Warren accepts police grant

The city is looking at another $2.5 million deficit in 2010.

STAFF report

WARREN — After waiting about seven weeks to think it over, the city administration has officially accepted the $605,331 over three years that was offered by the U.S. Justice Department to hire or retain three police officers.

The grant agreement, signed Friday by Mayor Michael O’Brien, has gone out in the mail.

The administration had to think over whether it could accept the money because of the obligation to pay the salaries of the three officers during the fourth year, said Tim Bowers, Warren police chief.

The city most likely will use the grant to retain three officers rather than bring back any, Bowers said, noting that Auditor David Griffing recently said the city is looking at a $2.5 million deficit for 2010.

Bowers said he thinks it is “very likely” the O’Brien administration will want to cut police department staffing further in 2010 than it did this year.

The department has 61 police officers, including Bowers.

Twenty officers were laid off Jan. 1, along with 11 firefighters (plus four whose vacancies were not filled) and nine other city employees to offset a $1.2 million deficit.

The city cut another $1 million in expenses for the second half of 2009 by reducing pay and benefits to the remaining city workers. Griffing said those same cuts will be needed throughout 2010 plus another $500,000 in order to balance the books.

The U.S. Justice Department Office of Community Oriented Policing Services — COPS — Hiring Recovery Program provides funding to hire additional officers, bring back laid-off officers or prevent the layoff of officers.

The money will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for officers hired under the program for three years. All police departments receiving the grants then will be required to retain the grant-funded positions for a fourth year.

Bowers said he doesn’t know how soon the city will be able to start receiving the grant money.