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Chief allowed to hire officer

Borough Council votes to promote Lingafelt to sergeant

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Hollidaysburg Borough Police Department has a new sergeant, and its chief has permission to hire a new officer, according to a pair of decisions by Borough Council.

Last week, Chief Rodney Estep asked council for permission to choose and hire a new officer out of a pool of candidates approved by the local Civil Service Commission.

Estep said hiring is a lengthy process with many rules and regulations, and his request was intended to get a new officer out on borough streets as soon as possible.

Acting quickly is important because even after a hire is made, required backgrounds checks could take weeks, he said.

“In an effort to move this forward, I am asking for your authority to hire from the certified list of three that will be provided to me,” Estep said.

But Councilman Brady Leahey initially had some trouble with that proposal, explaining that he’d like council to have hiring approval.

“I still like the idea of council approving this call even though your recommendation will be highly taken,” he said.

Council President Joseph Pompa then chose to add some context.

In all borough departments outside of the police, department heads have hiring power, he said.

“We don’t hire the sewer plant manager. We don’t hire anybody,” he said.

Borough Manager James Gehret said the hiring of the last four officers was left up to the discretion of the chief, with a subsequent approval from council.

And Estep assured officials that officer candidates are rigorously scrutinized throughout the process to ensure a quality hire.

“We have a good civil service commission that knows what they are doing with picking police officers,” Estep said. “I certainly know what I’m doing for the background investigation … and they have to work for me. I take the responsibility for it if it works out or if it doesn’t.”

As discussion continued, Mayor Joseph Dodson, who oversees the police department, expressed frustration because he was not asked to give his opinion on the hiring.

“Let me ask you something,” Dodson said. “Who is in charge of the police department?

“You do have a good civil service commission here,” he continued, “and I would highly recommend that you’d take their recommendation.”

Eventually council members voted unanimously to allow Estep to choose a new officer from the approved candidates.

After a short, closed-door executive session, council members also voted to approve the appointment of a new sergeant. Officer Mark Lingafelt was promoted by a unanimous vote.

Lingafelt, who was not in attendance, will fill the vacancy left by Estep when he was promoted to chief earlier in the year.

Estep said Lingafelt will typically serve as a night shift supervisor while in his new role.

Dodson also announced that he’d like to purchase body cameras and new vehicle cameras for the local officers at a cost of about $40,000.

The department saved $38,000 this year by not purchasing a new vehicle, Dodson said.

Mirror Staff Writer Sean Sauro is at 946-7535.

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