With just three full-time officers at its disposal, Mahoning Township plans to consider banding together with neighboring local police departments to address staffing issues.

The board of supervisors on Wednesday held brief discussion on police department regionalization after board Chair Deb McGowan said the topic has one again resurfaced.

“It’s been brought up for years,” McGowan said. “We’re going to talk to everybody.”

McGowan said that would include all the police departments within Carbon County.

“Everybody knows police departments are dwindling,” she said. “With police departments the way they are, we just think we should be able to at least try.”

After the meeting, McGowan said the board would look to have discussions “with each board individually to see where their interests are, also have discussion with PSP.”

Mahoning’s police department has been facing police coverage issues for some time.

In April, resident Linda Pollock, of Mahoning Drive West, asked supervisors for the township’s police department to share statistics with the public.

McGowan noted that supervisors previously asked then Chief of Police Audie Mertz to supply stats to be placed in the newspaper, but that hasn’t occurred.

Pollock then asked if the board is Mertz’s boss, to which McGowan said they all are and would again direct him to consider doing so.

Pollock said she previously read in the newspaper that the township police chief said the township doesn’t have a full-time police department.

McGowan explained to Pollock that the township does not have 24-hour coverage, as the hours from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. are typically assigned to state police.

McGowan said that with Pollock bringing the matter up, the board would direct Mertz to begin to share police stats in the police logs of the newspaper or on their Facebook page.

In 2024, the township brought on a consultant to help its police department run more efficiently.

Law Enforcement Operations Consulting LLC was hired at a rate not to exceed $5,000.

Then board Chairman Robert Slaw said in March 2024 the move was designed “to help our police department run more efficiently.”

In November 2024, the township decided to create a performance appraisal and policy for its police officers.

Slaw explained after that meeting that the appraisal and policy was created so that Mertz could evaluate officers on their work ethics/abilities.

In September 2024, supervisors ratified several directives in relation to the police department.

At that time, supervisors ratified a directive dated July 30 of that year concerning scheduling of additional shifts; Aug. 22 for a scheduling change; and Aug. 28 regarding filling open shifts within budgetary constraints.

Mertz declined to comment on that situation.

Slaw said at that time the board wanted to be sure to put the actions into the minutes.

In August 2024, supervisors accepted the retirement of full-time officer Jeffrey Frace with the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, meaning his pension froze on Oct. 31, but he would continue to work full time for at least one year, but not more than three; and he will not have to contribute to his pension.

Frace was hired as a part-time officer in December 1997, and was full time since October 1999.

In May 2024, supervisors abolished the detective position after an executive session.

Residents have complained about police coverage, particularly about hours when the department is not working.