Feb 19, 2015 By Cara Host 2 min read

Bethel Park is considering a change to its charter that will give the municipal manager oversight authority over the police department.

The police chief currently reports only to council, but if council votes to amend the municipality’s home rule charter, Chief David Rogan will directly report to municipal manager William Spagnol. Bethel Park Home Rule Study Commission held a public hearing on the matter Feb. 18.

Robert McTiernan, Bethel Park’s solicitor, said the change would have minimal impact on the police department’s day-to-day operations, since the chief would still be in charge of all law enforcement issues. The borough manager would primarily oversee budget and personnel matters.

“The main impact will be on the manager. The manager has overall responsibility over all departments, but he is sealed off from the police department,” McTiernan said.

The municipal manager would oversee personnel matters and ensure the department is complying with the collective bargaining agreement with the police officers’ union as well as all federal and state labor laws.

Pauletta Beehler of Meadowbrook Road supported the change. She said that having the chief of police report to a nine-member council left too much room for confusion and that changing the chain of command would provide unity and accountability.

“I think this would be a good thing for Bethel,” Beehler said.

The commission is an advisory board, so any changes to the charter will have to go through council. However, the commission will issue a recommendation and council may choose to act on the issue at a later date.