Lower Nazareth Township Supervisors are upset at the rising costs of police coverage. Plainfield Township just fired its Chief. West Easton is scrambling to form its own police department. Easton dropped the tiny borough over the cost of responding to daily complaints from and about common scold Tricia Mezzacappa. Nazareth has always been a hotbed of police controversy, probably because I live there. In all these places, as well as numerous localities that irresponsibly have no police coverage at all, a regional force is the way to go.
This is by no means my idea. Former Council members Mike Dowd and Ron Angle embraced it. So does current Council member Scott Parsons, who can relate his experiences from Wind Gap, whjere he served as President of Borough Council.
Former Executive Gerald (Jerry) Seyfried has long advocated for a study to see if a County Wide Police Force could provide services more efficiently while reducing the costs to the taxpayers. He tells me,
"I still think this study should be done. I advocated for the Northampton County Municipal Conference to be reinstituted. "Section 1309" entitled "Municipal Conference" under the "Transitional Provisions of The Home Rule Charter" sets some guidelines and parameters for the Municipal Conference to function. This would have been a great project for Council to undertake.
"There are several municipalities that do not have police protection and rely on the state police for protection. The study would look at the overall costs and determine if there could be any savings by forming a regional "County wide" police department. They could also provides numerous upgrades and I would even bet that they would probably get a grant to study the concept.
"It doesn't cost anything to look at it and share the findings with the taxpayers. They could even put it on the ballot for consideration. The time is ripe."
41 comments:
Sounds good in theory but not workable. First question is who pays for the debt, legacy costs, mortgages, buildings, and equipment of those municipalities that already have working police departments? I am sure those municipalities would want to know the answer to that question. I am sure the regional police would not nor would the County.
Not fair to the people who already shoulder the majority of the tax burden in NORCO and still manage to have their own police and fire departments.
Sounds good in theory but not workable?????Sounds like the old 911 argument. I would like to see and digest the information that is gathered regarding the present police departments. Then we could take a look at the hidden costs of the municipalities, i.e. pensions, etc.
This would take a hard working group of individuals dedicated to serving their community to gather all this information and then present it to the proper people.
I would wait to see the results before I would commit.
County wide police departments work all over the Country. Do the study.
County Police Forces do work all over the Country, but this is Pennsylvania, the only state in the nation that does not let municipal police use radar for speed enforcement. You think we are going to get our act together to form a county wide force. You will never get all those municipalities together and agree to give up control of their own local forces. The only way it would come about is if the State mandated the change. 911 was a state law and all counties were forced/mandated to change to change to the system.
As a Lower Nazareth resident I'm shocked that the Commissioners voted no to the Colonial budget.
I urge residents to attend the police board meeing tonight at the police station at 248 Broadhead Road in Hanover.
I totally agree. Give up the kingdom ideology and do this. It's been done all over the country and it eliminates a lot of problems that local government spends way too much time and money on resource wise. If anyone can pull it off..it is John Brown.
Many examples in Pa. google Centre county. They know how to do it right..top to bottom.
All it takes is the will to do it! The control and power junkies will balk but you and I know it is the right thing to do and it makes sense on multiple levels. Win Win Win..
John Brown has the blue print memorized as to the regionalization of essential services county wide. Listen to what he has to offer before you trash the idea. It is not a pipe dream.
Many states provide all services by the county. Schools, police, fire, garbage, etc. Costs and taxes are much lower and you don't have similar schools (Wilson and Easton) 2 blocks apart. No one in PA wants to give up their little kingdom and consequently taxes are out of control...particularly school taxes.
Taxes are out of control and that is why i am moving out of this state as soon as i can
7:53, That's the reason for a municipal conference. Personally, let me add that I don't like to see police departments under the thumb of parochial municipal officials who may be more motivated by petty consideration and have no real understanding. There definitely has to be some civilian oversight, but in some areas, but there's always a danger that some municipal officials will try to use the force improperly. That's why I prefer larger forces or regionalized forces. These forces are less costly per capita, remove an administrative headache from individual municipalities, and are large enough to offer more sophistication. The downside might be response time and the neighborhood cop that everyone knows.
@8:47
I did google it...they have the same system of government as the majority of other Counties. They have an elected sheriff who oversees court security, serves warrants and civil processes. The majority of the County is policed by Pennsylvania State Police. Then you have local Police Departments in the Boroughs of Bellefonte and State College and Police Departments in Ferguson, Patton & Spring Townships. NO COUNTY POLICE.
I know this idea is being explored in Berks, Bucks and Montgomery County. Allegheny County has a county police force, but it is more in the nature of assistance. It is the norm in some states. Don't know if that means it's a good thing.
You can't stop Mezzacappa's ascent into the halls of County Government no matter how much you disparage her. The R's have taken council, when West Easton merges with Wilson Mezzacappa will be elected mayor inside the decade.
Don't think there is one r on the new or old council who would give TM the time of day. She is far to loony for the Republucans I associate with and there are many...she is everything we all toss out. She needs help but wouldn't know help if it ran her over, which it would have to do just to get her attention. She really is everyone's nightmare of a daughter or any other relationship. Get help TM and leave our party......oh the Democrats can't handle you either. They gloat that we have to put up with this person. Can't blame them.
Mental illness embraces both parties. The Rs have Tricia Mezzacappa, Ron Shegda, and an assortment of loons. The Dems did have Jim Gregory.
Do you think we can get enough open minded citizens to serve on a bi-partisan committee to give us a study free of local influences? I do. I have faith in the people of Northampton county (who I might add elected John Brown) to be impartial in their findings. These individuals should not make a recommendation. They should only gather facts and present them for open discussion and debate. Damn Bernie, you hit on a good one here. We have the potential to save thousands of dollars. Where do I go to volunteer?
No where did The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania mandate a 911 system in the early nineties. Northampton County did that on their own thanks to Gerry Seyfried for starting it and Bill Brackbill for finishing the job.
What about a bi-county force? If anything, it eliminates the double dipping and revolving door of municipal cops taking county jobs. Retirement and life time benefits seem out of reach for most working families yet a guarantee for others. I suspect the FOP will oppose this.
Each municipality would be responsible for each if their legacy pension obligation. If the carrot in this that the counties assume responsibility, then use gaming proceeds to address the debt.
If Allentown and Easton can charge out of town employees a surcharge for services provided, should municipalities be able to charge the home municipality of a visiting lawbeeaker a surcharge for required law enforcement services?
@11:47
Chapter 120b issued under section 13(a)(1) of the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act (35 P. S. § 7013(a)(1))
§ 120b.101. Purpose.
The act is designed to provide a toll-free telephone number 911 for individuals within this Commonwealth to gain rapid, direct access to emergency aid. The number shall be provided with the objective of reducing response time to situations requiring law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue or other emergency service. The authority and responsibility for the creation and implementation of a plan establishing, operating and maintaining adequate facilities for answering emergency calls and dispatching a proper response to a caller’s needs shall be vested in the county government. County governments are encouraged to develop and implement a 911 emergency communication system that will meet the specific needs of the county and take maximum advantage of the integration of communications equipment and personnel to minimize costs and effect a more rapid response to emergency situations. County governments are encouraged to develop enhanced 911 system plans to the greatest extent possible. The development of county plans that limit the number of PSAPs and dispatch centers to the minimum necessary to meet the guideline requirements and to minimize costs to the public shall be encouraged.
@11:47
Gerry and Bill are good men, but they were only doing what the law required them to do back in the early 90's.
Again, the Act was not in place in the early nineties nor was there any preliminary funding. The County took this on all of their own vilation. Stupid bastards.
If I had my druthers we would see a county wide police force led by a real American like Chief Kessler head of the Constitutional Security Force. Our jails and treatment centers are overrun with people convicted of petty drug offenses and DWI, Kessler has long advocated the use of officer discretion when dealing with these types of "crimes" and if that advice were heeded on a county wide basis we would see a drastic boost in our coffers.
Also we need a Guardian Angel type organization to patrol the streets and reduce the need for law enforcement, time to take back the streets from scumbag criminals and bring power to the people.
Molon Labe
Alrighty then. Put vigilantes on the street in the place of trained officers. Let drunks kill a few more people. Makes sense to me.
1:27, this Act was adopted AFTER Jerry's term as Executive was over. It was adopted midway thru Bill Brackbill's tenure .
The provisions of this Chapter 120b adopted May 3, 1991, effective May 4, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 2140
I worked for one of the small municipal dispatch centers in Lehigh County that ended up closing in 1993 due to Lehigh County taking over all Dispatch duties due to the 911 Act. It was unfortunate that these small dispatch centers had to close because they provided more personal service to their respective communities. Keeping those centers would not have been cost effective. Each County was responsible for roll out. Northampton County was the only County that tried to go with a privitized system in 1997. If you recall that company was MCI. Privitization did not work out too well and evntually the County took over the system.
3:07 PM. It's volition. Check your spelling before you call people stupid.
Id rather see a word misspelled than read someone claim something that is untrue, even if every word is right.
Just reading the story on the dude who escaped from 2 constables in Nazareth, are they who we would be hiring should the region go to a county system?
#FAIL
"Also we need a Guardian Angel type organization to patrol the streets and reduce the need for law enforcement, time to take back the streets from scumbag criminals and bring power to the people."
There are too many transients in Easton with no where to go or be placed, for the Guardian Angel's to keep the streets clear of the scourge. The new county exec. should be informed of the Vagrancy problem in NorCo.
5:12, Those are constables. They are independently elected and are not under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff or any police department. Most of them are well trained, and if they act unprofessionally, district judges stop giving them work. You are incorrectly blaming Sheriffs for allowing this escape. But this does happen, even to good officers. It's sad to see you condemn law enforcement instead of the thug.
Yo BO, the word is out. There may be a feud on Bethlehem city council. Dolan wants to give Hunter the vacant seat and Reynolds wants to give it to Kelly. Of course both are endorsed and pushed by the Callahan Clan. So either one will be part of the screw up Donchez coalition.
Will be interesting to see who wins out. Willie will no doubt be council president but Dolan will push this appointment.
How many people have applied? None have a chance except Hunter or Kelly, the Callahan elected city council have been given them their orders.
This could impact a county wide police force.
Don't get me wrong. Contrary to what some readers here say, I find Joe Kelly a great guy. But for his own sake, I think he should step away for a time and focus on himself, his twins and making good money.
Personally, I think Morales should get it. He ran for the job and nearly won.
As a Lower Nazareth resident, I am glad the supervisors are taking a look at the rising uncontrollable costs of the regional department rather than going along and increasing taxes on us taxpayers. We pay enough already!
As a resident, you may want to attend tonight's meeting of the police board at 7 pm. I believe that your concerns are the subject of the meeting. I plan to go and report on it.
So your reference to 5:12 and condemning the constables and not the thug, fair enough but what about the other story hitting the wire:
State Police pulling over a 2013 Benz on Rt 78 for going 60 in a 55? It's called: Driving While Hispanic. Then charging them with possession of cocaine which was not drugs but soap for which the 'thugs' stated it was.
Too many crooked law enforcement officials causing harm to innocent people.
Then all the more reason for a county PD. Those municipalities with no police department rely on the PSP, whom you just dissed. I'm on my way to a meeting now and have now time to play your race card game.
Bernie,what was the result of PSP's suit against the Sheriff's Asso. having to do with just this subject, Law Enforcement. Years ago I had stated that the cost of a single light bar on the sheriff's vehicle was cost prohibited, as they are generally not allowed traffic stops except in Pittsburgh area and in Philadelphia county .Equation is it looks good and official but if they turned it on ONE TIME in the life of the car ,that costs $1200.00 or what ever they cost to install ect, that does not make any sense.Now, our county has many real fine retired police officers that were certified under their ACT. How does one judge this to apply in an individual county?
As a resident of Lower Nazareth Township, I also support the position our supervisors are taking in scrutinizing any cost increases. Give in a little here and give in a little there and the next thing you know, taxes increase.
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