Third of four parts

The amount of grants received by the Salisbury Township Police Department dipped slightly in 2017, compared to the amount received in 2016.

The Lehigh County Casino Grant contributed to the majority of the amount of the grants.

While casino grants to Lehigh Valley municipalities in proximity to the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem appear to be intact for 2018, all bets are apparently off for 2019.

The 2018 casino grants, based on revenue Lehigh County received in 2017, are to be announced by July.

According to a statement on the Lehigh County website, after the 2018 grants are distributed, Lehigh County will no longer administer the program.

“In accordance with Act 42 of 2017, the revenues received from the Sands Casino will be forwarded to the Commonwealth Financing Authority for distribution,” a PDF file on the website said.

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development is creating one program for Lehigh and Northampton counties. Funds will be kept separate, which is the practice with other counties in the commonwealth, according to the website.

DCED is to have the new guidelines available in May. There will be a Sept. 1 to Nov. 15 annual application window for municipalities.

Lehigh County was the recipient of gaming funds for distribution to municipalities impacted by the Sands Casino based on a revenue-sharing agreement between Northampton County, Bethlehem and Allentown. The agreement was set up by Lehigh Valley state legislators in 2007.

Casinos have had to pay 2 percent of slot machine revenue or $10 million to a municipality where it is based. Mount Airy Casino, Monroe County, won a legal ruling stating the varying rates of host fees is unconstitutional. The ruling resulted in the commonwealth legislature rewriting the host fees law, which affects the grants disbursed from Sands Casino revenue.

The deadline for municipalities to fill out the 2018 County of Lehigh Gaming Revenue Application to the Lehigh County Office of Community & Economic Development is 4 p.m. May 25.

According to the website, funding is at the discretion of the Lehigh County. Requests are for capital projects, transportation needs of the municipality because of increases in traffic, safety and crime prevention programs to combat documented increases in crime or other requests as defined by the municipality as a result of location of the casino in south Bethlehem.

Salisbury Township Chief of Police Allen W. Stiles released the township police department 2017 annual year in review to commissioners and the media. The information about grants received by the township police department is based on the report.

The Salisbury Township Police Department received $127,363.30 in grants in 2017, down from $133,416.89 in grants received in 2016 and an increase from $57,023 in grants received by the department in 2015.

The casino grant provided $100,755, plus $14,957.05 for traffic enforcement, in 2017, an increase from the $89,806.65 casino grant, and $11,373.80 for traffic enforcement, in 2016 received by the township police department.

The 2017 casino grant allowed the township police department to purchase a patrol vehicle, an LED radar-speed sign, five traffic control warning signs, four battery packs for the LED message board, two mobile data terminals, two car camera systems and 14 body cameras with hardware and software, the township police report noted.

Traffic safety and enforcement grants received by the township police department were $26,608.30 in 2017, up slightly from $26,547.69 in 2016 and $21,187.90 in 2015.

There were 798 vehicle stops, 923 citations and nine arrests in 2017, compared to 789 vehicle stops, 1,104 citations and 26 arrests in 2016, and 647 vehicle stops, 684 citations and nine arrests in 2015.

Traffic enforcement funds pay the overtime of off-duty Salisbury Township patrol officers who conduct traffic enforcement in designated areas.

Traffic stops in the casino traffic safety corridor (roughly Broadway, East Emmaus Avenue, East Susquehanna Street and Seidersville Road) resulted in three arrests for possession of controlled substances, one stolen vehicle and one arrest of a felon in possession of a handgun, according to the township 2017 police report.

Lehigh County Casino Grant: $14,957.05. Under the casino grant, there were 375 vehicle stops, 415 traffic citations and three arrests, up significantly from 242 vehicle stops, 353 traffic citations and seven arrests in 2016, and 275 vehicle stops, 283 traffic citations and four non-traffic arrests in 2015.

Other grants received by the township police department included:

Aggressive driving enforcement from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation: $4,761.06 in 2017, an increase from $3,372.71 received in 2016. Under aggressive driving enforcement, there were 307 vehicle stops and 380 traffic citations in 2017, down from 326 vehicle stops and 437 traffic citations in 2016, and up from 233 vehicle stops and 260 traffic citations in 2015.

Buckle Up Pa. from PennDOT: $4,730.42 in 2017, down from $5,851.45 received in 2016. Under Buckle Up Pa, there were 101 vehicle stops and 122 traffic citations in 2017, down from 221 vehicle stops and 300 traffic citations in 2016 and 124 vehicle stops and 135 traffic citations in 2015.

Driving under the influence enforcement grant from PennDOT: $2,159.77 in 2017, down from $2,969.83 received in 2016. Under DUI enforcement roving patrols and checkpoints, there were 15 vehicle stops, three DUI arrests, six traffic citations and one drug arrest in 2017, compared to 15 vehicle stops, 14 DUI arrests, 14 traffic citations and two drug arrests in 2016, and 15 vehicle stops, one DUI arrest and six traffic citations in 2015.

Salisbury Township Senior Patrol Officer Bryan Losagio, who is the police department traffic safety coordinator, seatbelt safety program coordinator and parking enforcement coordinator, completed 12 traffic speed limit studies based on township residents’ complaints, in several areas of Salisbury Township.

Next week: Part 4, the conclusion of Salisbury Township Police Department’s 2017 Annual Report: Fire Inspection Fees, K-9 Patrol, Hunting Permits