NEWS

Washington Township Police Department is back in full force

Shawn Hardy
Waynesboro Record Herald

The Washington Township Police Department resumed 24-hour police coverage on Jan. 1 after several years of assistance from Pennsylvania State Police.

“This is a matter of pride for the police officers of the township,” said Assistant Township Manager Vernon Ashway. “Our officers are dedicated to protecting and serving the citizen of Washington Township, and have been tirelessly working to strengthen our policing services.”

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Police protection in Washington Township had been supplemented by state police basically seven days a week from 3 to 7 a.m. since around 2019, Ashway said.

The Washington Township Police Department is back to full 24-hour staffing after several years of relying on Pennsylvania State Police for some coverage.

Several veteran police officers — including Ashway — all retired around the same time, creating vacancies that could not be adequately filled due to the lack of qualified applicants.

Nationwide, it is getting more and more difficult to hire police officers, and the COVID-19 pandemic drastically slowed down the ability to do testing, said Ashway, who retired in May 2017 and became assistant township manager in June 2022.

However, after successive rounds of testing and the hiring of new officers, Washington Township supervisors announced that they have achieved sufficient staffing levels necessary for full-time service.

The force includes 10 full-time officers plus Chief Mike McGovern and one part-time officer, according to Ashway.

“While many other municipalities have been cutting back on policing services due to political pressure, Washington Township has been investing in our department and cultivating new leaders,” said Stewart McCleaf, chairman of the supervisors. “Every resident in the township can rest assured knowing that a local law enforcement officer will be available at all hours of the day or night to respond during their time of need.”