OAKLAND TWP — Supervisors will have another month to decide whether to retain Saxonburg Police Department services, but are currently undecided.

Supervisors held a review for the township’s Saxonburg police coverage trial period at the board’s meeting Monday, Jan. 6. The trial between Oakland Township and Saxonburg started at the beginning of November, and an official decision will be made at the board’s Feb. 6 meeting.

At the time of the trial’s introduction, the township said Saxonburg police would provide 20 to 24 hours of police service per week, that Saxonburg police would not replace state police coverage but only supplement it and that the service would not cause a tax increase.

At Monday’s meeting, the township’s review said Saxonburg police responded to 23 calls over the past month, a number that supervisor Brian Hans said would not have been any different if responded to by state troopers.

During the meeting, the board approved a $3,059 payment to Saxonburg for contracted police services from Oct. 26 through Nov. 22.

Hans said after the meeting the payments for services from Saxonburg police was one thing the board did not want to deal with.

However, Hans also said he believes crimes and nuisances like car break-ins and non-legitimate door-to-door solicitors have occurred less and are responded to more quickly with Saxonburg police helping out.

Saxonburg has a similar agreement with Summit Township to provide police services, and was in talks with Jefferson Township to provide police services before Jefferson’s supervisors tabled the agreement at their Dec. 9 meeting.

Hans acknowledged that opposition to the township deal with Saxonburg police comes from state troopers and their families who live in Oakland Township and don’t want to see their hours affected. A crowd of around 25 was present for Monday’s meeting, several were state troopers.