Evening Sun: New police commission might have different outlook
By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter
The new year has brought a new Eastern Adams Regional Police Commission and with it might come a different outlook on the embattled department's future.
Seated on the new board are: Berwick Township Supervisor Fred Nugent, who was the alternate for former commission chairman Bob Myers; newly appointed New Oxford Mayor Jim Eisenhart; and Mike Noel, an Oxford Township resident who was part of the previous commission.
Nugent is replacing Myers on the commission and Eisenhart is replacing Dorothy Robinson, who is now the alternate.
The last year was a tumultuous one for the three municipalities, the commission and the police union. The union's contract ran out Dec. 31. And the commission and the union in the last several months underwent intense negotiations over a new contract.
Before year's end, Berwick and Oxford townships voted to disband the force. It was saved when the New Oxford Borough Council on Dec. 29 decided against disbandment.
A new contract proposal is slated for a vote at the police commission's next meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday. The place of the meeting had yet to be scheduled at press time.
Eisenhart said New Oxford likely won't require a tax increase to fund the new contract; all three municipalities should know Wednesday whether an increase will be necessary.
The new commissioners said they are looking forward to improving the department and making it work even better.
"We're looking to increase the amount of community-oriented policing," Nugent said. "We want the police to attend more meetings so that they will be more visible and so they will be able to interact with the public in a more friendly atmosphere."
Noel said he thinks the municipalities have a good police force.
"Our goal is to make everything work correctly and make the department work for everyone in all three municipalities," he said.
Noel said the best way to keep the department from hitting a roadblock on contract negotiations like it did in 2005 is to keep both sides talking and listening.
"I think the most important thing is to keep the lines of communication open so that we can all work together," he said.
Eisenhart said he hopes once a contract is finalized, the police department will work to better the communities.
"I hope we have a viable, professional, efficient, affordable police force," he said. "The commission will be working more closely with the police force. If the police get the contract that they've been bargaining for, I think they've gotten a good contract."
Eisenhart said he thinks after a contract is passed, any future ones will be negotiated more smoothly.
"I would imagine that after this contract is passed, (the union) will be happy," he said. "So when the next contract is up for renewal in four years they will only be requesting a few minor changes."
Though the regional department apparently will remain intact, the force is still without a chief. None of the commissioners could say when a new chief would be hired.
"I don't think we'll be hiring a chief for a while," Nugent said. "(The Commission) will be running the department administratively and the officer in charge, Sgt. (Mike) Trostel will be running the day-to-day operations."
He said he thinks the department will work fine that way.
"That doesn't say we're not going to have a chief," Nugent said. "For right now, we're not actively seeking one."
Eisenhart said he's not sure if the municipalities can afford a chief right now.
"Until I look at the department's budget, I don't know if we can afford a chief this year," he said. "Even though a chief might not be a viable option this year, I'm hoping that we'll have one in the future."
Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.
Evening Sun Reporter
The new year has brought a new Eastern Adams Regional Police Commission and with it might come a different outlook on the embattled department's future.
Seated on the new board are: Berwick Township Supervisor Fred Nugent, who was the alternate for former commission chairman Bob Myers; newly appointed New Oxford Mayor Jim Eisenhart; and Mike Noel, an Oxford Township resident who was part of the previous commission.
Nugent is replacing Myers on the commission and Eisenhart is replacing Dorothy Robinson, who is now the alternate.
The last year was a tumultuous one for the three municipalities, the commission and the police union. The union's contract ran out Dec. 31. And the commission and the union in the last several months underwent intense negotiations over a new contract.
Before year's end, Berwick and Oxford townships voted to disband the force. It was saved when the New Oxford Borough Council on Dec. 29 decided against disbandment.
A new contract proposal is slated for a vote at the police commission's next meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday. The place of the meeting had yet to be scheduled at press time.
Eisenhart said New Oxford likely won't require a tax increase to fund the new contract; all three municipalities should know Wednesday whether an increase will be necessary.
The new commissioners said they are looking forward to improving the department and making it work even better.
"We're looking to increase the amount of community-oriented policing," Nugent said. "We want the police to attend more meetings so that they will be more visible and so they will be able to interact with the public in a more friendly atmosphere."
Noel said he thinks the municipalities have a good police force.
"Our goal is to make everything work correctly and make the department work for everyone in all three municipalities," he said.
Noel said the best way to keep the department from hitting a roadblock on contract negotiations like it did in 2005 is to keep both sides talking and listening.
"I think the most important thing is to keep the lines of communication open so that we can all work together," he said.
Eisenhart said he hopes once a contract is finalized, the police department will work to better the communities.
"I hope we have a viable, professional, efficient, affordable police force," he said. "The commission will be working more closely with the police force. If the police get the contract that they've been bargaining for, I think they've gotten a good contract."
Eisenhart said he thinks after a contract is passed, any future ones will be negotiated more smoothly.
"I would imagine that after this contract is passed, (the union) will be happy," he said. "So when the next contract is up for renewal in four years they will only be requesting a few minor changes."
Though the regional department apparently will remain intact, the force is still without a chief. None of the commissioners could say when a new chief would be hired.
"I don't think we'll be hiring a chief for a while," Nugent said. "(The Commission) will be running the department administratively and the officer in charge, Sgt. (Mike) Trostel will be running the day-to-day operations."
He said he thinks the department will work fine that way.
"That doesn't say we're not going to have a chief," Nugent said. "For right now, we're not actively seeking one."
Eisenhart said he's not sure if the municipalities can afford a chief right now.
"Until I look at the department's budget, I don't know if we can afford a chief this year," he said. "Even though a chief might not be a viable option this year, I'm hoping that we'll have one in the future."
Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.
