Elizabeth Borough residents weighed their options on the future of policing in the borough Tuesday night.One option on the table is disbanding the Elizabeth Borough Police Department and seeking police coverage through Elizabeth Township.Currently, there is just one full-time police officer in Elizabeth Borough, and that’s Chief William Sombo. He is helped by a rotating list of part-time officers. Elizabeth Borough Council President Timothy Guffey said it’s difficult to make sure all shifts are covered.Elizabeth Borough residents heard about the proposed shift in policing in a community meeting Wednesday night at the Elizabeth Learning Center on 3rd Avenue.”There’s a big savings there. And the other (option) is to keep the local police department intact, which I support,” Elizabeth Borough Mayor Barry Boucher told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.If the proposal is eventually approved by the council, Elizabeth Township’s 20 full-time police officers to take over policing in Elizabeth Borough.That would mean the Borough’s full-time chief and 12 to 15 part-time officers would lose their jobs.While the mayor prefers keeping the existing police department, the mayor doesn’t have a vote unless borough council ties, should the proposal come to a vote.While some other Mon Valley communities are looking at joining a regionalized police force, that’s not what the Township is proposing to the Borough,”It’s not a regionalized police force. No, it’s a subcontracting out. None of my people will get a job out of it, including the chief. And that’s the bottom line when it comes to that,” Boucher said.A former borough official spoke in favor of Elizabeth Township taking over.“I know you’re doing the best you can, but I suggest you hook up with Elizabeth Township,” the person said.The second option would be keeping the department as is, with one full-time officer, Chief William Sombo and a rotation of 12 to 15 part-time officers, like Officer Medeiros.”He’s a man of integrity, and that’s why I’m here. The people I work with are committed. None of us are getting rich, but we take our job seriously,” Medeiros said.Elizabeth Borough Council President, Timothy Guffey, said getting the shifts covered can be a challenge.“They just don’t have the time, freedom in order to give the borough the hours that we need in order to cover the shifts,” Guffey said.Guffey said the third option is to hire two full-time officers and increase Chief Sombo’s pay.“Sombo is a good guy. I can’t believe he’s done it this long without a full-time officer, but he’s managed somehow. We need to keep them,” Elizabeth Borough resident Cindy Morris said.Guffey said that would require an $80,000 budget increase in the first year and an increase of nearly $130,000 by year 5. The borough is also set to run out of its American Rescue Plan revenue. Guffey said that would mean an increase in tax millage of an estimated $12.75 per household monthly.“It ends up not being that much per family after all,” Morris said.Residents and businesses Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has heard from so far seem to prefer keeping things as they are.”I think the local police are more aware of the local people here, and I think they shouldn’t switch depending on how much money they save. I don’t think a hundred grand is going to help in the long run. I think local police are doing a great job,” said Ray Large, an Elizabeth Borough resident.”I appreciate the police department being next door to my office, and always support the police, so, like I said, I like having the police department next door,” said Jeff Ronallo, the owner of Ronallo Insurance Group. “I don’t think the policing is as good (with a force based outside the borough) as when you have somebody in the borough, (where) it’s a lot better than having to wait on a response time,””I think it will be not so good for the town. Everybody likes the police department down here. I think it would be a lot safer with the department staying down here and keeping the people around,” said Nicholas Giacomelli, the manager of Fellini’s Pizza. “The officers themselves, they’re great people, and we love having them around. They come and visit every so often. They’re great people. We’d love to have the department stay down here.””It keeps your identity. They know the town better. I just think it’s the way a quaint little town like this should operate,” the mayor said.Tuesday night’s meeting wasn’t the end of the conversation.
Elizabeth Borough residents weighed their options on the future of policing in the borough Tuesday night.
One option on the table is disbanding the Elizabeth Borough Police Department and seeking police coverage through Elizabeth Township.
Currently, there is just one full-time police officer in Elizabeth Borough, and that’s Chief William Sombo. He is helped by a rotating list of part-time officers. Elizabeth Borough Council President Timothy Guffey said it’s difficult to make sure all shifts are covered.
Elizabeth Borough residents heard about the proposed shift in policing in a community meeting Wednesday night at the Elizabeth Learning Center on 3rd Avenue.
“There’s a big savings there. And the other (option) is to keep the local police department intact, which I support,” Elizabeth Borough Mayor Barry Boucher told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
If the proposal is eventually approved by the council, Elizabeth Township’s 20 full-time police officers to take over policing in Elizabeth Borough.
That would mean the Borough’s full-time chief and 12 to 15 part-time officers would lose their jobs.
While the mayor prefers keeping the existing police department, the mayor doesn’t have a vote unless borough council ties, should the proposal come to a vote.
While some other Mon Valley communities are looking at joining a regionalized police force, that’s not what the Township is proposing to the Borough,
“It’s not a regionalized police force. No, it’s a subcontracting out. None of my people will get a job out of it, including the chief. And that’s the bottom line when it comes to that,” Boucher said.
A former borough official spoke in favor of Elizabeth Township taking over.
“I know you’re doing the best you can, but I suggest you hook up with Elizabeth Township,” the person said.
The second option would be keeping the department as is, with one full-time officer, Chief William Sombo and a rotation of 12 to 15 part-time officers, like Officer Medeiros.
“He’s a man of integrity, and that’s why I’m here. The people I work with are committed. None of us are getting rich, but we take our job seriously,” Medeiros said.
Elizabeth Borough Council President, Timothy Guffey, said getting the shifts covered can be a challenge.
“They just don’t have the time, freedom in order to give the borough the hours that we need in order to cover the shifts,” Guffey said.
Guffey said the third option is to hire two full-time officers and increase Chief Sombo’s pay.
“Sombo is a good guy. I can’t believe he’s done it this long without a full-time officer, but he’s managed somehow. We need to keep them,” Elizabeth Borough resident Cindy Morris said.
Guffey said that would require an $80,000 budget increase in the first year and an increase of nearly $130,000 by year 5. The borough is also set to run out of its American Rescue Plan revenue. Guffey said that would mean an increase in tax millage of an estimated $12.75 per household monthly.
“It ends up not being that much per family after all,” Morris said.
Residents and businesses Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has heard from so far seem to prefer keeping things as they are.
“I think the local police are more aware of the local people here, and I think they shouldn’t switch depending on how much money they save. I don’t think a hundred grand is going to help in the long run. I think local police are doing a great job,” said Ray Large, an Elizabeth Borough resident.
“I appreciate the police department being next door to my office, and always support the police, so, like I said, I like having the police department next door,” said Jeff Ronallo, the owner of Ronallo Insurance Group. “I don’t think the policing is as good (with a force based outside the borough) as when you have somebody in the borough, (where) it’s a lot better than having to wait on a response time,”
“I think it will be not so good for the town. Everybody likes the police department down here. I think it would be a lot safer with the department staying down here and keeping the people around,” said Nicholas Giacomelli, the manager of Fellini’s Pizza. “The officers themselves, they’re great people, and we love having them around. They come and visit every so often. They’re great people. We’d love to have the department stay down here.”
“It keeps your identity. They know the town better. I just think it’s the way a quaint little town like this should operate,” the mayor said.
Tuesday night’s meeting wasn’t the end of the conversation.
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