Mayor: Phoenixville Needs An Additional Police Officer

Letter to the Phoenixville Community:

There has been much debate over whether or not the Phoenixville Police Department needs to grow in order to meet the demands of our ever changing and expanding Borough. When our current chief took command of the police department back in 2006, he conducted a research study comparing the size of our police department back then, with the growth of the town over the preceding fifteen years (1991-2006). He determined that the police department needed five more officers than it currently had to meet the demands for services in 2007 (which would have brought the total number of officers to 29). After reviewing Chief Mossman’s study and recommendations, the Borough Council of 2007 petitioned the “Pennsylvania Governor’s Center for Local Government Services” to conduct a comprehensive study of the Borough and the Police Department. This study took nine months to complete and consisted of 72 pages. Ultimately, the Governor’s office recommended that the police force be increased by six officers (which would have brought the total number of officers to 30) in order to meet the demands for police services back in 2007. After reviewing that study, the Borough council of 2007 embarked on an effort to increase the police force to 29 officers as per Chief Mossman’s recommendation.

The goal of the initiative was to hire one new police officer every year for the next five years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, & 2012). If that initiative had been met, the police department of 2012 would have finally been staffed appropriately to meet the demands for services required back in 2007. The problem is that the Borough’s growth and prosperity has not remained stagnant during the years since 2007. We have continued to experience growth in new residential units, new retail opportunities, new drinking establishments as well as experiencing an explosion in public events. Truth be told, our police department should have at least 32 officers right now. Except for the addition of a full-time bike officer assigned to the downtown business district, our patrol division has remained unchanged since 1991. Patrol is the backbone of any police department. If crime is to be prevented, it will be done as a direct result of the initiative and actions of the patrol officers.

If you increase the amount of new homes and neighborhoods that have to be patrolled without increasing the staff to conduct the patrols, it will take the same officer a longer amount of time to complete his rounds which reduces the amount of times he gets to patrol a given area during his shift. Since 1991 the following residential units have been constructed: The River Walk development added 105 new single homes. The Ledges development added 72 single home and 117 town home residences. The North Ridge complex added 7 single homes and 213 town home residences. The French Creek town home community added 152 new town home residences. The Byrne Building renovation added 74 new residential units. The former Fairview Village was torn down and rebuilt expanding from 21 to 36 units. Fillmore Village which is about half way constructed will add 140 new town homes. Madison at French Creek is slated to add 349 new apartments to the downtown area. Parsons and Baker Mill is looking to add 23 new residential units, and the Phoenix Village (also downtown) is currently under construction and slated to add 275 new apartment units. That is total of about 1,563 new residences scattered throughout 9 or 10 new neighborhoods with all those new streets to patrol with no increase in patrol officers. That also increases the population by well over 3,000 without an increase in police manpower.

That was just residential, what about commercial? If you add new commercial real estate without adding any new patrol officers, it will take the same officers a longer amount of time to patrol the commercial properties resulting in fewer checks of these properties. Since 1991 the Borough has added retail space through the development of the Super K-Mart store, the largest Sears Hardware store on the east coast, the Giant shopping center with its additional sixteen (16) independent retail stores, the old Budd Company which is now “The Commons” encompasses 42 commercial spaces and the currently under construction “Phoenix Village” which will add 6 commercial spaces and 30-50,000SF of office space, the Acme shopping center expansion of sixteen (16) independent retail spaces and the new Walgreens. Large retail complexes increase police service demand through increased patrol, traffic related problems, retail theft arrests (thefts from the business), theft complaints (theft from persons shopping in the stores and from vehicles in the lots), vehicle accidents in the parking lots, people locking their keys in their cars and nuisance complaints such as kids on skateboarders etc. We have added the responsibility for policing these retail complexes without increasing the manpower to do it.

Since 1991 we have seen a resurgence of activity in the Historic Business District with the addition of drinking/eating establishments such as the Black Lab Bistro, Majolica, the Artisan’s Café, Bistro 156 (formally Panini’s), Nudy’s Restaurant, the Iron Hill Brewery, Molly Maguire’s Irish Pub, The Moon Saloon (now Sips), P.J. Ryan’s Pub (formally Hotel Washington), Tyler James Pub (now Club 212) and Baxter’s (now 101 Bridge St). These establishments are in addition to the already established bars in the Columbia Hotel (now the Great American Pub) and the Mansion House Hotel (now Pickering Creek Inn). The opening of these new drinking establishments has already demanded a dramatic increase in police services for offenses such as public intoxication, public urination, fighting, criminal mischief, noise, parking, traffic related problems and D.U.I. arrests. The proliferation of so many new eating and drinking establishments in such a small area, and the inevitable increase in police services has been undertaken without an increase in manpower.

Since 1991, the town has seen a dramatic increase in community related events which have proven to be a huge draw on police services. In addition to the established Dogwood Festival, we now man events such as (in Parks) the annual Kiwanis Patriotic Celebration, Kiwanis Community Day, PAVPN Day of Remembrance, Jazz Festival (throughout the Borough) the Citizens Advocacy 10k, 5k & 1 mile Race and the Crop Walk (Bridge Street) F.A.M.E. Festival, Blob Fest, Car Shows, First Fridays, Firebird Festival, Fireworks displays (Parades) Dogwood, Home Coming, Halloween, Santa (Other) Food truck, Movie and television commercial(s) production. These events draw several thousand people. None of these events existed in 1991 (Dogwood, 4th of July, Santa parade excluded). It takes several police officers several hours to post the “No Parking” signs for these events every week. It takes a little less time to remove all the signs when the event is over. It takes police services to plan the event, post the event, tow vehicles in violation of postings, staff the event, control crowds, control traffic and maintain order and safety. In 1991 there were three or four community events. Last year there were over 100. This is all accomplished without an increase in manpower.

In order to keep up with the increasing technological sophistication of the criminal element in our Borough, the Police Department has created specialists out of many of our patrol officers. Since 1991 we have created a bike patrol unit consisting of (6) officers, a truck enforcement element (2) officers, undercover drug operatives (8) officers, identity theft/computer crimes (1) officer, D.A.R.E. officer (2) officers, Field Training Officer (4) officers, Accident Investigation/Reconstruction (6) officers & S.W.A.T (2) officers. We have also created our own in-house trainers (to save on training costs). These patrol officers also perform the function of training and recertifying the entire Department every year (State mandated certification) in the use of impact weapons, chemical spray deployment, Taser deployment, Pistol, Shotgun and Rifle qualification & CPR/First Aid. Obviously, some of these officers are performing multiple tasks. As I mentioned before, none of these specialties (except accident investigation) existed in 1991. When these officers are working in the above capacity, they are not on the road performing their patrol function.

What cannot be disputed is that the police department is patrolling more miles of roadways, in more neighborhoods, and checking more commercial and residential properties, and responding to more calls for service while manning more community events than ever before; all this without the addition of manpower on the streets. This dramatically reduces the department’s ability to patrol. Police cannot sit at stop signs, run speed enforcement details, teach DARE, conduct commercial truck inspections, testify in court, attend training, post temporary “no parking” signs for community events, monitor bus stops, and still patrol at the same time.

West Chester is 1.8 square miles with 18,460 residents and has 42 officers.
Coatesville is 1.9 square miles with a population of 13,100 and has 34 officers.
Pottstown is 4.9 square miles with a population of 22,562 and has 47 officers.
Even Downingtown which is half the size of Phoenixville with half the population has 25 officers. Phoenixville which is roughly 4 square miles with a population of 17,000 has 28 officers that includes the Chief and the Lieutenant.

Last year, the entire population of the middle school moved into the Borough from Schuylkill Township and next year the Renaissance Academy is slated to open in the Commons adding an entirely new school complex from kindergarten through 12th grade. While the borough has experienced tremendous growth over the past 25 years, the police department has failed to keep pace which has now created a true public safety concern.

I hope that this information is helpful and convinces Council to approve the hiring of the 29th Police Officer for our Department. I ask that you contact your council representative and express your thoughts on this issue.

Respectfully,
Michael J Speck
Mayor, Borough of Phoenixville