In their effort to ensure adequate police protection for Seven Fields residents, members of the borough council, having failed to gain other municipalities' support for a regional police department, are right in exploring the possibility of forming a department for the borough.

Police services currently are purchased from Cranberry Township, but Seven Fields has become increasingly concerned about the growing cost of that protection. Under its agreement with Cranberry, Seven Fields has paid approximately 8 percent of Cranberry's police budget annually since 2000. Cranberry's police budget has continued to rise with the township's ongoing growth, increasing Seven Fields' obligations and costs.

While borough officials understand that establishing and maintaining a police department would not come cheaply, they are right in trying to determine the actual financial and police protection realities involved in setting up and maintaining a department.

Having such information at hand is in the borough's best interests, not only now but for the future.

Opting for the study won't obligate the borough to establish a department. It will instead be the basis for council members to make an informed decision on whether to continue its current arrangement with Cranberry, purchase police protection from another municipality, or begin the process of establishing a Seven Fields police force — which would take some time.

As the borough looks forward to the study, the council is right in having borough manager Tom Smith meet with Cranberry about a new contract; Smith also is negotiating with Adams Township about subcontracting its police services.

Having up-to-date information available regarding all potential options will make it easier for the council to render a decision at the time one is necessary.

Questions that the upcoming study will answer include whether Seven Fields, with its own department, could better control police-protection costs and, within financial constraints, provide more police presence than what is available under the agreement with Cranberry.

Smith envisions a Seven Fields department with a full-time police chief, a part-time assistant chief and four part-time patrol officers.

While borough residents will understandably be concerned about costs, the most important thing from their perspective is whether they are being adequately served in terms of police protection.

If the borough chooses to establish a department, the issue of controlling department costs would be in the hands of the borough manager and council, not officials of another municipality.

Smith told the council he would be prepared to discuss the police issue further at the council's next meeting. In the meantime, it is in residents' best interests to make their feelings known to their elected officials as to which option they prefer.

Seven Fields, which on Labor Day celebrated its 25th anniversary as a borough, has evolved into a close-knit community. But as with other growing communities, that doesn't negate the need for police protection.

Whether or not any change is forthcoming, residents should feel comfortable that their officials have chosen to examine the issue so closely at this time.