The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department — which combines Freeport and Gilpin police — soon will be off the ground.

Freeport Council on Wednesday night gave unanimous approval to a consolidation of its police department with Gilpin’s. Freeport’s action followed Gilpin’s approval Monday.

While there is no exact date, officials of both municipalities hope to start the new department by mid-October.

Gilpin Township Supervisor Linda Alworth said she felt good about the merger after hearing its impact on the township and residents’ concerns.

She stressed that the merger will help the Gilpin police force if they are short-handed, with Freeport police stepping in, and vice versa.

“I feel we put those (concerns) to rest,” Alworth said. “Change is not always a bad thing. If you don’t try, how do you know it is going to work?”

Each municipality will pitch in $10,000 to cover initial costs, such as bank paperwork, changing police car identifications and other factors.

“I’m excited for this new venture. It’s a first for Armstrong County,” said Christopher Fabec, who will serve as chief of the new department. Fabec has been serving as chief for both the Freeport and Gilpin departments.

Under the arrangement, Gilpin will pay 60% of the costs to operate the department, and Freeport will cover 40%. Gilpin’s 2022 police budget is $340,000; Freeport’s is $219,000.

Officers will cover two shifts daily in each area. During the midnight shift, an officer will “float” between the two municipalities.

A five-person governing board will operate the new department. Freeport and Gilpin each will have two representatives. The fifth representative will be seated on a rotating basis every three months from each municipality to give the board an odd-numbered grouping.

The board will determine items such as salaries and hiring a new chief should Fabec leave. Plans call for budgets to be submitted by May of the preceding year.

That differs from municipalities in general, which are required to have annual budgets in place by Dec. 31.

The new charter has an escape clause if either municipality wants to opt out in the first five years. Should that occur, property and officers would go back to their original municipalities.

Freeport’s interest in consolidation began late last year after council hired Matthew Feldmeier as police chief, only to see Feldmeier leave after his first shift Nov. 3. It left the borough of 1,736 people without police coverage.

State police from the Kittanning station covered patrols of the 1.7-square-mile community. Concern on wait times for calls became an issue.

“Why are we doing this? It’s for security of our town,” said Clint Warnock, Freeport Council president. “The only way to keep police officers is to pay them like other communities.”

The new department will be called Southern Armstrong to allow for expansion if other municipalities want to join. Parks Township has been talking about consolidation, and officials said another municipality also is considering the idea.

The setup is similar to the recent consolidation of the Springdale Township, Cheswick and East Deer police departments, known as the Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department.

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