WARREN POLICE St. Pat's Day duty will cost some OT

A lack of manpower and increased overtime costs have created a problem with staffing for St. Patrick's Day.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Police protection will cost city taxpayers a little extra on St. Patrick's Day.
Police Chief John Mandopoulos said he expects to have six patrolmen working the afternoon shift March 17 but noted that pay for four of them will be strictly overtime.
Several officers have told Mandopoulos they plan to take that day off to attend a St. Patrick's Day event in Cleveland.
Mandopoulos said the Federal Labor Standards Act mandates that the city give employees 11/2 hours off for each hour of overtime worked without pay.
Officers can accumulate up to 480 hours in "time coming" and can use the days at their discretion, as long as four days' notice is given, the chief said.
Officers who plan to take March 17 off have given Mandopoulos more than the required four days' notice because they know a lack of manpower could complicate scheduling that day, he said.
Four of the six officers who will work the afternoon shift that day will be paid strictly in overtime, he noted.
Cost concerns: Fred Harris, the city's safety-service director, said he is concerned with police and fire department overtime expenses this early in the year.
The city cannot dispute officers' time coming, Harris said, but added, "Why would all these guys take off the same day?
"We're in a financial crunch and we've asked all the departments to help us through this thing."
So far, Mandopoulos estimates, his department has expended between $40,000 and $42,000 of the $155,000 allotted for police overtime this year.
"There will be a lot of loud, boisterous parties that day," Mandopoulos said. "We'll just have to get to the calls when we can."
Income tax vote: In May, residents will decide the fate of a proposed 0.5 percent income tax increase to bolster police and fire services depleted in January 2000 when the city made cuts to avoid a budget shortfall.
Voters defeated similar ballot issues in March, August and November of 2000.
Mandopoulos said his department will join administrators, city council and other city employees in a campaign to educate voters about the need for the tax.