MERCER COUNTY Regional police force OKs Shenango's joining

Wheatland and West Middlesex still have to vote on accepting the township.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
FARRELL, Pa. -- The Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Commission has approved a plan to expand the department to include Shenango Township.
The department covers Farrell, Wheatland and West Middlesex. Shenango township recently accepted a proposal to join. The township's own force of five full-time officers and one part-time officer will become Southwest officers.
The township will join July 1 and pay Southwest $175,000 for the last half of 2004. The cost for 2005 is expected to be about $370,000.
Twice the coverage
In return, the township will get about twice the police coverage it now receives. The township department is able to keep two cars on the road about 24 hours a week.
Southwest has pledged to have two cars on the road 24 hours every day to cover Shenango Township and West Middlesex. The township surrounds the borough.
The police commission voted Friday to adopt a resolution formally accepting Shenango into the department.
However, the vote was contingent upon Shenango's adopting an intergovernmental agreement ordinance covering the expanded department and the votes of West Middlesex and Wheatland municipal councils' accepting Shenango into the agency.
Farrell has passed the first of two readings of an ordinance accepting Shenango.
James DeCapua, commission chairman, said the department will apply for state assistance to cover costs incurred in expanding the department. That could be as much as $80,000 to buy new equipment, some new computers, new uniforms and other items.
Southwest Police Chief Riley Smoot said the Shenango Township officers have been fitted for Southwest uniforms and signed insurance paperwork as part of the transfer from their department.