Warren police chief: 10 layoffs will cripple detective and street crimes units

August 4, 2016 at 8:19p.m.

WARREN

Warren’s police and fire chiefs painted a bleak picture Thursday of how their departments will operate without a half-percent income tax increase.

They spoke at a Warren City Council finance committee meeting to give the public a second chance to speak on legislation under consideration to put the increase on the November ballot.

Police Chief Eric Merkel said the loss of 10 officers would reduce his detective division to a point of investigating only serious felonies such as murders and gun crimes. The department operates with 57 officers, which is five fewer than it had three years ago, according to Vindicator files.

“We would probably have to close the street crimes unit,” he said of the group he formed after he became chief to combat drug crimes and put the worst criminals “on their heels.”

It would mean losing the youngest officers, who shoulder much of the road-patrol duties, and putting “the more experienced officers on the road.”

Likewise, Fire Chief Ken Nussle said his department has an average age now of 46 or 47, which is “pretty old,” but that would get higher if he lost another 10 of his youngest men.

The department can staff three apparatus now, but that might have to drop to two with 10 fewer people.

But Councilman John Brown challenged the assumption expressed by the chiefs and Safety-Service Director Enzo Cantalamessa that all of the cuts would have to come from the safety forces.

“Out of the 400 people we employ in the city, only police and firemen are subject to layoffs, and that’s the kind of thinking I don’t understand,” Brown said.