Elizabeth Township police chief sets the record straight over Elizabeth Borough police discussions

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Elizabeth Township Police Chief Ken Honick is speaking out after rumors continue to circulate regarding the potential disbandment or possible expansion of the Elizabeth Borough Police Department.
Last week, Elizabeth Borough Council opened the floor to members of the community to get their input on police protection to be in the borough.
There are two options on the table: Expand the department or disband it altogether and receive coverage from another community, most likely the Elizabeth Township Police Department. Honick said there was an informational meeting to discuss specifics of service if it were to contract police protection with Elizabeth Township Police Department that would be equitable for taxpayers and also keep the standard of service.
“No one involved in these discussions wants to have a reduction in police services,” Honick said.
As the situation has evolved, Honick said he presented the borough, at the request of Elizabeth Township, with a foot print of what police service would potentially look like in Elizabeth Borough.
“Elizabeth Borough is a considerably smaller-sized area,” Honick said, adding that the borough and department have discussed its scope, other cost related savings and a new hire.
As it stands, it would cost $225,000 in the first year for Elizabeth Borough to receive police protection from Elizabeth Township, which would include a new hire that would be designated to the borough.
Honick said Elizabeth Township would hire one full-time officer, and have one officer designated to cover the borough each day from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 to 11 p.m. On the midnight shift, Honick said, an officer would cover the borough, Blaine Hill and Oak Hill areas.
“Not at any point in time, nor has it ever been a goal or expectation that there would be a reduction of services in Elizabeth Borough,” Honick said. “It was discussed if this decision would impact services in Elizabeth or Forward Township, and the answer to that is simple — no it would not.
Currently, the Elizabeth Borough Police Department also provides contracted services to West Elizabeth. If the borough opts to disband and hire Elizabeth Township for police protection, West Elizabeth Borough would also have to decide how they want their police coverage.
“They would then possibly decide to approach us for coverage as well, and that would be a separate discussion,” Honick said. “A separate agreement, and still, if that were to happen there would not be an impact to the patrol footprint in any of these communities.”
To simplify that, each community the Elizabeth Township Police Department provides services for have signed off on independent contracts, specific to their communities, that are separate of one another.
“If we thought this would not work, or would impact the service we provide in the Elizabeth Township or Forward Township, we would not discuss it,” Honick said.
Honick said while he does not have a say in the discussion, police consolidation is happening around the country, especially in smaller communities like the ones that make up the Mon Valley.
“What is being discussed is an evolution of that process,” Honick said. “Elizabeth Township Police Department and Elizabeth Borough both have contracted service with other communities. This is not a new or foreign discussion.”

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