Sligo borough council invited Aaron to attend its recent business meeting to discuss the possibility of Aaron appointing deputies as county detectives.

In December, Clarion County Sheriff William Peck III told the council that he would be willing to help the borough with ordinance enforcement, but because of recent court decisions, could not offer investigative police help.

Council member Jim Barger said the Sligo council will have to move ahead with efforts to bring the district attorney, the sheriff’s department and its union representatives, and the county commissioners together to further discuss helping out with law enforcement in the borough.

Peck did note that deputies could be named county detectives to help with enforcement, but couldn’t guarantee the feasibility of such an action.

Aaron said that as far as ordinance enforcement goes, the borough can file charges itself or appoint an ordinance enforcement officer.

“We’re not asking for a free service,” Barger told the Clarion News. “The borough used to contract with the sheriff’s department under former sheriff Vern Smith for some enforcement.

“And we aren’t asking them to come down here every day, but if needed, we would appreciate the police presence,” said Barger.

Barger said the borough had been approached a couple of times by Knox Police Chief Stephen Bilunka, offering some police protection, but that the borough council was not happy with Bilunka’s proposed contracts.

Barger said he wandered whether or not other municipalities were having the same problems as Sligo .

“If it was all reimbursed and did not cost the county, why would it be a problem?” he asked.

Barger said the district attorney said they may run into problems if the sheriff’s department needed to hire more deputies for increased presence in cash-strapped municipalities.

In the past, the borough council had held hopes that it could form a joint police department with Rimersburg and East Brady boroughs, but the wish was put to bed when Rimersburg contracted with New Bethlehem for police services.

The court decision that took investigative powers from sheriff’s deputies has hindered law enforcement efforts in rural counties, where deputies had traditionally helped with enforcement because of a lack of borough forces.

Aaron noted that the number of state police officers patrolling the county has been cut nearly in half in the past several years.

Barger told the Clarion News Sligo Borough council will continue doing what it can to try to receive some help from the county.