Budget cuts squeeze police

The union endorsed Lisa Oles in the trustee race.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Police officers say their department has hit rock-bottom as a result of budget cuts and layoffs.
"We can go nowhere but up," said Officer Keith Smith, police union president. "We've done about all we can do."
Township trustees have told police that more cuts and layoffs may occur if the 2.5-mill police levy is not approved Tuesday by voters.
"We keep wondering, how much farther are we going to go back?" Smith said. "As the township grows, the department is getting smaller."
Trustees have said that layoffs and cuts are needed because the township is facing a deficit at the end of this year. They have laid off two officers and chosen not to replace four officers who have retired and two officers who are off due to disability.
As a result, the department at times has had only four officers on duty to patrol the township, which has a population of 31,000.
Officer Al Phillips, the union's vice president, said it has taken officers longer to respond to emergency calls because the department is short-staffed. Sgt. Mark Skowron added that due to the shortage, officers don't have time to be proactive and prevent crime using surveillance and long investigations.
Effect on morale
The layoffs and cuts also have affected morale in the department, officers said. Phillips described morale as poor.
Trustees have said that even when the budget cuts and layoffs are taken into account, the township is still expected to have a $700,000 deficit at the end of this year. The deficit is a result of increases in the cost of insurance, workers' compensation and wages, and decreased revenue, township officials said.
The township also had to take out a $500,000 loan after paying $460,000 to Phar-Mor in November for an unanticipated tax refund.
A 2.5-mill levy that would raise $1.4 million for township police will appear on the ballot Tuesday.
Police have been at odds with trustees in recent months as they negotiated for a new contract. The negotiations yielded a three-year contract for police that includes 3-percent annual raises.
The contract also calls for police to help pay for health care. Trustees had paid health-care premiums in the past.
Trustee Rich Edwards, who is running for re-election, recently said that he believes the current method of township labor negotiations favors employees and needs to be changed.
Skowron called Edwards' position anti-labor and anti-union, and the union members noted that Edwards only attended one of the five contract negotiation sessions.
The police union has endorsed Lisa Oles, who is challenging Edwards. It is the first time the union has endorsed a candidate in any election.
Smith said the union chose to endorse Oles because she said she would support police.
hill@vindy.com