Officials Suspend Pa. Police Department after Officers Resign

CENTRAL CITY, PA—Central City’s two police officers are resigning and borough officials responded Monday by voting to suspend the department’s operations.

With no officers on the schedule to patrol borough streets – and the borough’s patrol car parked – borough officials voted unanimously Monday to reduce department costs while they decide the department’s future.

“The department is suspended, not disbanded,” Central City Solicitor Benjamin Carroll said moments after the vote.

Central City council’s move came during a time borough council has struggled to fill shifts with its now-departing part-time officers, who submitted resignations on the same day, with the same effective end date – Jan. 23.

The borough was also entering in the early stages of negotiations with the officers’ newly formed union.

With the last of the department’s staff departing – and badges and uniforms apparently already turned in – those negotiations “are on hold, at minimum,” Carroll said.

For now, state police in Somerset are being notified about the change. State troopers will be responsible for handling any police-related emergency calls in town.

Council President Bob Sanzo said he was hopeful this doesn’t mean the end of the department itself – “but we don’t know for sure.”

The borough’s previous officer-in-charge resigned late last year, and council has discussed options to address the issue, such as seeking a full-time officer.

In recent months, shifts have largely been unfilled. Some council members, including Lee Cook, have vented that the borough has been stuck paying rolling costs – such as insurance payments – without residents seeing any borough police service in return.

Monday’s vote addresses that, for now. Borough officials acknowledged it doesn’t make much sense to have full coverage on a car until there’s a plan to use it again.

Cash shortage

The board’s vote also came during a point when council was discussing cashflow issues borough-wide.

The board voted unanimously to transfer $25,000 from a bank account this week to cover ongoing bills – such as street maintenance and utilities – until 2025 tax revenue starts accruing again in the spring.

This month’s bills included a $2,482 repair to Central City’s plow truck, which was out of service due to fuel pump issues in recent weeks, staff said.

Sanzo said the borough would have been facing a worse hit to the general fund if the trend of unfilled police shifts didn’t leave the department’s 2024 spending plan significantly under-budget.

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