The benefits of a regional police force are many, say Evans City and Seven Fields officials two years after they formed the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department.

The two boroughs are separated by about seven miles, but joining forces for police protection has saved each community money, increased police presence and allowed the department to upgrade equipment and training.

“We couldn't have done it on our own. It would've been cost-prohibitive,” said Lee Dyer, Evans City borough council president.

It's something the borough leaders want other communities without their own police force to consider as Gov. Tom Wolf's $25 fee per capita for state police services plan is still being considered in the 2017-18 state budget.

Before coming together, Evans City had its own police force and Seven Fields contracted with Cranberry Township for police protection, said Tom Smith, Seven Fields manager and Evans City-Seven Fields police administrator.

Seven Fields looked into starting its own department, but “you're swimming upstream with costs and personnel and equipment” Smith said.

So Seven Fields began shopping around to see if any other communities were interesting in joining forces for police services. As luck would have it, Evans City had also been looking for the same thing, Dyer said.

The merger became official in January 2015.

In 2017 Evans City contributed $314,014 and Seven Fields contributed $354,100 for the regional police budget. The boroughs' contributions are based on residency.

Smith said Seven Fields saved a little more than $49,000 in 2015 by joining with Evans City over contracting out its police service. It saved more than $51,000 in 2016, he said.

Evans City has saved about $70,000 in the past two years, Smith said.

Seven Fields has a dedicated police officer from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. who provides traffic enforcement and neighborhood patrols. Joint police coverage is from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. in both boroughs. The Evans City-Seven Fields Police Department has a full-time police force of 13 officers — three full-time and 10 part-time — Smith said.

The benefits of combined police departments were discussed at a public hearing held by the state's House Democratic Policy Committee on March 27 at the University of Pittsburgh to explore implementing a fee for municipalities to cover the cost of state police coverage.

Marita Kelley, deputy executive director of the governor's center of local government services for the department of community and economic development, said advantages of consolidation are improved uniformity and consistency of police enforcement, improved training and personnel efficiency, improved career enhancement opportunities for officers and reduced costs.

There are more than 1,200 municipal police departments in the state, far more than most other states that have about 300 or 400, Kelley said during the hearing.

Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department is the only consolidated police force in Butler County and covers little over 4,800 residents. It is one of 38 regional police agencies in 24 counties in the state.

On behalf of the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Commission, Smith wrote a letter to state representatives dated March 24 to support the proposed municipal fee for state police services along with a component that incentivizes forming or joining a regional police department.

“While we understand opposition to those who are against more taxation we believe there is a feasible option through regional police departments,” the letter reads.

Although Evans City had police coverage, the merger allowed the department to save money, expand the staff, update vehicles and equipment, and get more training for its officers. Smith said the fleet is changed out every three years, hiring standards have increased and services increased.

“You'll find that you get better protection, more localized protection and lesser costs than you would have with your own police department,” Dyer said.

Even for two communities with different socioeconomic backgrounds, like Seven Fields and Evans City, the combined police department works, Smith said. Dyer and Smith said they'd love to talk with other communities with and without their own police forces about joining in their regional department.

“I get that people don't want to give up total control, but tax dollars are more and more precious and revenue is scarce,” Smith said. “You have to do more with less and this is a wonderful alternative.”