Warren looks to bolster the ranks

‘Lateral transfer’ ordinance will be discussed by council to attract more police

WARREN -- Police departments around the country are facing a sharp decline of police officers for reasons including, but not limited to, fewer applicants, resignations and retirements.

Members of the Warren Police Department and city officials met Tuesday and declared the issue one that requires emergency action to combat.

Police and fire committee members recommended the emergency passage of a "lateral transfer" ordinance to appear on today's city council agenda that establishes a hiring method to attract experienced officers from neighboring departments.

Warren Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert said grant money and money from the general fund balance will be used to help fund the ordinance.

A few months ago, Colbert noted city officials finalized funding for the patrol division that allows the city to pay the salaries of five officers and allows them to receive a 10 percent sign-on bonus of $4,000 in addition to a starting wage of $40,000.

But Colbert said those five officers "will not move the needle." So the city will increase the sign-on bonus by $6,000 for an overall $10,000 bonus.

For rookie officers coming out of the police academy, Colbert explained the cost of their Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, which amounts to $6,000, will be reimbursed for those who join the WPD.

This comes in exchange for the rookie officers signing a three-year contract. If those rookie police officers also accept the $10,000 bonus, Colbert said those officers will be in a six-year agreement to stay with WPD.

Colbert explained that the $10,000 bonus will be available to veteran officers, but will not reimburse them for their past certification achieved from the academy.

So far, eight officers from surrounding departments are in the administrative process of joining WPD. If the ordinance is passed, these officers would then only need to be interviewed.

Police Chief Eric Merkel expressed the department has had a "terrible time" attracting applicants, as the department is down to 57 police officers on staff. He said two officers are heading toward retirement in January. The department is about 15 officers short of the 70 the department says keeps them at "authorized strength."

Merkel said one of the problems is a civil service test that fewer than 20 people have taken each of the past several years.

With retirements and officers leaving for higher pay, Merkel said city officials have to "do something different" to address the shortage.

One of his proposals is to get rid of the civil service test.

In neighboring Niles, the civil service commission no longer will require entry-level patrol officer candidates to go through taking a general knowledge written exam.

Commission chairman Tom Harwood said a new process, including an oral assessment, will take its place, starting with the next exam.

"When we started, there were hundreds and hundreds of people trying to get this job and now, we've got a handful," Merkel said.

Working with the law director, human resources and other city departments, Merkel said they've come up with ideas, including the lateral transfer ordinance, in hopes it alleviates some of the shortages.

The WPD, according to Merkel and police Capt. Robert Massucci, has eight police officers from other area agencies prepared to leave their department in favor of Warren.

Each officer has between one and 20 years worth of experience and Massucci said background checks have been completed, which brings them into the fold quickly.

Merkel said doing away with civil service testing doesn't mean abandoning the testing structure. Instead, the department will use a national testing network that allows officers to test online.

Merkel said online testing is used by about 180 police departments across the state for potential new officers.

"They can take this at their leisure as opposed to leaving the police academy and missing some of their coursework, which they're not allowed to do. And hopefully that gets more people to get online and take it," Merkel said.

Merkel said the move gives the department immediate relief and sets them up for the future.

The plan for the lateral transfer ordinance has been in the works for months and is expected to be discussed at today's council meeting.

Massucci further explained that this helps the new hires be on their own more quickly.

"Normally, when we hire a new officer right out of the academy, he's got a year before he can be in a cruiser by themselves," Massucci said. "But a lot of these officers are very familiar with the area, some are from the township, the county, some have worked in the area or grew up in this area."

He said the ability to get a newly hired officer on the street alone more quickly is a big benefit.

Merkel called the idea a "Band Aid" as they struggle to attract recruits. But by hiring from other departments to fill vacancies, the department can try to come up with a more long-term solution.

Colbert said the idea of "stealing each other's people" is not new, but is "the name of the game."

City Law Director Enzo Cantalamessa addressed how the policy will affect existing officers in the department in regard to seniority.

"However many come on laterally, are, for all intents and purposes, a unit amongst themselves within the police department for purposes of seniority," Cantalamessa said.

He said incoming officers via the lateral process with 20 years of experience will not be given seniority over an existing officer in the department with two or three years experience. The lateral move just allows the transferring officers to keep their pay and benefits.

Council President John Brown posed the question of what happens to police officers who had existing vacations from their previous police department.

Merkel and Massucci explained that officers would be paid out by their agency and start off fresh with their vacation when joining WPD.