EPHRATA, Pa. — Elected officials in Ephrata Township, Lancaster County are choosing between two police departments to provide police services after the year 2024.
The township is currently being served by the Ephrata Police Department, but the current contract expires at the end of next year. Township officials will soon have to decide whether to continue its relationship with the borough's police department or to accept a proposal from the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department, which made its pitch to the township at a recent meeting.
The township is required to notify Ephrata Borough a year in advance if it intends to end the relationship, so the decision must be made soon, according to the borough police department.
In a presentation given to township officials and members of the public at a meeting Tuesday night, Ephrata Chief of Police Chris McKim and borough manager Nancy Harris reviewed the longstanding partnership between his department and the township, noted his department's close proximity to the township it currently serves, highlighted past successes, and touted the benefits of staying the course with the existing program.
“Police coverage is expensive,” McKim told those present at the meeting. “We intend to be worth every penny.”
McKim noted that the NLCRPD's presentation included predictions of a learning curve, feasibility fees, start-up costs, and other factors not present under the current model.
Those elements, from the NCLRP proposal, approached $1 million, according to Ephrata Police.
McKim's presentation also disputed NLCRPD's claims that Ephrata PD's proposed service estimate was $1.39 million more expensive.
“I have nothing but respect for the Northern Lancaster Regional Police and their leadership,” said McKim, a 20-year Ephrata Township resident. “I think their model is right for some more rural areas, but not for Ephrata Township.”
During the public comment period, several people spoke in favor of keeping the Ephrata PD in the township.
