TRUMBULL COUNTY Cuts mean detectives can't do their job, sheriff says

The detectives' main job now is transporting prisoners, the sheriff said.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The sheriff's department's ability to fight crime has been handcuffed because of layoffs, the sheriff says.
About 200 crimes have not been investigated because the department no longer has detectives to do the job, Sheriff Thomas Altiere said.
The crimes range from child endangering to robberies.
"We just can't do it," Altiere said. "We are trying but we just don't have the people. If a crime happens, I don't have a detective to assign [to investigate it]. Right now all of my detectives -- all of them -- are transporting prisoners. Not one is working as a detective."
Deputies assigned to road patrols try to investigate matters when they have time but that is not often, Altiere said.
The sheriff laid off 47 employees since countywide budget cuts were announced earlier this year.
There is no chance of the situation's improving unless an additional sales tax is placed on the ballot in November, he added.
Citizens to investigate
A citizens committee has been charged to look at all county departments and determine how much additional money -- if any -- is needed for the county to run properly.
The committee will announce its findings at a July meeting. Commissioners will then decide if they should place an additional sales tax on the ballot.
"I've just been praying we don't have any murders while we are so short-staffed because I am not sure what we would do," the sheriff said.
Police chiefs at other local departments agreed.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed at this point because the sheriff's department has helped us out when we have had murders or other major crimes," said Thomas Rush, Warren Township police chief.
Subpoenas, criminal indictments and other court documents that deputies have to deliver in person have been piling up in the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas because there is no one to deliver them, county officials say.
With the layoffs, the number of deputies assigned to deliver papers and escort prisoners has been reduced from eight to 10 each day to five "on a good day," Altiere said.
Fingerprint system idled
The lack of county detectives also means local departments can no longer use the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. The $500,000 piece of equipment can match a fingerprint with fingerprints of inmates who have been housed at the jail, the sheriff said.
"The fingerprint identification system has solved crimes here for us and other departments," Altiere said. "It is a great tool to have, but we can't use it right now because we have no one to enter the fingerprints in the machine."
The staff reduction also meant Altiere had to close one floor of the jail.
Subsequently, nonviolent offenders are frequently being turned away and told to report for incarceration at another time, county officials said.