FRANKLIN COUNTY – State Rep. Chad Reichard (R-Franklin) plans to introduce legislation to increase state funding to small police departments.
“Small police departments are the backbone of criminal justice and life-saving efforts for countless communities across the state,” Reichard said. “Officers of these departments are the faces of their communities and work hard to develop local connections with residents. Unfortunately, the departments often face unique challenges in providing essential services due to limited budgets and fewer resources.”
Reichard’s bill would allocate 25 percent of existing grants from the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission to police departments in townships and boroughs with populations of less than 20,000 residents. These grants are used locally for training, living and travel expenses and other essential functions. Since the legislation would redirect existing funds, there would be no additional fiscal burden on the state or local governments, Reichard said.
“Over the past few years, several local police departments have disbanded, leaving residents to rely on state police for services,” Reichard said. “This not only puts a bigger strain on the state police, but it also increases costs on all Pennsylvanians.
“Though state police troopers do a fantastic job, they cannot be everywhere at once. A local police department is a very valuable part of local public safety and part of a community’s identity,” Reichard noted.
