Published Friday, February 14, 2003
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of a merged force
Herald Staff Writer
The police subcommittee of the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee envisions a police force of 85 patrolling the streets of Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville, Wheatland and Farrell.
The new department theoretically would be more costly than what the communities now are paying, according to the subcommittee report made public Thursday.
In 2001, the communities, which are studying whether to merge or consolidate, spent $5,587,441 for police. The new department's first-year budget of $6,926,358 is based on projected 2003 costs.
The subcommittee was charged with creating a new department without any current uniformed or civilian employees of the four departments losing their jobs, no employees would be paid less than they are currently making, and there would be no reduction in service.
A chief would reign over a deputy chief, five captains, eight sergeants, eight corporals and 44 patrolmen, and an investigative division with six detectives, three juvenile officers, three Drug Abuse Resistance Education officers and a seven-member traffic enforcement section.
Civilian positions would include three secretaries, two purchasing and payroll clerks, three records clerks, five lock-up attendants and a vehicle maintenance staff of two.
The department would not have any part-time positions, said Gary Hinkson, subcommittee chairman. The number of part-time patrolmen in the current departments was factored into the full-time positions of the new department, and some current part-timers would have the opportunity to fill full-time positions. Other part-timers might not want full-time jobs, he said.
West Middlesex, a member of the Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Department with Farrell and Wheatland, would not be served by the new department, unless it contracts for service.
While a goal in creating the department is to have everyone in a position at the same wage level, the report anticipates accomplishing that over four years, Hinkson said. A sergeant coming from Sharpsville would not automatically be paid what a sergeant coming from Hermitage makes, but eventually their salaries would be equal.
Hinkson said the report's assumption on pay could be proved wrong as wages would be determined through collective bargaining.
Figures on pensions and retiree benefits were not available. Hinkson said the finance subcommittee could build those costs into its report.
The report recommended the creation of a justice center to house the new department, a district justice's office and courtroom and a lock-up, and offices for the District Attorney's Office, the Victim/Witness Office, Juvenile Probation and Pennsylvania Probation and Parole. The subcommittee believes one of the current municipal buildings could be renovated for that purpose.
No cost estimate to create the center has been sought, but Hinkson said he believed state funding would be available to help.
Some subcommittee members wanted a second scenario, so a model based on number of incidents was constructed that would have 69 policemen and a first-year budget of $5,154,163.
Hinkson, the Hermitage city manager, said the subcommittee recommends the first model be considered.
Sharon Mayor David Ryan said he believes the first model would be the most efficient way to offer police services.
"It might turn out not to be enough because the bigger you get, the more services people want," he said.
In either case, an effort would be made to have members of the current departments retain their ranks, and the years of service accumulated by a policeman would be credited when he joins the new department.
The report said the advantages to a new department would include standardized training, improved record-keeping, savings in bulk purchases, and more specialized services, such as traffic units.
The only potential disadvantage would be a failure to maintain staffing and equipment at an adequate level.