West View Hires New Police Officer for Traffic Enforcement, Community Outreach

West View Borough Council approved 6-0 Wednesday the hiring of an additional full-time police officer, bringing the West View Police Department to full staff. 

The borough employs 10 full-time police officers. It had been operating with nine full-time officers and three part-time officers since  

Wednesday's approval allowed the promotion of part-time officer, Chad Green, 24, to fill Freedman's position. 

A graduate of Slippery Rock University, Green was hired in May to join the department, his first. He will work traffic enforcement and be involved in community outreach, participating in activities such as the crime watch meetings, said Police Chief and Borough Manager and Secretary Bruce Fromlak. 

The new position is being funded for three years by a $224,922 federal grant awarded to the borough last month. The grant is one of only five awarded in Pennsylvania and is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 

It allows the department to shift a more seasoned officer from traffic enforcement to help with drug enforcement efforts, Fromlak said. 

The 10th full-time position will remain in the borough's budget for a fourth year at the borough's cost, according to the grant's acceptance requirements. Fromlak said he expects those expenses to be covered by retirements of other officers in the next few years. 

The part-time position formerly held by Green will not be filled, Fromlak said.  

"There was no certainty we would have hired a 10th officer," without the grant, Fromlak said. "The grant enables us to fulfill that and keep police services of the borough at 100 percent." 

West View Councilman Ralph Burchell was absent from Wednesday's meeting. 

What do you think of the addition of a new full-time officer? Have you met Officer Green? Tell us in the comments.