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.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine