West Kittanning Citizens Petition for Change in Police
West Kittanning Borough Council President Cliff Neal reads a petition that was presented to Council during a public meeting held last night.
by Nathan Lasher
Residents of West Kittanning presented the West Kittanning Borough Council with a petition requesting a change in the Borough’s police service during a public meeting held yesterday evening.
“I have a petition that has about 200 names on it that we would like to ask Borough Council if they would consider absolving the West Kittanning Police Department and contracting with Kittanning,” said West Kittanning resident Mickey Langham as she handed the petition to West Kittanning Borough Council President Cliff Neal.
At that time, Neal took the petition and read it aloud for the Council and everyone in attendance to hear.
The petition was read as follows: We, the undersigned residents of the Borough of West Kittanning, do hereby petition the West Kittanning Borough Council to contract with the Borough of Kittanning for full-time, 24/7 police protection. Being a small borough, we feel it is not cost effective to continue to pay for and maintain a part-time police department. We are experiencing much drug trafficking possibly due to the fact that our current officer is on duty 32 hours weekly, many of which are double shifts in one 24-hour period. We need to have 24/7 coverage. It is impossible for this borough to have this situation. Kittanning Borough police officers will patrol our borough throughout each shift. We will not need to call into the Pennsylvania State Police unless there are extenuating circumstances. Currently, the Pennsylvania State Police get our calls when the part-time officer is not on duty. Pennsylvania State Police can not handle any borough ordinance issues. Please consider the request of the borough residents, as we feel we would be much better served, not only in a safety manner, but a financial one as well.
After Neal was done reading the petition, he addressed those in attendance.
“I’m just going to say the Borough will take this under review and I’ll table it for this evening,” said Neal.
After Neal had spoken, no one else on Council or from the public commented on the issue.
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West Kittanning Borough | nlasher November 3, 2010
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By Silence Dogood, November 3, 2010 @ 2:33 PM
Let see if West Kittanning Borough Council will do what is right, “and listen to the people”. I agree with the petitioners, the borough will be a much safer place with the deturance of a 24/7 police department. It is well known that the drug dealers are on the move to new areas that don’t have a full time police department, “easy to stay under the radar”. Put a side the drugs what about the burglary’s and thefts from our vehicles, crime is on the rise and something needs done.