Frackville to provide police coverage for Gilberton

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - The side decal of a Frackville Police patrol car, parked outside of the borough building on December 29, 2017.

By Kaylee Lindenmuth

FRACKVILLE – Approved at a special meeting of Frackville Borough Council on Friday was a police service agreement with the borough of Gilberton, which would see Frackville’s white and blue patrol cars responding to calls in the small valley village instead of state police cruisers.

“Gilberton is retaining Frackville’s police department basically as independent contractors to respond to 911 calls in the borough, and they’ll make one pass every shift down in Gilberton” Frackville council member and Gilberton solicitor Karen Domalakes explained after the meeting.

Gilberton has relied on the Pennsylvania State Police for coverage since August 2013 suspension of former police chief Mark Kessler, and subsequent February 2014 dissolution of its police department.

Through the agreement, Gilberton will pay Frackville $100 for the 24-hour service, and the two boroughs will split fines collected on offenses in Gilberton.

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