West Leechburg is the latest community that may be getting 24/7 police coverage.
The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Commission voted unanimously to extend a proposal to West Leechburg Police Department in January. Southern Armstrong Police Chief Chris Fabec said a revised proposal was submitted last week to West Leechburg Council, along with an updated budget estimate.
“West Leechburg is proposed a $35,000 (fee) annually to join Southern Armstrong,” Fabec said. “It’s cost effective.”
Fabec said he expects a decision from West Leechburg officials next month.
Gilpin, Freeport and Ford City merged their police forces in recent years to form the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department.
However, West Leechburg joined a study that was completed in December, with Leechburg and Parks Township, to evaluate the possibility of consolidating those police departments. The goals were to provide 24/7 police coverage, increase police presence in the communities and equip officers with better equipment.
The free study was conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Results of that study listed a $1.1 million alternative cost distribution (Parks Township, 42%; Leechburg, 36.5%; and West Leechburg 21.5%) for 11 full-time officers and 24/7 coverage.
The study noted that the method was not recommended at the time due to an excessive cost increase to pay for the number of officers required to provide such coverage. North Apollo originally expressed an interest in participating in the study but dropped out.
Leechburg employs two full-time police officers and one part-timer. It does not offer 24/7 coverage. State police help to cover gaps in coverage.
Leechburg official have brought together leaders from other Kiski Valley officials to discuss their police coverage options.
Leechburg steering committee members met March 18. They include Leechburg Councilmen DJ Zelczak, John Mrvan and Alan Tarr, and Mayor Doreen Smeal; West Leechburg Councilwoman Christina Hosler and Mary Ralston, Parks Township vice chairwoman.
Zelczak said no decisions were made regarding regionalization by any of the three municipalities.
“We’re going through the steps as they were laid out to us, and we’re getting a new consultant to recommend whatever we need for this process,” he said.
Zelczak declined to comment on West Leechburg potentially choosing to merge with Southern Armstrong.
He said one person attended the steering committee meeting last month seeking additional information but would not say who that person was because it was not in an official capacity.
Leechburg Mayor Doreen Smeal deferred comment on regionalization to Zelczak, who was named the media point of contact by the steering committee.
When asked if Leechburg would consider merging with Southern Armstrong, Zelczak declined to comment.
The Parks Township Police Department has only two officers after the recent resignation of Chief Kyle Lewis, who was sworn in March 12 with the McCandless Police Department.
Southern Armstrong’s invitation remains
Gilpin Supervisors Chairman Charles Stull said he had contacted Smeal and offered to present Fabec’s presentation to Leechburg officials.
“I was told at this time there’s no interest in hearing the presentation,” Stull said. “That presentation will remain ready if they do become interested in hearing it.”
Fabec said: “I wish that Leechburg would sit down and have that conversation. The purpose of regionalization is to eliminate the duplication of services. If you’re trying to create a regional police department right next to another one, you’re not solving the problem.”
Fabec said no other municipalities are in regionalizion talks with Southern Armstrong, which formed in 2022.
Stull extended an open invitation to nearby police departments interested in regionalizing.
“Our doors are wide open for discussion with Leechburg Borough and Parks Township to join the already operating SARPD, as it is with any other community nearby our coverage area,” Stull said. “We’re always happy to talk and answer any questions.”
West Leechburg and Parks Township officials did not return requests for comment.
Southern Armstrong Cpl. John Krill previously worked in Ford City as one of only two officers on the force.
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“The coverage we had was sporadic because it was only the two of us,” he said. “… When we merged, I had to acclimate to working with other officers, but we have a great group.”
Southern Armstrong employs 11 full-time and four part-time officers.
William Rapone, also on the Southern Armstrong force, worked the night shift for almost a year in Gilpin before the regionalization.
He said Leechburg residents have expressed to him the need for 24/7 police coverage.
“They would ask me for help and I had to explain to them that I was just passing through,” Rapone said. “They would tell me they couldn’t find police and there were no cars at the police station. Those times, people know when the police are out. They pay attention.”
Rapone said his life is “so much better” now that he isn’t the only officer working a shift.
“We would call for help, say at 1 a.m. and our backup could have been coming from anywhere and would take 20 minutes or more. Now, my partner is close, and you do the job more confidently,” he said.
Fabec echoed that the impact is visible within communities serviced by Armstrong Regional.
“It’s better for the community — there’s always an officer in Ford City, Freeport, and Gilpin,” the chief said. “That’s what residents want.”
Fabec said, financially, the regionalization has exceeded expectations.
“The first budget I prepared was an educated guess, and we finished our first year greatly in the black, with more than $25,000 in the black,” he said. “We projected some things for Gilpin. Residents wanted to know what we were saving them. And for this year, we’re still seeing a savings of almost $60,000 per year if we were still operating a Gilpin Police Department.”
Southern Armstrong recently implemented a drone enforcement program, with four officers FAA certified drone operators. The capabilities with drone enforcement include image technology that can aid in missing people or fugitive searches.
Joyce Hanz is a TribLive reporter covering the Alle-Kiski Valley. A native of Charleston, S.C., she graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com