Nazareth Borough Council to Begin Negotiations with Colonial Regional Police

Following the , Nazareth Borough Council unanimously approved a motion Monday night that would allow negotiations to begin with Colonial Regional Police and its police commission, meaning the borough force likely would be eliminated if an agreement is reached.

There was no discussion between members of council before or after the vote.

Council will pursue a three-year contract agreement with Colonial Regional, which also covers Lower Nazareth Township, Hanover Township (Northampton County), Bath and Chapman Borough.

Chapman, the home of 234 residents, contracts services.

During an  to council members and the public, Colonial Regional Chief Roy Seiple explained that Chapman currently has a three-year contract and is provided one hour of patrol per day and 24-hour services.

The borough pays $17,040 per year for those services, Seiple said in a phone interview Monday afternoon.

However, Chapman is only an example -- Nazareth's contract agreement and coverage could be completely different, depending on what Nazareth Borough Council decides.

During his presentation, Seiple estimated the number of reportable calls Colonial Regional may have responded to in 2010 had Nazareth been covered by the department:

Municipality

Calls 2010

Population

Bath

1,485

2,761

Lower Nazareth

3,472

6,048

Hanover Township

4,103

11,152

Chapman

69

234

Nazareth (estimated)

3,051

6,103

Despite having the second highest population among the municipalities Colonial Regional currently covers, Nazareth would come in third -- above Bath and Chapman -- for the most reportable calls. Again, Seiple could only provide his best estimate.

A borough resident questioned if the department would have to hire additional officers if Nazareth were to join or contract with Colonial.

“That’s a given,” Seiple said at the April 29 meeting. “There’s no way we could cover the borough with the number of officers we have now.”

Now that negotiations can move forward, council president Dan Chiavaroli announced who will make up a committee that will meet with Colonial Regional "and enter serious discussions."

Committee members will be Chiavaroli, councilman Jack Herbst and councilman Rev. William Matz. According to Chiavaroli, Paul A. Kokolus, the council's secretary and treasurer, will accompany committee members during discussions.

The committee plans to meet with the Nazareth Borough Police Association and with officers from Nazareth's police department, added Chiavaroli, to iron out details and address any and all concerns regarding the possibility of dissolving the borough's police force.

Chiavaroli could not say when negotiations would end or when a final vote would be held.

At last week's workshop, Chiavaroli explained that he and Councilman Larry Stoudt were "in meeting after meeting for three years" when Nazareth was poised to become part of Colonial Regional when the department was formed in 1995.

"Just when you think you have everything figured out, three more issues come up," Chiavaroli said. "You're then back in meetings for another month."

Contracting services is a different process than merging departments, however. Daugherty and council members hope a deal will be reached as soon as possible.

Nazareth's mayor has full confidence in the council members who will be on the forefront of negotiations.

"There are a whole host of questions that need to be answered," Daugherty said. "[Chief Thomas Trachta] just handed me a list of his concerns, and he has some very valid concerns and every single one of them needs to be addressed. I am confident that the committee selected tonight will address those concerns."

As he did at last week's workshop, Daugherty explained the reasoning behind his recommendation.

"[Contracting services] is not ideal for anyone in any situation," he said. "However, what I have been tasked with [as mayor] is to look at what I know, gather all of the information I can gather and make a recommendation. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy and I'm not going to say it won't be painful, but it’s what I believe in my heart. If [my recommendation] is unpopular with some folks, so be it. I can live with that. I’m doing the job I’ve been chosen to do."

After his address to members of the public and council, Daugherty requested to have Kokolus provide a general financial report by July's meeting, if not sooner. Daugherty hopes the report will "outline some of the reasons why."

Asked if council's decision to move forward with the negotiation process means the eventual elimination of Nazareth's police department, Chiavaroli, a 27-year member of Borough Council, said, "I've learned that nothing is final until the vote."