A regional police force is expanding again, this time into the tiny borough of Cokeburg.
Borough council on Wednesday signed a one-year contract for police protection with Southwest Regional Police Department, beginning Jan. 1.
“At least we will have a police department, which will be great,” said Sally Dovshek, the borough secretary. “We’ll be ready for him when he comes.”
The regional department also serves Belle Vernon, Newell, Long Branch, Marianna and Coal Center. It also has been in talks about expanding into Union Township.
“It’s a different way of serving these communities,” police Chief John Hartman said. “Each client has different needs.”
It will cost Cokeburg $12,500 a year for roving patrols, and Southwest will have an office in the borough building, Dovshek said.
Both she and Hartman said it would be unproductive to make public the hours that an officer will be in the community.
“That would severely impact our ability to provide police protection down there,” Hartman said.
Cokeburg had to begin relying on state police for calls several years ago when its regional police department with neighboring Ellsworth disbanded.