Prospect is bringing back its police department.

Prospect Borough Police Department Chief Todd Hinkle is working to revamp the department, accepting resumes for part-time officers while maneuvering rural challenges.

Hinkle intends to hire three part-time officers to reach his goal of having five officers employed by the department. Officers must complete the Act 120 certification and municipal police officer certification before beginning work.

Hinkle hopes the additional officers will provide an increased police presence in the borough to deter crime and interact more with the community and other law enforcement agencies. Even with few officers, the local department can have a quicker response time than state police and respond to local issues not enforced by state police, such as addressing ordinance violations.

The department staffs about 120 policing hours per month, a number that fluctuates based on budgeting, according to Prospect Mayor James Butler. He said the department will hire as many officers as possible while staying under 120 hours. There are not any plans to extend the 120 hours.

Shifts will then be covered based on the availability of officers and needs of the department, Hinkle said.

Butler and Hinkle said it’s common for rural departments to be staffed using only part-time officers. Even departments that hire full-time officers supplement with part-timers, Butler said, and the small tax base doesn’t allow the department to hire full-time.

“(We may hire full-time) if we lived in a larger community that had a larger tax base,” Butler said.

Besides paying officers, challenges arise in enticing them to move to the rural area and balance a full-time job. Hinkle believes state police are suffering from many of the same staffing shortages, though.

While the police budget set by the borough fluctuates, it doesn’t all go toward staffing.

“One example is technology,” Hinkle said. “PBPD needs a technology upgrade that well exceeds the budget.”

Hinkle already has installed technology upgrades, such as a new phone messaging system that allows officers to respond to complaints sooner and the establishment of a nonemergency phone number at 724-865-3010. He also plans to create an email address specific to the department instead of using the borough email address.

Along with technology, Hinkle has ensured the department is up to date with all state, federal and Criminal Justice Information Services requirements.

A lifelong resident of Portersville, Hinkle began in his new role as chief Sept. 26 with 30 years of public safety experience.

He’s been a member of the Portersville-Muddy Creek Township Volunteer Fire Department for more than 20 years, where he continues to serve as assistant chief, and founded Portersville EMS. He’s also has been a deputy with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office since 2007

In his past, he has served as a dispatcher for Lawrence County’s 911 center and has served in four police departments in Butler and Lawrence counties. He left police work for a few years — except for his sheriff duties — and recertified before accepting the job in Prospect on May 6.