Elizabeth Borough to decide fate of police department

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
The fate of Elizabeth Borough’s police department was not decided Wednesday night, but an open discussion between council, residents, nonresidents and business owners put all of the cards on the table.
The cafeteria of the Elizabeth Learning Center was filled with more than 60 residents who attended the borough’s agenda meeting where police protection was the primary topic of discussion.
During a regular meeting last month, Council President Timothy Guffey announced council would be having important discussions concerning police protection and wanted the public’s input before budget talks begin and a decision is made.
There are two options on the table: Expand the department or disband it altogether and receive coverage from another community, most likely the Elizabeth Township Police Department.
Guffey explained how the topic became a point of discussion and where the borough stands as far as numbers are concerned.
Guffey explained four years ago the borough underwent a study through the state, the Strategic Management Plan Program, which was finalized in February 2022.
In that report, among other things, were recommendations concerning police coverage.
It included the pros and cons of operating it’s own department versus paying for a contracted service from another community, or merging its departments.
Portions of that report were consolidated and provided to those in attendance Wednesday, though Guffey said the borough did not agree with all of the recommendations inside and is simply using it as a guide to navigate the best way to provide police protection in the borough.
The borough currently operates with a full-time department run by Chief William Sombo.
It has no full-time officers, but employs roughly 13 part-time officers and costs about $350,000 per year.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Thursday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.

About 60 residents and business owners attended Elizabeth Borough’s council meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023.