Swissvale leaders discuss plans for regional police force
SWISSVALE, Pa. (KDKA) — A local community is trying to figure out what the future looks like for its police force.
There are staffing issues at the Swissvale Police Department, and leaders held a public meeting Monday to let residents know there are discussions about implementing a regional police force.
Swissvale Borough Council Vice President Weldianne Scales said at one point, there were as many as 28 full-time officers. Today, there are 15 full-time officers and three part-time officers. And despite efforts to improve staffing, borough leaders fear numbers will continue to decline.
"Right now, Swissvale is actually offering free money," Scales said. "So if you're a resident of Swissvale and you have the desire to become a police officer, we will actually pay for you to go to the police academy. The only thing we ask is that you commit two or three years to our community."
Monday's meeting was to introduce the public to the idea of a regionalized police department.
"We have three surrounding boroughs: Edgewood, Braddock Hills, Rankin," Swissvale Mayor Deneen Swartzwelder said. "Everybody sees this coming. We know we have to merge."
The mayor said staffing has not become a crisis yet, but she does believe this is something to get ahead of before it becomes a problem.