HUBBARD Police merger discussed

The city's chief says a combined station should be located downtown.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- The city and the township might be able to save money by merging their police forces, but don't look for it to happen anytime soon.
The issue of consolidating the two departments has surfaced as the city looks for a new police station. The aged downtown structure city police operate out of now is plagued with health and safety issues.
Hubbard Township Trustee Fred Hanley has made it clear that consolidation won't be seriously considered until it can be proved the township will save money.
Hanley, speaking for the other two trustees, also said there will be no merger just to bail out the city because of its need for a new police station.
Combining the departments may be easier here than most communities because the two entities not only have a common name, but they also share a school district and fire department.
People here tend to view the city and township as one community, not a city and separate township.
Study is favored
Leaders of both seem to favor a study by the Ohio Chiefs of Police Association to determine if money can be saved by combining the departments.
The city and township that surrounds it have a combined population of 14,304. By comparison, Howland Township, bordering Warren and Niles, has 17,546 people.
Howland Police Chief Paul Monroe says population shouldn't be used in deciding to merge departments, pointing out the two communities have different needs, including shopping patterns.
The city and township will spend nearly $2 million combined on law enforcement this year, and Howland will spend about $1.3 million.
Hubbard city and township police patrol 126 miles of roads, and Howland has 76 miles of township streets it patrols, not including state and county roads.
Combined, the city and township have 20 full-time officers, including chiefs and detectives. Howland has 18.
But a final decision rests with more than raw data.
Police station
The city's police station is a significant hurdle.
The township department is based in the northeast section of the township near Interstate 80 and state routes 7/62.
The city station is just west of the state Routes 304 and 7/62 intersection downtown.
"We own it and it's paid for," Patrol Officer Dominick Guarino said of the township's station. The same holds true for the city stationhouse.
The city force can move to the township building, but it wouldn't be centrally located.
If the township were to move its headquarters into the city, a different building will be needed.
City Police Chief Marty Kanetsky said he doesn't want the township to build the city a police station, but a consolidated headquarters should be in downtown Hubbard because it's the center of the township.
He said a central location would reduce response time, especially for township officers who now must go from the northeast corner to calls in the southwest section of the township.
Kanetsky agrees with Monroe that raw data can't be used exclusively to make a decision.
He adds, however, that the city force needs a long-range plan, with or without the township.
Reasons
There are reasons the two communities haven't merged forces by now.
Guarino, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 85, which represents township officers, said officers are concerned they won't be represented in a combined force and it would be "lopsided."
He pointed out that besides a township chief and a detective, the only other rank in the township is patrol officer.
The city force has sergeants.
Promotional exams would have to be given to township officers to fill sergeant positions.
"How can the [township] people be guaranteed of good or better protection?" Guarino asked.
As one township officer put it, there is concern that township officers will be overshadowed by the city force rather than meshed equally.
There have been discussions between the city and township about a merger, but Guarino said his membership hasn't been involved.
Confident
Dennis Devine, president of FOP Lodge 132, representing city police, is confident that continued community growth will eventually result in a merger anyway.
"It's happened across the country. Why wouldn't it happen here?" he said.
"There are things that aren't that big of a deal that they can't be overcome," Devine added. "We're apart in department names only."
In addition to combining the ranks, Devine pointed out that city officers are paid slightly more than township officers and the township can keep costs down because the township uses part-time officers on weekends and holidays, while full-time officers are used in the city.
Survey
A survey done last year in the township as part of a land-use plan indicates that township residents are happy with their police force the way it is, Hanley says.
The survey returned by 745 of the 1,782 township residents who got it showed 63.9 percent opposed to a consolidation.
In the long run, though, Devine said, it's what the people in the communities will want.
Township Police Chief Todd Coonce said a merger is "doable," though he realizes officers and the community will have questions.
Coonce suggested that after a feasibility study is completed, a public forum be scheduled to gauge the attitudes of city and township residents.
yovich@vindy.com