Photo by Dmitriy Eremenkov

Council President Keith Hohenshel announced this week Industry Borough will be keeping its own police department after all.

Industry’s department is comprised entirely of part-time officers that are paid little more than minimum wage, given no healthcare benefits, and are forced to work in 3 other departments on average just to make rent.

The town had voted to explore outsourcing their police force last month, when officers refused to make additional concessions that would have seen them work every other shift as free volunteers.

But after hearing back from neighboring police departments, Hohenshel learned that they too, would expect to be paid. As a result, council abandoned the idea of outsourcing their emergency services for the time being.

Keith Hohenshel warned residents of Industry the town faces difficult financial times ahead, and will need to find some way to make up for its budget shortfalls.

Experts say police departments are often the first to suffer budget cuts after council members allow their secretaries to spend $200,000 of borough funds on psychics.