Phoenixville Reportedly Set To Swear In 30th Police Officer

After numerous debates, Phoenixville will add a 30th police officer to its borough force.

Officer Anthony Gray was sworn in at this week's borough council meeting, the Daily Local News reports.

Gray, 27, a Navy veteran, will begin at a salary of $80,231.

Dating back to November 2014, Mayor Michael J. Speck and many others in the community had been lobbying for additional law enforcement support in the borough as the population boomed.

At the time, Speck cited a 2007 report from the Governor which recommended six new officers be added. That increase would have brought the total to 30 officers nine years ago.

"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," Speck said in 2014. "Truth be told, our police department should have at least 32 officers right now."

With numerous and massive developments either underway or looming on the horizon, Phoenixville's population is only going to get bigger. And with increased population, the argument runs, there will inevitably be an increased need for more police.

Council members had previously expressed reservations about adding additional officers for numerous reasons, including tax increases.

Phoenixville's population was 16,658 in 2015, according to the US Census Bureau.