Disband the police force? West York debates the issue

Less than three years ago, the West York Borough Council voted to keep its own police department — and then proceeded to shred proposals from two neighboring departments, sight-unseen.

But at a recent council meeting, the discussion was revisited, as council members discussed disbanding the police department, with a yearly budget of $1.3 million, as a way to alleviate the borough’s deficit.

There was no vote, but as the meeting ended, President Garrett Wampler asked council members to return Sept. 28 with numbers, not just ideas.

The idea doesn’t sit well with some borough businesses, who have expressed support for the department over the years.

“We’re pretty happy with the West York Police Department … we see them patrolling all the time,” Jen Emig, manager of Quick 6 Beer & Food, 1510 W. Market St., said in an interview a few days later. “They do come around just to check on us from time to time. … They are all really into the community and try to keep it safe.”

If the council decides to buy out the rest of the borough police department’s contract and pursue another department’s services, there are two main routes to take:

Contract with another department

In 2013, both York City Police and Northern York County Regional Police submitted proposals to the borough. York City’s was for $1.3 million, but West York was able to reduce the budget for the borough department from $1.48 to $1.28 million.

City of York Mayor Kim Bracey, in an email, indicated she was aware of what was discussed at the council meeting, but was not certain West York would come calling again.

“We don’t believe the situation in West York will result in us being asked to submit a proposal,” Bracey wrote. “However, if we are asked or if they send out a Request for Proposals, we would submit one.”

York City Police only cover the city as of now, but Northern York County Regional provides police coverage to eight municipalities — the boroughs of Dover and North York, along with Dover, Manchester, Paradise, Jackson, Conewago and Franklin townships. It has a police commission, where each municipality has one representative.

York and West York are adjacent, while Northern officers would have to drive through West Manchester Township to get from its closest jurisdiction, Dover Township, to West York.

Get coverage from State Police

State police, headquartered in Loganville, is tasked with patrolling Interstate 83, but it also patrols numerous municipalities in York County, many of which have had their own departments at one time.

“It’s mandated by law that a municipality without a police force is entitled to police coverage,” from state police at no cost, said Trooper Rob Hicks.

Hicks said that the drawback to West York asking for state police coverage is a possible increase in response times, because the borough is not adjacent to I-83 and state police do not patrol any of its neighboring municipalities.

Red Lion Borough Manager Dianne Price said she, along with residents, are satisfied with state police’s coverage, which began in January when an agreement could not be reached with York Area Regional Police.

“We have absolutely no complaints; we’ve had excellent coverage and response times,” Price said. In addition, the borough took the money it would have spent on police coverage and put it toward construction projects, saving them from dipping into reserve funds.

Hicks said troopers to picking up coverage of Red Lion “actually worked in our favor … We would drive through Red Lion to get to Chanceford Township (and other southern municipalities); we were cutting through there regardless. It wasn’t a huge adjustment.”

Contact Ted Czech at 717-771-2033.

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This article comes to us through a partnership bewteen York Daily Record and WITF.