Seven Fields discusses ‘new model for policing,’ offers reassurance
SEVEN FIELDS — Borough council offered reassurance Monday, March 13 evening that any changes to the Evans City-Seven Fields Police Department agreement would prioritize residents and their safety.
“There are three reassurances I have for residents: first, the safety of Seven Fields is our utmost priority, and it will remain our priority as we navigate any change of police services,” Mayor Dean Galitsis said. “Second, the residents of Seven Fields deserve a police force that is staffed, equipped and dedicated to meet its commitment to the people. Third, this council is steadfastly supportive of police officers and the profession of policing as a whole.”
Galitsis said since its inception in 2015, the regional police department has gradually become unable to meet its commitment to the borough.
“This may be due to many factors, including officer resignations, but the fact remains that Seven Fields endured about half of the days in 2022 with at least one police shift left uncovered,” he said. “This is unacceptable to our residents.”
Court filings, used to measure police productivity in the borough, have dropped by two-thirds since 2020, Galitsis added.
“This is also unacceptable for our residents,” he said.
According to a statement released by the council Monday, the borough funds 61.5%, or $552,257, of the department’s annual cost, but only receives 50% of its services.
“On top of that, new contract demands from the department’s bargaining unit are unfair to taxpayers,” Galitsis continued. “This too is unacceptable for our residents.”
The police’s bargaining commission presented a counterproposal of a 7% wage increase as well as dependent health coverage last September, according to borough manager Tom Smith. This came after the bargaining commission rejected the township’s proposal of a 5% increase, he said, so arbitration has been scheduled for April.
The department is operating off of its 2022 contract.
Galitsis emphasized that disagreements as part of the negotiations in no way diminished their dedication to the police.
“Residents deserve an able and committed police force, and we support the work of police officers no matter how our labor negotiations go,” he said.
All of these concerns, according to Galitsis, have lead the borough to re-evaluate the regional police agreement.
“This council, along with borough manager Tom Smith, have attempted to carry on a good-faith relationship with the bargaining unit, the chief of police and the regional police department commission,” he said. “However, in light of our differences, this council and the borough manager have discussed and continue to discuss a new model for policing in Seven Fields.”
While the borough is actively working on a plan, Galitsis said Evans City-Seven Fields’ charter agreement runs through 2025.
“As far as we’re concerned, absent any other eventualities, the charter agreement will run undisturbed,” he said.
In the meantime, he said discussions would continue as the borough weighed “all the facts.”
“As soon as we do know, we will definitely make it known to everyone,” Galitsis said.
Safety, he assured, would remain the borough’s No. 1 priority as they move forward.
“We look forward to developing a new future for law enforcement in Seven Fields,” Galitsis said, “and we welcome all questions as this process moves forward.”
This story was updated at 1:24 p.m., March 14 to reflect that the $552,257 cost is the portion Seven Fields Borough covers for the regional police department. A previous version of this story said that it was the department’s total annual cost.
