said “It would make sense to work together.”  Captain Tschopp also stated he thinks public safety would be improved.

We agree.  Two Roy’s Rants thumbs up for putting petty politics aside and doing the right thing by taxpayers.  Public safety should be the number one concern.