Tarentum to have all full-time police force after promoting 2 part-timers

Tarentum Council has promoted two part-time borough police officers to full-time status.

Officers Jordan Schrecengost and Jeremy Belusar will go full-time on Aug. 1.

They have been with the department for about a year each. Belusar started on July 12, 2019; Schrecengost on Aug. 30, 2019, according to borough Manager Michael Nestico.

The department currently has nine full-time officers and two part-time officers. On Aug. 1, the department will have 10 full-time officers, with none part-time.

“Part of the reason for this hire was the retirement of Officer Robert Lang,” Nestico said. “He has served the borough for over 25 years. He will be retiring on Aug. 1 of this year.”

Mayor Eric Carter asked council to approve their promotions to full-time.

“Both officers love this borough. They want to be here,” he said during council’s meeting Tuesday. “I think they bring a lot to the borough, they bring a lot to this police force.

“I think we’ll be set up for quite a while if we bring both of these officers on,” Carter said. “It’s hard to find good quality officers such as both of these guys. I’d hate to lose either one of them.”

As part-time, Schrecengost and Belusar were paid $18 per hour, Nestico said.

As full-time, they will start at $24.38 per hour in their first years, which is 70% of the $34.83 base wage. They will not reach the full rate of pay until their sixth years, Nestico said.