Regional Police Study Complete; Public Meeting Planned

A regional police study that was commissioned last year to help evaluate the feasibility of merging the Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township police departments has been completed, Manager Cathy Kichline announced at Borough Council's March 5 meeting.

The study was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), with DCED local government policy specialist Ron Stern serving as consultant.

Former Towamencin Township, Montgomery County police chief Joseph Kirschner led the study, which was expected to include interviews with police officers and chiefs Robert Shupp (Hellertown) and Guy Lesser (Lower Saucon Township), as well as analysis of department schedules, costs, response times and other data crucial to understanding how each force functions. Council members from both communities were also to have been interviewed.

After the study began in November, but cautioned borough council members to remember that the study itself is just the first step in "a long road" toward regionalization.

The two municipalities have discussed merging their police departments in the past--as recently as 2006.

Kichline said that a public meeting at which results of the most recent regional police study will be discussed will likely be held the week of April 23.

Council president Philip Weber suggested that it be a joint meeting of the Hellertown and Lower Saucon councils, and be held during the evening, so "everybody could come."

Councilman Tom Rieger said the meeting may need to be held in the cafeteria, assuming that a large turnout will be anticipated.