Five communities eye regional police force

Exeter and several other boroughs next month will consider a proposed ordinance for an agreement between five municipalities to establish a regional police force.

According to a draft provided by the Exeter Borough, the agreement would include Exeter Borough, Exeter Township, Wyoming Borough, West Wyoming Borough, and West Pittston Borough, setting forth financial responsibilities and establishing a police commission made up of elected officials from the municipalities.

The public can view the proposed agreement up until the Exeter meeting, which is set for Jan. 3.

The meeting will be held electronically via Zoom. The public can obtain the link through exeterborough.com or by contacting Borough Manager Kendra Radle by emailing [email protected] or by phone at 570-654-3001, ext. 4. Radle can also can provide the proposed agreement for public viewing by request.

It also can be found on our website.

According to a draft of the agreement:

• The regional police department would be called the Wyoming Area Regional Police Department (WARPD), and the commission to govern it would consist of 10 people: two representatives each from Exeter, West Pittston, Wyoming and West Wyoming, who will be members of the borough council, selected by the municipality, as well as the mayor from each. The two representatives from Exeter Township would be township supervisors.

• All matters handled by the commission would require one vote from each municipality. One representative from the two of each community would have the authority to vote. All representatives would serve three year terms.

• The commission, which would elect a chairman, would meet on the second Thursday of the month. The meetings would be open to the public, in accordance with the Sunshine Law. All matters of business discussed would be finalized by majority vote.

• Individual commission members would hold no “administrative authority” over employees of the police force. They would not be able to give orders or supervise unless “directed by the commission as a whole.”

• Funding would come from contributions from the participating municipalities. Additional funding may also come from “local, state and federal sources.” Additionally, the commission would assess how much money exactly is due from each municipality depending on factors such as police services provided to a municipality and the proportion “of such cost attributed to service required by each municipality.” As laid out in the draft, the Adjusted Cost Distribution is as follows: Exeter Borough — 30%, Exeter Township — 13%, West Pittston Borough — 26%, West Wyoming Borough — 15%, and Wyoming Borough — 16%. These numbers are to be used in conjunction with an apportionment formula that is subject to annual review by the Commission and may be adjusted.

• An annual budget would be submitted by the Commission to each municipality for review and approval beginning on Oct. 21, 2022 and would continue to be due no later than Oct. 21 each subsequent year.

• The Wyoming Area Regional Police Department would be under the direction of the chief with oversight by the commission as a singular entity and would provide all standard police services to the participating municipalities and their residents.

• Each municipality would turn over ownership of all police equipment to the commission.

• The commission would determine where the WARPD central headquarters would be by majority vote. Until that time, the commission can “authorize the operation of the regional department at substations located in any or all of the Municipalities.”

• The yet-to-be-named chief would maintain a “complete, up-to-date uniform police record system.”

• Additional municipalities may apply and be approved to be under jurisdiction of the WARPD by the commission. Furthermore, a municipality would be allowed to withdraw from the commission during the “annual termination window,” which is Dec. 15 to Dec. 31. An intent to withdraw must be submitted at least one year in advance.