New Hatfield police hire likely later this month, another coming soon

HATFIELD TWP. >> Reinforcements could be coming soon to the Hatfield Police Department.

Later this month the township commissioners are expected to approve a conditional offer of employment to one police officer, with another not far behind.

“Two officers over the next several months: one two weeks from tonight, and in roughly February or March we will have another one to consider,” said Township Manager Aaron Bibro.

During budget talks last fall, township officials discussed at length their plans to hire two new police officers, to fill vacancies created when two officers left the department over the past year.

“The budget includes enough for two police officers. The Hatfield Civil Service commission went through its required process, and has an eligibility list that has been certified,” of candidates qualified to be offered the jobs, Bibro said.

“In two weeks, the commissioners will have in their packet that list, with a recommendation to offer conditional employment to one of those eligible candidates, who actually turned out to be the number one person on the list,” he said.

During the board’s Jan. 10 meeting, Bibro previewed the actions coming during their Jan. 24 action meeting, and said the township will likely be in position to make a second offer of conditional employment in roughly two more months.

“Once they receive the conditional offer, they go through a series of tests to make sure they qualify, and then we’ll be back in this room to swear them in,” he said.

One other police-related item will also be on the board’s agenda for Jan. 24, Bibro told the board: formal approval of the purchase of two new police vehicles, which were also included in the 2019 budget. $90,000 was set aside and the two vehicles, one sedan and one SUV, will cost roughly $60,000 combined, according to the manager, with the rest going to outfitting and equipping the two vehicles.

“All of these purchases are already approved in the budget, but the auditor likes to see them set aside from the list of bills and then approved on their own,” he said.

Once the purchases are approved, the vehicles will be ordered, and should be on the streets “hopefully in the next month or two,” Bibro said. Hatfield’s commissioners next meet at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 24 at the township administration building, 1950 School Road; for more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.HatfieldTownship.org or follow @HatfieldPA on Twitter.