Post by mikekerstetter on Dec 15, 2012 10:02:10 GMT -5
www.standard-journal.com/news/free/article_10d2f832-4528-11e2-86b2-001a4bcf887a.html
Merger paying dividends
by Matt Farrand | Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2012 8:21 am
LEWISBURG — The advantages of combining the Lewisburg and East Buffalo Township police forces will become more apparent as time goes by. Buffalo Valley Regional Police Commission member Henry Baylor told fellow commissioners members Wednesday night that money savings realized by the a merger don’t typically become apparent for three or four years after any two departments combine forces.
Baylor, also an East Buffalo Township supervisor, cited a League of Women Voters survey taken in 2000 which concluded that safety was above all other issues in importance to constituents.
“By regionalizing, we really do have the advantage of increasing the kind of police services we offer,” Baylor said. “We can train better, we can specialize more because we have the economies of scale.”
Baylor noted that the individual departments were also facing higher costs, and though operations of the merged departments initially cost slightly more, combining the departments will be worth the initial expense.
“We have the ability now to have a structure within the police force, which we didn’t have before, by having lieutenants, sergeants, and corporals,” Baylor said. “I think the constituents understand that they are getting a good deal with regionalization.”
Baylor added that changes in population and the nature of crime itself will require more comprehensive law enforcement services
“Ten years from now, we are going to have crime we have never faced before,” Baylor said. “Intellectual crime, on the Internet, exploiting of children…we would never be prepared for (it) if we had two separate forces.
“We’re doing it with a slight increase for the first couple of years,” Baylor said. “I think that’s small price to pay for the advantages we’ll have in the future with the kind of services we can offer. We keep forgetting that.”
Chairwoman Judy Wagner also conceded that some costs were higher, but were within an agreed upon 5 percent increase.
“The first year we had all these redevelopment costs in the (new police office building), and huge legal fees,” said Wagner. “I think we were pretty good to come within a point or two of coming within (initial) projections.”
Wagner, also Lewisburg Mayor, noted that nearby municipalities are paying attention to how things are going.
“All the surrounding municipalities are watching to see how we are doing,” said Wagner. “We’ve had a presentation to Kelly Township, and they were part of the original study. New Berlin was part of the original study, Mifflinburg also came to the original study meetings. They didn’t see it through…I don’t know if Milton is looking or not.
“People can’t afford their own little (departments),” Wagner said. “We have a remarkable service to sell.”
Wagner said the commission will now work on a five-year roadmap or strategic plan covering all aspects of law enforcement service. Commission members are looking for someone to serve as a facilitator for such a study, on a pro bono basis.
Staff Writer Matt Farrand can be reached at 570-742-9671, or via e-mail at matt@standard-journal.com.
Merger paying dividends
by Matt Farrand | Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2012 8:21 am
LEWISBURG — The advantages of combining the Lewisburg and East Buffalo Township police forces will become more apparent as time goes by. Buffalo Valley Regional Police Commission member Henry Baylor told fellow commissioners members Wednesday night that money savings realized by the a merger don’t typically become apparent for three or four years after any two departments combine forces.
Baylor, also an East Buffalo Township supervisor, cited a League of Women Voters survey taken in 2000 which concluded that safety was above all other issues in importance to constituents.
“By regionalizing, we really do have the advantage of increasing the kind of police services we offer,” Baylor said. “We can train better, we can specialize more because we have the economies of scale.”
Baylor noted that the individual departments were also facing higher costs, and though operations of the merged departments initially cost slightly more, combining the departments will be worth the initial expense.
“We have the ability now to have a structure within the police force, which we didn’t have before, by having lieutenants, sergeants, and corporals,” Baylor said. “I think the constituents understand that they are getting a good deal with regionalization.”
Baylor added that changes in population and the nature of crime itself will require more comprehensive law enforcement services
“Ten years from now, we are going to have crime we have never faced before,” Baylor said. “Intellectual crime, on the Internet, exploiting of children…we would never be prepared for (it) if we had two separate forces.
“We’re doing it with a slight increase for the first couple of years,” Baylor said. “I think that’s small price to pay for the advantages we’ll have in the future with the kind of services we can offer. We keep forgetting that.”
Chairwoman Judy Wagner also conceded that some costs were higher, but were within an agreed upon 5 percent increase.
“The first year we had all these redevelopment costs in the (new police office building), and huge legal fees,” said Wagner. “I think we were pretty good to come within a point or two of coming within (initial) projections.”
Wagner, also Lewisburg Mayor, noted that nearby municipalities are paying attention to how things are going.
“All the surrounding municipalities are watching to see how we are doing,” said Wagner. “We’ve had a presentation to Kelly Township, and they were part of the original study. New Berlin was part of the original study, Mifflinburg also came to the original study meetings. They didn’t see it through…I don’t know if Milton is looking or not.
“People can’t afford their own little (departments),” Wagner said. “We have a remarkable service to sell.”
Wagner said the commission will now work on a five-year roadmap or strategic plan covering all aspects of law enforcement service. Commission members are looking for someone to serve as a facilitator for such a study, on a pro bono basis.
Staff Writer Matt Farrand can be reached at 570-742-9671, or via e-mail at matt@standard-journal.com.
