Wise move
Smithfield Borough officials are to be commended for inviting Southwest Regional Police Chief John Hartman to attend the borough’s next regular meeting to discuss the possibility of adding the borough to the regional police force’s existing coverage.
Begun in 2005, the department provides police service for more than 15,000 residents in Belle Vernon and Newell in Fayette County; Coal Center, Bentleyville, Cokesburg and Union Township in Washington County; and Gray, Morris, Perry and Wayne townships in Greene County. Overall, the department has 20 officers and 10 cars.
The basic coverage cost of one officer and patrol car, according to Hartman, is approximately $50 an hour.
At a recent meeting with the Herald-Standard editorial board, Hartman said that several municipalities in Fayette County have asked about the possibility of using Southwest Regional Police Department (SWRPD) for coverage.
We’re glad that Smithfield and other local municipalities are at least interested in talking to Hartman about expanding coverage. With crime on the rise in the area, it’s good to see local elected officials being proactive in dealing with this volatile issue.
In the past, many local municipalities such as Wharton, German and Menallen townships all had their own police forces. But over the years as finances got tougher, they decided to disband their departments in favor of coverage from the Pennsylvania State Police.
But the state police are dealing with problems of their own, such as unfilled vacancies, and they might not be the panacea they once were. In many instances, state police are too busy dealing with major crimes, such as homicides and drugs, to deal effectively with more mundane incidents, such as vandalism and petty thefts.
But that’s where the Southwest Regional Police Department can play a crucial role. Deployed in local municipalities they can respond quickly and work more effectively on a day-to-day basis with local residents.
It’s also much more cost effective for municipalities to become part of an already established regional police department than trying to start their own police department, especially when considering the purchasing of cars and other equipment.
Hartman said he can tailor plans to cover the needs of different municipalities, noting that some might want more traffic control while others might want more foot patrols.
Hartman added that the cost for coverage overall would decrease with more municipalities joining the department. So, in addition to getting better police coverage, municipalities might also get it at a much cheaper cost than if they decided to go it alone.
Hartman also stressed that his department works “hand-in-hand” with the state police, noting his department is not averse to relinquishing investigations to state police when it is a homicide or other high-profile crime. He said that his department’s resources are available to help out neighboring departments and the state police should they request assistance.
“This is not a competition between us and the state police,” Hartman said. “What is required of that police force almost gets inhuman.”
There’s also no doubt that many local municipalities are in better financial shape these days, thanks mainly to money coming in from the Marcellus shale drilling.
Of course, it remains to be seen if local municipalities and the SWRPD can come to an agreement that works out for everyone. Sometimes the devil is in the details. But it’s good that both sides are talking, and the hope is that agreements can be reached that will provide increased security for local residents.