Mahoning Township Police Department will take part in a program geared to reduce the number of traffic-related crashes.

On a 4-1 vote, supervisors last week agreed to have the police department participate in the Highway Safety Network. Board Chairman Robert Slaw was opposed.

Police Chief Audie Mertz shared crash statistics from 2016-2020 for municipalities that directly border the township’s roadways, which include Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and Summit Hill.

In that span of time, Mertz said there were 388 crashes in the township, while the next closest was 195 in Lehighton Borough.

Of those 388 crashes in the township, he said 53 were impaired drivers, with the next highest being 27 in Jim Thorpe Borough.

“To me, it comes down to what’s best for the people who are out on the roads,” Mertz said.

“Our job is to make the roads safe, and it’s not safe in Mahoning Township.”

Mertz said that based off the statistics, the township would be entitled to a higher percentage of funding to try to target those areas.

He also discussed the police department’s potential participation in the Drug Task Force.

Slaw said he would be all in if it would get rid of drugs in the township.

The board did not vote on that matter.