Mayor feels shut out from police
EVANS CITY — Overseeing the borough police force is the job of mayors across the state, but Mayor Dean Zinkhann says he is being prevented from discharging those duties.
Borough solicitor Mike Gallagher, speaking on behalf of Zinkhann at Monday's borough council meeting, explained that when the Evans City-Seven Fields Police Department was formed a protocol was established that requires the mayor to get the approval of the police commission president to enter the police station.
The main station for the regional department is the former Evans City Police Department station at the borough office.
Gallagher said while he and the Seven Fields solicitor say the effect of the charter between Evans City and Seven Fields is that the regional force's six-person commission oversees the police because two boroughs are involved, the Pennsylvania State Mayors' Association disagrees.
It is the position of Zinkhann and the association that mayors must access the police station for other duties, such as borough emergencies, viewing of laws and ordinances pertaining to police matters, and public safety tasks.
Gallagher said Zinkhann and the association feel that according to state law, the oversight of the police department cannot be handed over to the commission.
“The mayor believes he is not being treated fairly by the (police) commission,” he told the council.
On Tuesday, commission member and Evans City Council President Lee Dyer said the policy was passed for reasons of confidentiality because most police documents contain sensitive or confidential information.
Dyer said the commission wanted to ensure that information was protected and that no confidentiality laws were being broken.
He said most members of the commission, of which Zinkhann is a member, agree that the mayor no longer oversees the police department because it has regionalized.
“At one time, the mayor was a committee of one, and now he's one of a committee of six,” Dyer said.
Zinkhann said on Tuesday that he resents “playing Mother May I” by asking commission Chairman Jennifer Sikora for her permission to access the police station.
“Am I going to call her every time I need to get in there? I don't think so,” Zinkhann said.
Gallagher recommended that the matter be referred to the regional police commission for study.
“It is an issue that could be a potential litigation issue,” Gallagher said.
Chief Robert Amann of the Northern Regional Police in Allegheny County said his police force covers one borough, which is Bradford Woods. He said there have been several mayors since a regional police force was formed between Pine and Marshall townships and Bradford Woods in 1969. Richland Township joined the force in 2006.
“Every (mayor) has been very professional and has respected the authority of the joint police board and has not interfered at all,” Amann said.
He said the mayors have served as alternates on the police commission when necessary, but never as a regular member.
The Evans City council voted Monday to follow Gallagher's recommendation, and the police commission will consider the matter and make a decision.
“The mayor believes he has duties he has to do that are pursuant to the borough code and he's obligated to do those,” Gallagher said.
The members of the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Commission are Sikora, vice Chairman Kim Armstrong, Dyer, Zinkhann, Mike Baer and Dawn Servello.
