Tarentum updating law that assesses $50 fee for 'excessive' police calls
Tarentum residents who make excessive calls to police could find themselves paying for them.
Council is considering updating a 14-year-old ordinance that imposes a $50 charge for each police response in excess of three every 30 days to the same location.
Although the ordinance already exists, Borough Manager Michael Nestico said it has very rarely been used. Part of the reason for that, and why it’s being updated, is because of how the $50 charge is described.
“Currently, the language of the ordinance calls for the penalty to be a surtax,” Nestico said. “We wanted to modify that language so that it reads as a fine. This will provide our police officers with a more streamlined process to issue a citation in the rare instances that this ordinance is used.”
According to the ordinance, the charge is to be assessed on calls responded to by borough police, police from neighboring municipalities, state police, county police or the sheriff. The ordinance specifies that building or property owners are responsible for paying it.
Council could pass the ordinance in August.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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