If plans continue to proceed in one of two directions, it's possible the Sharpsville Borough police department might cease to exist -- in name only -- sometime in the near future.

Borough officials have recently discussed merging the town's force with either Hermitage or Sharon's department with officials from the two cities.

"It's a big step," said Sharpsville Mayor Kenneth Robertson. "If we were go to Sharon or Hermitage for police services -- and part of this process was that we wanted to protect the jobs of the officers we now have so those guys would go with us -- what I'm looking for is whether the police protection will be better or the same as what the residents now have. And if there's a cost saving to the taxpayers, those two things would be right at the top of the list if there were going to be a change considered."