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Two regional police departments in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, are exploring a merger that could create a single, 40-officer force covering five municipalities.
According to the Lebanon Daily News, the Lebanon County Regional Police Department (LCRPD) and the Western Lebanon County Regional Police Department (WLCRPD) held a special public meeting on Tuesday (March 31) at the North Cornwall Township Municipal Building on South 18th Street to introduce the proposed merger.
The WLCRPD was formed in May 2024 and serves Annville Township and Palmyra Borough. The LCRPD followed at the start of 2025 and covers North Lebanon, North Cornwall, and West Lebanon townships. Both departments were themselves the products of earlier consolidations between township police departments.
LCRPD Chief Tim Knight said the departments are weighing a merger for the same reasons they regionalized in the first place. As reported by LebTown, Knight described those reasons as "a better service, a reduced budget, officer safety, and making the communities safer with quicker response times for emergencies."
"It started with a conversation if we thought this could be beneficial," Knight said. "Both regional departments see the benefits and success of our current departments. Both boards of commissioners are intelligent, professional, and open-minded enough to discuss whether this would be fiscally beneficial while providing better service to the communities."
Knight stressed that the process is still in its early stages, with governing commissions set to determine next steps based in part on public feedback. He said a formal feasibility study will not be required.
If officials move forward, they will need to work through several complex issues, including pension agreements, union contracts, consolidated expenses, and a revised charter agreement.
Knight also offered reassurance about the officers caught up in the process. "Our police officers are the backbone of our departments," he said. "They are well-trained, professional, and do a great job for our residents. That will continue regardless of the outcome of this process."
ABC27 reported that Tuesday's meeting was open to the public and gave community members a chance to learn more about what a merger could mean for their neighborhoods. No formal action was taken at the meeting.
Local officials are hoping to approve a merger this summer and have it in place by the start of 2027.