Walnutport agrees to buy two more handguns for police officers

Walnutport will purchase two additional handguns for its police officers after being taken to task by a borough resident.

On a unanimous vote, borough council agreed at its workshop on Thursday to buy the handguns at a cost of about $900.

Borough police Chief Pete Wayda told council his department needs to order the handguns.

However, council initially said it would prefer to hold off on the purchase for the time being.

That prompted resident Jeanne Boehrer to question how the borough couldn’t afford to spend $900 for the handguns.

“That would be highly unacceptable,” said Boehrer, who added that she didn’t agree with how council presented itself on the matter.

Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker said she understood where Boehrer was coming from.

“It sounds like we don’t have money,” Hunsicker said. “It did not come across very well.”

Borough Mayor Wayne Weidner said that if Wayda were to say that he needed the handguns immediately, he would support that request on the spot.

After some more discussion on the matter, council made a motion to buy the two handguns.

Afterward, council then rescinded a prior motion it made earlier in the meeting to replace three desktop computers in the police station with Nook desktops.

Council originally agreed to spend $4,379 for the Nook desktops, but then opted against doing so after it agreed to buy the two handguns.

Council President William Turk told Boehrer that council tries to be mindful of the borough’s finances.