Still, some of the proposed changes will require approval during collective bargaining discussions with the Fraternal Order of Police, according to Upper Darby\u2019s chief administrative officer, Vincent Rongione, who is spearheading much of the initiative\u2019s outreach and review.\n<\/p>\n
So far, the township has said it will publish the police department\u2019s use-of-force policy and create a standing committee for gathering community feedback.\n<\/p>\n
Other steps are less straightforward and details will take time to hammer out.\n<\/p>\n
The township is evaluating how it might demilitarize the police department, for example. That includes decisions about shedding military vehicles and firearms Upper Darby has acquired through federal programs over the years.\n <\/p>\n
\u201cIn Upper Darby Township, the eastern half of the township especially, the streets are so narrow and dense that some of those military vehicles can\u2019t even operate in our neighborhoods,\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Rongione said in an interview. \u201cSome of those things that we may or may not really need.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
The township also will use the budget process to re-evaluate resources going into the police department. It is getting quotes for the cost of implementing body or dash cameras, finding out if that could be financially feasible. Also on the table, according to Rongione, is potentially consolidating specialty units like SWAT teams with nearby municipalities.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re a huge city, a Houston, a Philadelphia, of course you need SWAT teams,\u201d Rongione said. \u201cIf you\u2019re Upper Darby, maybe it\u2019s more appropriate to partner with another community, partner with the county, rather than have your own dedicated, more militarized division.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
With those potential savings, he added, local officials could redirect funds toward other areas of public safety.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can invest the money in community resource officers, doing the kind of work that police officers spend a lot of time doing in the community,\u201d Rongione said. \u201cLet\u2019s make the budget priorities match the actual work and values.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Upper Darby is the largest community in Delaware County, with diverse demographics and the biggest police department in Delco. The township saw protests and calls for police reform <\/a>in the days and weeks following larger demonstrations in Philadelphia and around the country, with many residents saying there is persistent unequal treatment of Black residents by law enforcement.\n<\/p>\n