SW MERCER POLICE DA offers funds to limit force cuts

The budget calls for reducing the full-time complement by two officers.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
FARRELL, Pa. -- Two full-time police officers would be reduced to part-time status under terms of a 2002 budget approved by the Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Commission.
However, Mercer County's district attorney said he has some money for the commission to restore at least one of those officers to full-time status.
Atty. James Epstein attended the police commission meeting Tuesday in the Farrell city building to discuss staffing in the police department.
Numbers: James DeCapua, commission chairman, outlined a proposed 2002 spending plan of $1,167,000, noting it shows a spending increase of just $13,000.
However, it would reduce the full-time complement from 16 to 14 officers, while maintaining the eight-officer part-time complement, he said.
There are vacancies in the part-time ranks and two full-time officers would be moved to that level, a step that would net a salary savings of about $18,000 and insurance savings of another $16,000.
Reasoning: Epstein said he didn't want to see that happen, pointing out that Southwest, which covers Farrell, Wheatland and West Middlesex, is better served by full-time officers who are available for immediate follow-up investigations rather than part-time officers who work sporadically.
A lot of the crime in the area is drug-related and witnesses and victims are often reluctant to give information to police for fear of retaliation or other factors and it is best to get statements from those people as quickly as possible, Epstein said.
Full-time officers are able to do that because they are around every day, he said.
Money: Epstein told the commission that his office has nearly $32,000 in drug forfeiture and other funds available that it can give to Southwest to keep at least one officer facing a cutback on full-time status.
"What we can do to help, we will do," he said.
DeCapua said he will meet with Epstein to see just how much financial help the district attorney can offer.
He said the full-time officer salary line item was cut by $44,000 as a result of the impending reduction for two officers, but the line item for part-time officers was increased by $26,000 to reflect their transfer.
Hospitalization insurance costs for next year show an increase of just $1,500 but that would jump to $17,500 if the two offers retain their full-time status, he said.
Allocations: The three member municipalities that make up the police commission are also being asked to increase their allocation by 2.5 percent next year to help generate enough revenue to run the department, DeCapua said.
Other revenue comes from grants, special police services such as transit security and drug abuse programs as well as parking fines and fees.
The budget now goes to the member municipalities for ratification.