Shenango's addition of cop will add to cost of services

The township has added a fifth full-time officer to its roster.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
FARRELL, Pa. -- Shenango Township's decision to add a fifth full-time police officer will cost the township an additional $35,000 this year, if it elects to buy police services from Southwest Mercer County Regional Police.
The township has its own police force but recently asked Southwest Regional for a cost to provide services for the township.
Shenango, which was maintaining a full-time force of four officers and several part-time officers, is paying $360,000 for its own department.
Southwest had offered to do the job this year for $320,000. That cost would be prorated from the start-up date.
That offer included making the four full-time Shenango officers and the part-time people part of the Southwest force.
However, the township supervisors voted this week to add a fifth full-time officer, and if Southwest is expected to absorb that additional officer, the cost will go up, said Riley Smoot, Southwest police chief.
Smoot said Tuesday that the revised fee for 2004 would be $355,000, again prorated from the start date.
James DeCapua, chairman of the Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Commission, said the revised offer doesn't include taking any part-time officers from Shenango.
Jurisdiction
Southwest already patrols West Middlesex as part of its coverage area, and Shenango township surrounds West Middlesex.
Smoot said his department's proposal would guarantee two cruisers on the road 24 hours a day to cover just West Middlesex and Shenango Township.
Southwest has one car in West Middlesex part of the day now.
Southwest also has cars covering Farrell and Wheatland.
Smoot said Shenango Township supervisors have tentatively set a public meeting on the offer for 8 p.m. April 28 at West Middlesex High School.