Borough considering WCPD updates

WEST CHESTER — After the recession shelved the project in 2009, borough officials are again considering the much needed updates and expansions to the West Chester Police Department facility.

“The time is maybe better because we are out of the recession,” said Carolyn Comitta, West Chester mayor. “We believe that this is a project that will benefit our citizens immediately and for decades to come.”

Comitta along with representatives from the department reintroduced the project to Borough Council at the Public Safety Committee last week.

Lieutenant Samuel Iacono said the changes will address space issues and technology.

“Our equipment and inventory has grown well beyond the capability of the current building,” he said.

According to Iacono the design phase of the building is complete from the 2009 discussions and the construction phase is what remains.

Iacono said since then the department has lost space to state required equipment such as video arraignment and a photographic fingerprinting system.

Iacono said the next step will be to present again to council next month discussing the plans in greater detail along with outlining the finances.

The police department is the only borough department to create a strategic plan. The plan was completed in 2008 with goals that include addressing adequate staffing, facilities, equipment, and training.

In addition the plan included a mission which says “the West Chester Police Department, a law enforcement agency dedicated to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, is to protect and serve our diverse communities by forging collaborative relationships.”

“Like all communities we have many challenges and we must keep finding new ways to improve our community,” Comitta said.

Comitta was clear the current staff and facility needs are critical.

“Our staffing and our facility are not adequate to meet the needs of our police force and the people they serve in West Chester today.”

Comitta said there used to be a widespread perception that the borough was dangerous which kept people in the suburbs. In addition to this, most West Chester University students commuted and there were few restaurants and stores in the downtown.

Today the borough has more than 60 restaurants, 39 liquor licenses, a hotel, a top rated university, many stores and hundreds of new residential units.

The addition of more people and services require a higher and more efficient police presence which Comitta said is being hindered by the current facility.

“Now in 2014, the department has long outgrown its current facility with demand for service continuing to increase,” Comitta said.

Plans and drawing to update the facility and fill the need were passed by Borough Council in 2008 until they were shelved because of the recession.

In 2009 Borough Council stopped all projects including the police station and public works.

With the debt on the borough’s building set to retire in 2015, Comitta said the time to act on the project is now.

“The timing for this project was good in 2008, and remains good today, because financing rates are still low and construction costs remain competitive,” Comitta said.

Iacono said the next step will be to present again to council next month discussing the plans in greater detail along with outlining the finances.