Sep 4, 2008 10:58 pm US/Eastern
Versailles Residents Petition To Save Police Force
VERSAILLES BOROUGH (KDKA) ―
People in Versailles Borough are upset at the prospect of losing their police force and while some say the move would save money, others suspect it's personal.
With three full-time officers and several part-time ones, Versailles has police protection 24 hours a day, but there's been talk from some council members about disbanding the force and contracting with McKeesport or White Oak to patrol the area.
None of the council members in favor of the move attended the meeting but this the council president's wife, Loretta Ferry, did. She says her husband was home sick and told KDKA the proposal was about the cost.
"His concern right now is to save the people money," she said. "We're all suffering right now with the economy and he doesn't want see taxes that have to be raised," she said.
But Mayor Emerson Fazekas questions what's behind the move.
"This is a personal issue," he said. "They just want to get rid of those that are in the police department."
Fazekas says there was a surplus of money last year. He also says the solicitor has said they can't disband the police because they still have two more years of a contract.
Residents converged on a fire hall and signed a petition to keep the force. The next council meeting is scheduled for Monday.
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