Ringtown, Union approve agreement to share police forces
RINGTOWN – This week, Ringtown and surrounding Union Township approved an agreement to share police coverage from their respective part-time departments.
Ringtown Borough Council approved the joint resolution Monday and Union Township Supervisors followed suit Tuesday night.
Both communities maintain part-time police departments.
Under the agreement, both communities will provide police coverage to each other. Effectively, if Union Township has an officer on-duty, they will also cover Ringtown Borough and vice versa, and handle all 911 calls and other complaints in both communities.
Previously, the municipality without a police officer on duty would be covered by the State Police at Frackville, regardless of the status of the neighboring police force.
“This resolution will provide that the Ringtown Police Department has the authority to go ahead and issue citations, investigate any criminal activity as the case may be, even enforce ordinances,” Robert Matta, solicitor for both communities, told Union Township Supervisors of the impact on the township. The same is true for the Union Township Police Department in Ringtown.
Matta said the agreement is indefinite, but either municipality can cancel the agreement with 30 days notice. There is no cost to either municipality under the agreement.
At Monday night’s meeting, Ringtown approved the resolution and the hiring of a part-time police officer, Marvin Livergood.
Union Township Police Chief Phil Beaver said the agreement will be provided to the Schuylkill County Communications Center.
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