The small borough of Braddock is mulling over the potentially significant move to join forces with the Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department (ERMVPD), an idea that has prompted a variety of responses from the community. No vote has yet been cast by council members on this potential merger, though discussions are ongoing and the community had the chance to voice their opinions at a meeting held Wednesday night. Louis Ransom, Jr., Braddock's borough manager, seems to favor the merger, suggesting it would provide "comprehensive coverage where we don't have it right now," as reported by CBS Pittsburgh.
At present, Braddock's police force is scant, comprising only three part-time officers. The ERMVPD, which began its operations in April and includes North Braddock, Rankin, and East Pittsburgh, boasts seven full-time offers with hopes to fill five more positions. During a special meeting, North Braddock's borough president, Lisa Franklin-Robinson, who is also a member of the ERMVPD, expressed hope but not assurance for financial savings for Braddock, saying, "That’s the hope. There’s no guarantee because we haven’t worked the numbers," according to a WTAE report.
Gerald Simpson, a department consultant, strove to ease fears at the meeting, pointing out, "A lot of these projects, when they start out, are usually framed in a loss or a fear," as per WTAE. However, despite the existence of the regional department, gaps in coverage remain, a point complicated by concerns from residents such as Richard Cunningham, who worries about adequate policing, particularly in the middle of the night.
The financial angle also plays a significant role in the discussion. Last year, Braddock budgeted over half a million dollars for its police department, with costs anticipated only to rise. In a WPXI coverage, Ransom said, "We’d rather work together when we have problems that are similar, and we can combine our resources to come up with some solutions." Moreover, the prospect of merging with ERMVPD to potentially attract more officers with the promise of higher salaries adds another layer to the conversation.
Some Braddock community members have expressed support for the merger. "We’ve been paying for a police force that is nonexistent," Bob Ketcham, a resident, as detailed by WPXI, reflecting the sense of urgency felt by some to revise and improve the current policing arrangement. Yet, the borough leaders and the police commissioners are set to continue to discuss, in the forthcoming weeks, the details of the merger, while the ERMVPD is actively seeking to expand its ranks by five more officers.
