Consultants tell Williamsport council police facilities are "inefficient and insufficient," flag codes data gaps and levee funding as priorities

PFM consultants presented a management review to Williamsport City Council on Thursday, Oct. 16, summarizing department budgets, call-volume trends and operational issues and offering areas for follow-up as the city prepares its 2026 budget.

The consultants said the police department’s facilities present both operational and safety challenges and recommended the city plan to borrow to fund a long-term facilities solution. They also flagged the Williamsport levee as a regional asset whose upkeep may be better funded through a regional authority, and noted that the Bureau of Codes does not currently keep data comparable to the computer-aided dispatch records the police and fire departments maintain.

“The police facilities are inefficient and insufficient,” the lead consultant told the council, urging members to review the photos and assessments provided in the report. The consultants also noted that while total call volumes can be misleading, some call types—traffic incidents for police and emergency medical services for fire—are driving significant operational demand.

PFM’s Bob McDermott, director, summarized department-level findings: police…