(3/30) After months of debate regarding the future of the Township’s Police Department, Liberty finally made the decision to hire a Police Chief and keep their own Police Department active during their March 5 Board of Supervisors meeting. The decision to maintain their own Police force meant rejecting the proposal from the Carroll Valley Borough Police Department to contract police services. This decision was made unanimously.

In February, Carroll Valley’s Police Chief Richard Hileman, Borough Manager Dave Hazlett and members of the Borough Council attended the Liberty Township meeting to discuss their proposal and answer any questions from Supervisors and residents. Their proposal would have cost Liberty Township $97,082 for 27 ½ patrol hours per week. In comparison, Liberty’s budget only included approximately $92,000 for their Police Department this year.

Residents of Liberty Township have voiced their opinions regarding the future of the Police Department since the resignation of Police Chief Brand Briggs back in November. Supervisor Jackson mentioned that many residents have reached out to him personally regarding this matter, with "opinions that are pretty strong and pretty divided." In fact, several residents were upset by an unfavorable comment made by a Carroll Valley Borough Council member during a Council meeting earlier this year. However, according to Borough Council member Richard Matthews, after much discussion, and a better understanding of the township’s needs, the entire Council came on board with the contract and showed enthusiasm about the opportunity to continue partnering with Liberty Township. With all things under consideration, Supervisors ultimately decided to reject the proposal and continue with hiring a new Police Chief.

By rejecting the proposal from Carroll Valley, some residents of Liberty Township voiced concern about Carroll Valley possibly choosing not to reciprocate police coverage anymore. Carroll Valley and Liberty have had a municipal agreement to cover each other’s municipalities since 1994. However, Chief Hileman stated during the March 12 Borough Council meeting that the borough can’t continue to be the primary responder for Carroll Valley anymore.

During discussion regarding the rejected police service proposal, Chief Hileman explained that responding to Liberty Township’s calls was interfering with their primary responsibility to Carroll Valley residents. The inter-municipal agreement with Liberty does not require Carroll Valley to be the primary responding agency on any calls to Liberty Township; it simply states that they may be the primary responders. "We want to continue to cooperate with our neighbors as we always have," stated Hileman, "but the Borough can’t continue to answer Liberty’s calls when their officers are not on duty." Calls will now be transferred to the State Police when Liberty officers are off-duty.

Additionally, Chief Hileman proposed a bill be sent to Liberty Township to cover the cost of service rendered since Chief Briggs resigned in November. The $4,559 bill included approximately 68 hours of service to Liberty Township. According to Chief Hileman, Liberty Township Supervisor Bob Jackson suggested the Borough send them a bill for the service they provided in the absence of a Police Chief of their own. Borough Council voted to approve this bill 3-2, with some opposition from members because the service, as explained, was done in good faith.

All things aside, Liberty Township Supervisors voted to hire Sherri Hansen, who will be the first female Police Chief for the township. However, this decision was not made unanimously, as Supervisor Mickey Barlow motioned to hire one of the other three applicants, James Powers, as Police Chief. Supervisor John Bostek motioned to hire Sherri Hansen, with a second by Supervisor Jackson. According to Barlow, the vote taken during the meeting did not reflect the conversation held during the executive session at the end of February regarding Police Chief applicants.

Solicitor John Lisko recommended Supervisors convene to an executive session to discuss the decision further. Lisko stated at the end of the executive session that the matter under dispute regarded the Township’s part time officer, Cpl. Andy Hansen and his marital relationship to the approved Police Chief, Sherri Hansen. According to the township’s personnel handbook, relatives of existing employees are prohibited from being hired. Lisko recommended Cpl. Hansen resign as part time police officer prior to his wife officially being sworn in as Police Chief.

Hansen comes to the township with 27 years of experience as a Police Officer in York and currently resides in Adams County. Supervisors hope to have Hansen present at a future meeting to introduce herself to residents and answer any questions they may have.