Police foot patrols have ended at Steel City Terrace in Farrell but could return in 2002.

Southwest Mercer County Regional police have walked the beat since 1998 with money from the Mercer County Housing Authority.

The patrols ended Oct. 31, when an agreement between the authority and police ran out, said Chief Joseph Timko.

Authority Executive Director L. DeWitt Boosel said Wednesday the authority board is considering several options, including bringing back the patrols and expanding them.

Boosel said discussion of the patrols needs to be part of the larger problem of traveling "hot spots" in the Shenango Valley. When police crack down on a high-crime area, the people causing problems tend to move elsewhere, creating a problem in a new location.

"We need to address the problem as a valley, not just the authority," he said.

Boosel said the foot patrols have made a "noticeable improvement" in Steel City.

Ramona Peagler, secretary of the Steel City Terrace Resident Council, said she thought the patrols cut down on crime and made the community safer, especially for children.

"It made me feel a little bit safer," she said.

While the fact that many people have moved out of Steel City in anticipation of the redevelopment of the apartment complex has contributed to a recent drop in crime, the apartment vacancies have created another problem, she said: People are getting into the rooms for weekend drinking parties.

Ms. Peagler would like to see the foot patrols return.

Whatever the authority board ultimately decides for Steel City, "We need time to step back and analyze the benefits and where we're going from here," Boosel said, adding that he wants to make a decision by year's end.

The commission doesn't want to give him that long.

Commission Chairman James DeCapua said Tuesday the commission is preparing a 2002 budget and needs to know whether to factor in the patrols.

DeCapua acknowledged the patrols are an "in-and-out" expense because the department schedules the patrols and the authority reimburses the department for the cost.

"The department doesn't make any money on the foot patrols," DeCapua said.

DeCapua said the authority is behind in reimbursing the department for the patrols, and asked Timko to press Boosel for payment.

Of the $25,000 worth of patrols provided, the authority has paid only $9,874, DeCapua said.

"We've gone along with that agreement," DeCapua said, adding that the authority board never signed a contract. "They paid based on that agreement."

Boosel said he wasn't aware of any outstanding bills from Southwest.

"They were ahead of schedule because they were doing some heavier patrols over the summer," he said.