Pubdate: Tue, 05 Dec 2006 Source: Leader Times (PA) Copyright: 2006 Leader Times Contact: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/leadertimes/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3297 Author: Patrick Shuster FORD CITY STUDIES JOINING DRUG TASK FORCE FORD CITY -- Despite their involvement in numerous drug arrests in the borough, Ford City police officers are not a part of the county's drug task force, and some council members think they should be. "There has been drug activity in the borough and our officers alone can't handle the problem," said councilman Homer Pendleton, who requested the issue be brought to the table. "With all the talk of meth labs and the known drug houses in town, we need to do something to solve the problem." Pendleton's recommendation to join the task force would allow the borough to receive help through the county and the state attorney general's office to provide training, along with providing additional resources to help with drug investigations and arrests. Councilwoman Renee Zacour agreed, saying that the additional funding from the county and state would benefit the borough's efforts toward eliminating the drug problem. John Rudosky, councilman and former police officer and drug task force member, said that even without Ford City being a member of the task force, that the outside agencies are assisting the police in drug investigations. "By joining the task force, you would be taking our police officers out of the borough and asking them to protect people in other communities that may not have their own police force," he said. "To have our officers in other areas is an incredible liability to the borough. Several council members said they had varying information on the liability issue, prompting them to agree to have the county district attorney, Scott Andreassi, and a representative of the attorney general's office come to the January meeting to explain the legal aspects of joining the task force. "I think it would be best to hear it directly from their mouths so that we know what we are getting involved in," Rudosky said. "I want to know exactly who is responsible, and to what extent, if one of our officers is hurt or killed while out in another community doing work outside their normal duties." In other police matters, council voted to hire three part-time police officers at a rate of $10.76 per hour, contingent on them passing the required exams and background checks. The officers, Andrew Andryka, Nicholas Black and Philip Young, would be hired on a 12-month probationary period. Council also decided not to forgive parking meter violations in the business district during the Christmas holiday season because of past complaints from business owners that vehicles were left in the parking spaces all day, limiting the spaces for shoppers. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine