Penn Hills officials investing in public safety with help of grants

Penn Hills council ratified a grant agreement with Allegheny County to fund approximately half the cost of replacing police body cameras.

At the Feb. 20 council meeting, Mayor Pauline Calabrese touted a recent string of investments in public safety for the municipality, including new emergency vehicles and the induction of 10 police officers last month. Five more officers will join the force in the spring, according to Calabrese.

“We have really spent effort and appropriate funding for our public safety. And I think that’s a hats off to our police department and each of our administrative departments,” Calabrese said.

Calabrese added that Penn Hills has made many of the investments using grant money.

“It’s like we’re expending $90 million in funds with a $30 million revenue base,” Calabrese said. “And that means funding and resources for residents that’s not coming out of our pockets.”

At the start of the meeting, Kate Vander Wiede of the county Department of Human Services gave a presentation on an alternative 911 response pilot coming to Penn Hills over the summer.

The program would dispatch behavioral health professionals and crisis workers to certain 911 calls instead of law enforcement. According to Vander Wiede, alternative responders would likely conduct welfare checks, for example, while law enforcement would continue responding to potentially violent situations.

“We want to make sure that no matter what number you call, whether it’s 911 or 988, you get the right responder that you need for the problem that you’re having,” Vander Wiede said.

The 988 line launched across the country last July and connects callers to the nearest affiliate of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network.

Monroeville and McKees Rocks have also agreed to test the alternative response program, with each municipality getting a team of two responders. The one-year pilot will be supported by federal funds.

Vander Wiede said she wants to hold a community engagement session in Penn Hills prior to implementation. While an event has yet to be planned, councilwoman Joanne Fascio encouraged community participation when the time comes.

“I’d urge everybody to come and bring your friends. This is the kind of thing that the more people can inform the process, the better that process will be,” Fascio said.

In other business, council awarded $164,999 to Ecological Restoration, Inc., for the Gascola Stream Restoration Project, which will protect an exposed sewer line and remove sediment in the area.

Council also approved a tentative agreement with Utility Workers of America Local 602 for 2023 to 2025.