WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. - West Middlesex borough could be without contracted police protection by next year. Council members are negotiating with the Shenango Township Police Department on a new contract. 

Shenango Township PD has been patrolling West Middlesex for the past ten years. Instead of having their own department the borough paid more than $193,000 for services this year but that ends on December 31st. 

If both sides don't come to an agreement Pennsylvania State Police are the default protection. But the current Chief in Shenango Jason Newton believes that would mean slower response times because the troopers post is further away. 

“Not only is that going to affect our community but it's going to affect the way that our children grow up and the way that they develop as people,” Katelin Shade, a parent of students at West Middlesex School and a Shenango Township resident said. 

If the township PD loses jurisdiction in the borough they won't patrol the streets, respond to calls or be able to provide a resource officer to the West Middlesex Area School District. 

“Honestly it's going to be detrimental not just to the school but to the community,” Shade said. “As a council…I would think public safety would be of the utmost importance.”

Chief Newton said PSP would not provide the school with a resource officer. The school would have the option to start their own police department but they would not have the same high level of authority that an officer affiliated with a department would.

The West Middlesex Area Superintendent Raymond Omer and School Board members did not respond to our request for comment. 

The Mayor of West Middlesex Stacey Curry would not comment on what exactly is being negotiated but Chief Newton said costs have gone up in his department. 

21 News was told the borough is considering bids from other police departments. Another negotiation meeting is set for Thursday night.

Two council members from each side are a part of the negotiations along with Mayor Curry and Chief Newton. If a contract is agreed to at the table each side must take the proposal to their entire councils for a vote.

The next West Middlesex council meeting is on Tuesday September, 16 at 6:30p.m. at the municipal building on North Street. 

A petition was started online encouraging the West Middlesex council members to agree to a contract with the Shenango Township Police Department.