A regional department would result in 24% total savings in police costs. .
In Bangor, it is basically a wash in the first year. Plainfield Township would save $250,000 in its first year. Pen Argyl would save $100,000.
Bangor Borough Council member Dave Houser, who supports the plan, states, "I think we can pull this off and assure the public of no drop offs in service."
The plan was prepared by PA Governor's Center for Local Gov't Services, but does not appear to be available online.
40 comments:
Here's my prediction, it won't pass.
Another study, paid for by the taxpayers. These municipal Officials don't want to give up their Authority.
I hope this works.
With that said, Bangor will get short-changed if this goes through. being surrounded by larger areas, the police will be outside the borough most of the time. Bangor residents, as stated, will see NO reduction in cost. But will lose what protection it has.
One only needs to look at what happened to Bangor in other regional plans. The incinerator, which could now be a cash-cow, was successful at first because the other towns supported it. But as they began to leave, the site slowly shut down, and was closed many years too early. And a once profitable venture, has sat vacant for decades.
There are other examples, such as the BASD, but let's hear the critics first.
yea it's me!
Morning Bernie, in the 90's, our committee had done a cost and pension analysis, hours of patrolling, etc. and we couldn't get it through council. Have Plainfield and Pen Argyl committed to the regionalization plan? In any event, I wish them well.
Regional police forces are unresponsive and unnaccountable. They are speed-trappers and DUI enforcers.
With all due respect, Dave, you WILL have a drop off in service. After the honeymoon, when you are all in, they will tell you to go pound sand and start your own force if you don't like how they are doing things. They know you will have neither the resources nor the will to go back to doing it yourself.
-Clem
Clem, Colonial Regional seems to be pretty responsive to me.
Carol, so far as I know, there has been no commitment by anyone.
Wow, Bangor couldn't be more irrelevant to the valley. I thought this was Lehigh Valley Ramblings not Slate Belt Meth Lab Surveillance Ramblings.
Clem - Perhaps they just know how you feel about public employees and could give two shits about you?
9:05, Last time I checked, the Slate Belt was very much a part of the LV, but you are under no obligation to read this blog, let alone comment.
anon 7:53 well spoken, hit the nail on the head
Regional departments do not save costs. That is a myth. Enough studies have demonstrated that good neighborhood services are lost through regionalization. The major benefit is professionalism. A larger department does attract quality officers and departments are less politicized. The cost factor does not work because local neighborhood policing which is the most effective is lost in a regionalized department. To maintain that level of police coverage which is considered the best requires a larger investment in manpower and facilities which is not anticipated in the regionalization model. Safety is better produced on a smaller scale. The objective of protective services is safety first, cost second.
11:08, Thank you for an insightful comment.
Anonymous 11:08, your sentiments are basically those of the study that was done in the early 90's for Bangor. Carol
Bernie - For now, I will simply say that my experience has been quite different over the years.
I will try to find the chief's comments regarding whether or not they would agree to cover Nazareth if the borough decided that was the way to go. As I recall, the tone was "We'll decide if we do it. If they want this, their gonna do that", and it was about that time that the borough kind of pulled back on their pursuit, even though they had voted otherwise.
Mr or Mrs troughfeeder (or dependent thereof) at 9:06 :
As "Clem" is a pseudonym - and I hope that term doesn't tax your union noggin too much - I would not put my money there. My opinions are reflective of experience long before there were blogs or a "Clem", not the preconceived talking points you lazy goofs live by. I have no problem with the concept of government as it was intended. The disdain and disgust is for those - no matter the party - who would co-opt and expand those instititions, for their own gain and comfort, to the detriment of the people for whom a limited government was created to serve. It is for those who won't or can't do the simple tasks they are paid to do, believe government is above its creator and, yet, continue to demand more for less.
11:08 has it mostly right, though, with the exception of the politcal aspect. Larger organizations typically offer greater opportunity for coalition building within the ranks, opportunity to hide the poor performance of favored employees and place more emphasis on bureaucractic and organizational activity than field productivity.
Nonsense Clem. Your posts make it quite clear you have contempt for any civil servant regardless if they do a good job for an honest day's pay.
The report may be subject to exec. session as personnel issues are part of the study. Our Atty. will advise us as to that. Due to the staggered meetings of the gov't parties in the study..it would seem to be prejudical to put all the info out before they all get a chance to review the document.After all the parties get to signal their interest or withdrawl..the report will probably go public then or at a joint public info session of all the muni's wanting to move forward. My wish is for the public to see this study asap and have all their questions answered at the public session before formal agreements are entered into. The numbers above are estimates at this time and not concrete but I see significant savings overall and better service region wide.
To Dave,
Don't waste anymore of your time on this Pipe Dream, It won't PASS.
Correction..it will pass and several other communities will join Bangor. This council has vision and the figures to prove it's worth. Come to the council workshop next Monday and see for yourself.
Clem is the expert on everything. What a jerk!
To Dave,
You're wasting your time with this Pipe Dream..In the end, Mayors, Chiefs and Council don't want to give up their authority.
P.S What happened with the Fight you had with the Fire Departments?
There is no fight that I know of. They are all cooperating with the boro on a comprehensive plan that will ease the burden of paying for fire service on the tax payers. Are you really concerned or just a nay sayer?
When this fails (and it will), the shallow thinking of "dave" will be exposed. Dave, please google the history of this, and educate yourself.
It's 2012..Not back in the day. Failure is not an option and unless your voting Monday night.. all the people of Bangor will be the winners. All that matters is NOW..not what went wrong and who failed to get the job done in the past. Did you drop the ball then and are feeling guilty? This council will not drop the ball.
You are in dreamland my friend. There are great meds available for that.
While Colonial Regional and Stroud Regional are examples of regional Police working. Further north in Monroe County is Pocono Mountain Regional Police who are an example of what is wrong with regionalization. I attend the board meetings every month. If one township or borough needs more time or services they are dependent on the others approval, which often will not occur due to the cheapness of many other townships, or even personal pettiness.
One township has become significantly larger since joining PMRP in the 1990s, yet their representation on the commission is still at the level from early membership. The larger township needs the approval of the other municipalities in getting an additional commission member. The other municipalities will never approve this fearing the biggest township will get more protection than them.
While Stroud Regional has swift response times, Pocono Mountain Regional has lacking response times, often taking over 15 minutes to arrive on accident scenes due to budget cuts.
What you have to do is look at the square miles that will make up the department. Colonial Regional may be a smaller turf than this Slate Belt Regional. Stroud Regional is only two boroughs and one township, they can move around fast. The bigger the regional PD, the more lacking it will be in swift response. (Let alone the bigger the townships in the regional, the more ground to cover).
They are all cooperating. What!
They are just awaiting their time until the next election ...They will then recruit candidates to run, who will back their postion.
Many times this regional concept is used to reduce wages and benefits for the Municipal Off icers involved.
Dave said it will pass!
Was a secret vote already taken?
You should read the sunshine law.
The council voted by a majority in public to join the study and Mayor Brown of Bangor has devoted much time to see that the idea has now reached this point. It is my OPINION that it will pass muster. Is that CLEAR enough now? I am entitled to an opinion..no? Is this America or not? Please get a life.
Dave,
You can have an opinion, but you can't announce that this will pass prior to a formal vote.
Keep your opinion to yourself...learn good politics!
Council should consolidate or reduce size.
Maybe the new police force can investigate the conspiracy between mayor Brown and an unnamed officer, which led to the firing of chief Kerrigan.
word on the street
Hey Joe..save the drama. Your not the mayor anymore..thank goodness. The regionalization plan passed without a dissenting vote. Lead..follow..or get out of the way! Mayor Brown out front..leading!
Cowards who are afraid to identify themselves get no respect. Come back when you grow a pair. Your advice means squat!
"dave" does protest too much!
You can pin these comments on anyone you want. Glenn Kerrigan has many friends (over 30 years of public service will do that). But until someone (mayor, council,lawyer) explains the reasoning behind the firing of Chief Kerrigan, there will be a cloud over ALL those involved. If mayor Brown runs for county executive, there are those who will raise this question every day.
Put that in your bag of nuts and eat it.
We agree with you! Dave knows squat!!
Dave forgets to tell us about approving $7,000.00 for Mayor Brown to go for training at Notre Dame. That could pay for over 400 police hours, for some one who will be in office for 1 1/2 more years. A complete waste of tax dollars. defend that Dave Houser.
one more thing. If Bangor council continues to allow Dave houser to speak for them, it will hurt thier image too. He has no respect in Bangor.
yes, I 2 am an anon coward dave.
It sucks to be the minority voice on council..doesn't it? I think you should move across the room and sit between Mommy and Daddy. That way you can be sure to vote as your told to with a nod and a smile. Why do you even bother coming? It must be terrible to be owned by others. I wouldn't know how that feels.
What is happening at Bangor Borough council meetings, it sounds as if spitballs are flying. Carol
Carol, you did a fine job in your many years. So did some of those before and after you. It seems dave only sees himself as a great councilman. The mirrors in his home must cover the walls. And he still can't defend spending $7,0000.00 to train John Brown. The biggest waste of tax dollars this town has seeen!!!!!
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