Starting in June, police officers with the Saxonburg Police Department began patrolling Summit Township as part of a six-month trial agreement between the municipal governments.

Now about four months into that agreement, Summit Township Supervisor Richard Green said the Saxonburg police have been doing a “tremendous job.”

“In our opinion, it has worked very, very well,” said Green, who is acting as liaison between Summit Township and Saxonburg. “We have had several residents call us to compliment the officers.”

Saxonburg Mayor Bill Gillespie said Summit Township is paying the police for hours they work in the township, and not paying a lump sum. Saxonburg has two full-time police officers and eight part-time, and the borough works with the township to schedule them out for patrol in Summit Township.

The hourly wages vary from $24.78 to $46.27 for standard time and $36.05 to $56.21 for overtime. The township also will provide mileage reimbursement.

“The schedule is worked out by Summit Township and our police chief,” Gillespie said. “If they work in Summit Township for 12 hours, they get paid for 12 hours.”

Green said state police have always provided coverage to Summit Township, but not on an exclusive basis. He said state officers have been helpful, but they are spread too thin to respond to one of the township's main problems: speeding.

Bonniebrook Road, Green said, is plagued with reports of drivers exceeding the speed limit. This has caused several accidents over the years, he added.

Just having Saxonburg police officers posted somewhere in the township has helped with this issue in more ways than one.

“There have been a number of times they have gotten to an accident within five minutes,” Green said. “The officers have been great, flexible and willing to work things out with us.”

Gillespie said Saxonburg's officers are trained to the highest degree to properly respond to situations and de-escalate when necessary. He said he thinks Summit Township is lucky to have help from the department.

“A very fair agreement for both municipalities,” Gillespie said. “We try to have someone in Summit whenever they need.”

Gillespie also said scheduling officers to patrol Summit has not affected Saxonburg residents in the slightest.

“We don't take anyone away from Saxonburg,” he said.

Gillespie said he would be pleased if Summit Township decides to extend the agreement once the six-month trial period is over.

Green said after four months of good work, the supervisors are already considering an extension.

“The only complaint we got is that people wish there were more of them,” Green said.