Three Ambridge police officers were promoted to full-time status Tuesday night in a move that council's president called "unprecedented."
Patrolmen Tim Depenhart, John Bialik and Jason Seng were all offered conditional employment as probationary full-time officers.
Police Chief James Mann said all three were the top scorers on the civil service test. Their start date is effective Jan. 2, 2016.
Two of the officers were hired thanks to a $250,000 federal COPS hiring grant the borough was awarded in October. The third officer is being budgeted for in the police budget.
Depenhart and Bialik were present for the votes. Depenhart said he has been a part-time officer in Ambridge for eight years and has worked for 19 years in Beaver County as an officer. He is in charge of evidence for the department. In 2011, he went to Philadelphia for a few days to better his training.
Bialik has been with the Ambridge department part-time for four and a half years and has also worked as a Beaver County sheriff's deputy for eight years. He is in charge of motor carrier safety enforcement of tractor-trailers, which includes weighing them.
Both thanked the borough for appointing them.
"I promise you guys that I will wear the badge with passion, dedication and pride," Depenhart told council.
Council hadn't planned to hire a third officer, but Councilman Gerald "Duke" McCoy made a motion to hire another officer.
Mann called to deliver the news to Seng, who was grateful for the offer, he said.
"He wants to thank everybody on council for giving him this opportunity."
Mikulich said they only budgeted for two officers, but the chief and mayor came up with a program that saves $68,000 in the budget to justify a third officer and council plans to hold them to the fire. Mikulich said three full-time hires at once is historically "unprecedented" for the borough.
Police Chief James Mann said all three were the top scorers on the civil service test. Their start date is effective Jan. 2, 2016.
Two of the officers were hired thanks to a $250,000 federal COPS hiring grant the borough was awarded in October. The third officer is being budgeted for in the police budget.
Depenhart and Bialik were present for the votes. Depenhart said he has been a part-time officer in Ambridge for eight years and has worked for 19 years in Beaver County as an officer. He is in charge of evidence for the department. In 2011, he went to Philadelphia for a few days to better his training.
Bialik has been with the Ambridge department part-time for four and a half years and has also worked as a Beaver County sheriff's deputy for eight years. He is in charge of motor carrier safety enforcement of tractor-trailers, which includes weighing them.
Both thanked the borough for appointing them.
"I promise you guys that I will wear the badge with passion, dedication and pride," Depenhart told council.
Council hadn't planned to hire a third officer, but Councilman Gerald "Duke" McCoy made a motion to hire another officer.
Mann called to deliver the news to Seng, who was grateful for the offer, he said.
"He wants to thank everybody on council for giving him this opportunity."
Mikulich said they only budgeted for two officers, but the chief and mayor came up with a program that saves $68,000 in the budget to justify a third officer and council plans to hold them to the fire. Mikulich said three full-time hires at once is historically "unprecedented" for the borough.
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