Rumors Abundant About West Kittanning Police

by Jonathan Weaver

A local borough council clarified many rumors surrounding the police force Tuesday night.

West Kittanning Council President Cliff Neal dispelled rumors circulating the borough’s one-man police department at a public meeting April 5.

Neal said he heard rumors – which are both false - that East Franklin Township and North Buffalo Township police officers were actively patrolling the borough’s streets.

North Buffalo Township police officers must cut through the borough to get to some of their areas.

“There are portions behind Fern Drive that belong to North Buffalo Township – there’s no access to that other than through West Kittanning – so you’re going to see North Buffalo police cars coming through West Kittanning,” Neal said.

Neal also falsified the rumor that East Franklin police officers patrol the borough.

He said residents see the other police vehicles because of the township’s close proximity, including many businesses, to the borough line.

“East Franklin Township borders West Kittanning,” Neal said. “You will see them on Butler Road accessing these areas, so again East Franklin is not patrolling West Kittanning streets.”

Another local municipality – Kittanning Borough – was the focus of a rumor.

Kittanning Borough police officers actively patrol both their own streets and those in Applewold Borough. While council members have contacted Kittanning Borough Police Chief Ed Cassesse and other Kittanning Borough council members in the past about a contracted joint police effort, nothing has yet been solidified.

Rumors have since been spread that Kittanning Borough police turned down the offer. Neal said that rumor is also false.

“That is not true,” Neal said. “The past secretary and I had a meeting with President Shuster, Chief Cassesse and another council member. It was a high-level meeting, and they were quite-receptive to the fact of patrolling West Kittanning.”

Neal said details were not discussed at the meeting and Kittanning Borough council members agreed to keep the conversation open for future discussions.

Council Member Paula Henry motioned last month to contact Kittanning Borough police officers later this year about patrolling West Kittanning, but that motion was tabled for further discussion.

Police officers from all three neighboring areas can still back-up West Kittanning Police Officer Chris Airgood, but only when contacted first. If residents see or hear otherwise, Neal said he wants to hear about it.

No Comments

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.