TRUMBULL DEPUTIES Road patrol moving to new home

The move is more to improve efficiency, though the building is worn out.
WARREN -- The Trumbull County Sheriff's Department sign will be coming off of its Panther Street building, after road patrol deputies leave it effective Jan. 1.
They now will be stationed at the county jail building downtown on High Street Northwest.
There may be a few more sheriff's cruisers parked in front of the High Street building during the day shift, but Ernest Cook, chief of operations for the sheriff's department, said he expects little impact on public parking.
After all, the road patrols are supposed to be out and about, he said.
"We are 100 percent in support of this move," Cook said. "Now we're going to be under one roof, and this will improve management and agency cohesiveness."
It will give the patrol units greater access to information and data sharing available at the jail, Cook said. He added that the department will seek grants to equip vehicles with mobile data terminals -- so reports can be filed from the road.
Department savings
There are 17 people -- and 17 vehicles -- involved in the move, covering three shifts, seven days a week. The deputies take their vehicles home.
There will be an annual savings of about $37,000 in wages and benefits for a custodial post that won't be filled; $16,000 in utilities; and an undetermined amount for insurance, Cook said.
Sheriff's department identification will be removed from the Panther Street building, he said.
The building had been quarters for the Trumbull County Engineer's office until its current quarters on North River Road were dedicated in 1978.
It served as sheriff's headquarters until jail and administrative operations relocated to the new jail in October 1997.
Dilapidated building
Since then, the Panther building has fallen into disrepair. Junk cars sit behind the fence in the parking lot across from Warren G. Harding High School; garages there have holes in the roof.
The idea of sheriff's operations moving out was raised during budget hearings this year with the commissioners, who are looking to trim costs from the 2005 budget.
The sheriff's department is seeking $6 million for the jail and $3 million for the civil division and road patrols. The patrol division is short by seven deputies, sometimes resulting in two deputies covering 400 square miles with a population of 50,000.
Disposition of items at the Panther Street building will be up to county commissioners.