Clearfield Borough Council unanimously votes to defund police department.

[Bon]

CLEARFIELD, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Clearfield Borough Council voted unanimously to end its agreement with the Clearfield Regional Police Department during their meeting Thursday night, citing a lack of revenue as the reason for the decision.

The council members explained that continuing to fund the police department, which serves both the borough and Lawrence Township, would require a substantial tax increase. This financial burden was deemed unsustainable for the borough.

One borough council member stated, “We all think that you guys are wonderful. But you’re now getting into a situation where we’re talking about defunding the police or defunding the borough. These people sitting at this table with me are responsible to not defund the borough.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, several community members and police officers urged the council not to proceed with the decision. They expressed concerns about the impact on safety and the livelihoods of the police department’s employees.

 

“There are 23 employees currently of the Regional Police Department who rely on the funding from the municipalities to keep them employed, and in turn, they keep both municipalities safe. So, the decisions that you are going to make tonight are going to impact Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township,” one resident said.

With the agreement now voided, it is expected that Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township will move to establish their own separate police departments.

[Petee]

I think they put the cart ahead of the horse.  Something else should have been put into place before ending the old agreement.