Butler steps up effort to rent out police service
Butler’s offer to rent out its police coverage is receiving some interest from other municipalities.
City council on Thursday will vote on a resolution that would allow it to lend police to other municipalities for enforcing traffic laws.
“This shows (any municipality) I go to that we’ve already authorized the move,” Mayor Tom Donaldson told council Tuesday night.
The mayor said he has proposed the idea to four municipalities — East Butler and Summit, Franklin and Center townships.
Summit Township has expressed preliminary interest in the idea.
Donaldson said the city is offering its police presence at an annual rate of $25,000 for 10 hours of weekly coverage.
City police would only supply traffic coverage, but Donaldson said the city’s officers would be able to make any other arrests they come across.
State police would continue to respond to all incidents in the municipality.
Donaldson said speeding and weight limits are concerns expressed by the outside municipalities.
“We’d just be there for traffic enforcement,” he said.
He said other municipalities would be able to buy coverage in 10-hour blocks.
The city would not pay additional officers to work during the coverage, meaning the officers typically working in the city would be leaving during their regular shifts.
