TRUMBULL COUNTY Warren plans to add four new police officers to its department

The candidates must undergo drug screens and psychological exams.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city plans to extend job offers next week to four new police officers.
The plan at first was to hire four officers immediately after an income tax renewal passed last month. But that got pushed back to mid-August -- and now to next week.
Voters passed a 0.5 percent city income tax in the special election, continuing the tax for another three years. The tax generates about $4.6 million annually for the police and fire departments.
"We have four candidates and they have to undergo drug screenings and psychological testing," said Mayor Michael J. O'Brien. "A letter of employment will go out next week."
When the new recruits begin working for the city depends on their individual employment situations. Some may have to give two weeks' notice to a current employer, the mayor said.
Ten hirings planned
In promoting tax passage, O'Brien pledged to hire the first four officers immediately with another six coming on board within six weeks. Hiring 10 officers would bring the department to 84 officers including the chief.
That was the target when the tax initially passed in 2001, but because of lower-than-expected income tax receipts, that number wasn't reached.
That goal got pushed back after tax passage when O'Brien said he opted to have the candidates undergo polygraph tests again. The initial plan was to conduct the drug screens concurrently with the polygraphs, but O'Brien said the administration and police department opted to do the drug screens after the four were selected. The drug screen takes two days.
The civil service list includes 40 candidates.
Tax collections down
Income tax collections are down more than $600,000 this year due to business downsizings, mergers and closings, and O'Brien has acknowledged that belt-tightening will be required to keep the new officers working once they're hired.
He has pointed to negotiating preferred-provider plans for employee unions and reducing the number of higher-ranking officers in the police department through attrition as some cost-cutting measures he hopes to pursue.
denise_dick@vindy.com