SEVEN FIELDS — In the wake of ongoing strife within its regional police partnership, borough council identified two potential partners Monday, July 10, for a new policing agreement.

Solicitor Megan Turnbull said the borough circulated requests for proposals to all neighboring communities earlier this summer.

“At this point, there are two that have responded and there has been a level of engagement with, and that is Northern Regional Police Department ... as well as Cranberry Township Police Department,” Turnbull told borough council.

Northern Regional Police Department, based in Allegheny County, met with council almost two weeks ago for an informational meeting, Turnbull said.

A recent study on the borough’s policing options highlighted concerns about crossing county lines in this partnership, noting separate judicial and 911 services between the municipalities.

“It certainly is identified as a unique challenge, I would say, to partnering with them,” Turnbull said. “However, they did seem relatively confident that they would be able to work with and between the two 911 centers there.”

The Northern Regional Police Department serves Pine, Richland and Marshall townships as well as Bradford Woods borough to the north.

“We’ve had an informational meeting now to fine-tune some questions for Northern Regional Police Department,” Turnbull said. “Later this evening — through an information meeting — council will do the same with Cranberry Township Police Department representatives in an attempt to as quickly and prudently as possible try to identify a good partner for Seven Fields.”

Cranberry Township provided police services to the borough prior to its agreement with Evans City in 2013. Representatives met with Seven Fields Borough Council during a closed-door executive session Monday night.

“I think the borough is just looking for whoever the ideal partner is and, you know, there is that shared experience from 10 years ago,” Turnbull said. “I’m certain that is part of the dialogue.”

Turnbull also addressed concerns over the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department’s charter.

“I think, as it’s been widely reported, there are some fundamental challenges with the regional police department, of which Seven Fields is a majority stakeholder,” she said. “There are some intractable challenges and many of them relate, really, to the fundamental governing documents, believe it or not, of that organization.”

As it stands, the charter agreement has three representatives from each municipality, providing no system for tie-breaking.

“And so when there are incredible challenges and challenges that are lining up, for whatever reason, along municipal lines, there are virtually no ways other than diplomacy to resolve those,” she said. “And there have been many attempts to do so over the last 18 months.”

Turnbull said she repeatedly has reached out to Evans City borough solicitor Ryan Mergl to meet “on behalf of both communities” and has received no response.

“I have separately communicated with the police commission, which is a separate entity, outlining a number of our immediate concerns and our long-term concerns,” Turnbull said, “and also trying to suggest some solutions to make sure that this community and their community as well is well served.”

As of Monday, she said she was awaiting a response.

“I do anticipate, hopefully, that we’re able to do that,” Turnbull said. “We’re also evaluating all of our more or less traditional options to see what we can do to get, again, Seven Fields the police protection and services that it deserves and that it is paying for.”

Kimberly Regan-Koch, Seven Fields council president, stressed that the borough remains fully covered.

“We’re connected to neighboring communities’ 911. We do have constant coverage, and all of our events are being covered by contractual police services,” Regan-Koch said. “So we are completely safe and covered while we’re going through this process, that needs to be very clear.”

The borough has stated it wants to formalize a new partnership this summer.

“I think the idea is identifying what the path is, and then we have to work through all the mechanisms to get us there — the timelines,” Turnbull said.