DUBOIS – The joint board overseeing the consolidation of DuBois City and Sandy Township heard about the proposed police force Monday night.
The police subcommittee’s report was presented by Sandy Township Police Chief Kris Kruzelak.
The proposal would increase the consolidated force’s officer count to 35, which excludes officers assigned to Penn Highlands.
Currently, the departments have 25 officers with three hospital-based officers who also respond when an emergency arises.
However, according to Kruzelak, the number of hospital officers may increase to six during the consolidation process.
As a result, there’s potential for a total of approximately 41 officers, Kruzelak said.
The proposal would establish the consolidated city into three patrol zones and includes specialized positions and divisions.
For example, it would have supervisor and detective positions, a narcotics division and so forth.
The police subcommittee studied the shortfalls of each department, which were personnel-related.
City officers work a significant amount of overtime hours while the township struggles to maintain full coverage.
The proposed 35 non-hospital officer count is to be “proactive,” and to maintain full coverage, if an officer(s) is/are using paid time off.
Kruzelak also broke down the numbers behind the subcommittee proposal.
DuBois City and Sandy Township currently have 1.8 and 1.3 officers per 1,000 residents, respectively.
According to Kruzelak, the consolidated city would have 19,000 residents and a 35-officer force would maintain the city’s current rate.
If the force would be left at 25 officers, the consolidated city would have the township’s residents-to-officers count.
“We don’t want to have a seven- or eight-minute response time,” Kruzelak explained.
Kruzelak admitted this – at times – has happened to the township, and city officers have actually arrived on-scene first.
“I know a lot of people were in shock when they saw our 35 number, but we can justify that number,” Kruzelak said.
Kruzelak also compared the consolidated City of DuBois to New Castle and Sharon in terms of crime statistics.
New Castle has 21,000 residents with 32 officers while Sharon has 34 officers with 13,000 residents, Kruzelak said.
A key difference, Kruzelak noted, is that the consolidated city will be spread over 55 square miles.
That’s .63 officers per square mile with 35 officers and .45 with 25 officers, Kruzelak said.
New Castle is comprised of 8 square miles for 3.87 officers per square mile; Sharon, at 4 square miles, has 8.50 officers per square mile.
Following the presentation, DuBois City Councilwoman Shannon Gabriel asked for an updated report to reflect recent personnel changes.
For example, she said the city has added three, new officers for drug enforcement.
She asked for hospital officers to be added to the organizational chart, as they’d be part of the consolidated police force, as well.
Additionally, Gabriel had concerns with the “multiple layers” between the chief and patrol officers.
She doubted that the increased supervision would actually help detect and fight corruption as the report stated.
Instead, she felt training and education would work better because all the added layers could possibly help cover it up.
According to Gabriel, the organizational chart provided to the board showed one supervisor for every 2.5 officers.
DuBois Police Sgt. Shawn McCleary disagreed with Gabriel, saying supervisors would help because there’s poor communication between shifts.
He said there are times officers don’t see each other during the shift change, and an investigation lieutenant would bridge the gap.
“They’re not necessarily there to supervise a bunch of guys,” but to have more authority in cases, give orders on-scene, etc., McCleary explained.
The joint board asked the police subcommittee to prepare a follow-up report and organizational chart with revisions.
It also asked for a cutback project, in the event everything can’t be achieved as proposed.