WARREN — Lengthy discussions unfolded during a Warren City Council caucus meeting Wednesday about the potential addition of an intelligence analyst position within the Warren Police Department.

Council announced that further discussion on the measure would be shelved as the issue will be brought up again at a 4 p.m. Jan. 29 committee meeting.

The proposal, which police say will enhance the department’s ability to process and analyze crime data, prompted concerns from council members Helen Rucker, D-at-Large, and Todd Johnson, I-1st Ward, regarding operational and budgetary implications.

Councilman Michael O’Brien, D-at-Large, described the setup of the new position within the police department as “a civilian role, distinct from uniformed positions, designed to support the detective bureau primarily through data-driven analysis.”

The proposed full-time civilian analyst position would come with a salary of approximately $30 an hour.

Warren Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert supported the initiative, linking recent successes in crime solving directly to advancements in technology funded by council through American Rescue Plan funds.

“They (police) have gotten prosecutions on all six of the homicides that we had, and that is from the technologies of which you were providing,” Colbert said.

Warren police Chief Eric Merkel and Detective Michael Altiere provided in-depth details on the envisioned role of the intelligence analyst, sharing with council how this position could transform the department’s approach to crime analysis and prevention.

“We initiated this when we identified who this role would primarily support, making full use of the tools and software purchased with ARP funds. We’ve begun to gather substantial data and have started working with federal agencies. For instance, we can trace a shell casing from a crime scene to discover its involvement in 13 different shootings,” Merkel said.

Altiere discussed the anticipated benefit of the intelligence analyst on the department’s operations. He stated, “It’s kind of the next step. All the technology you’ve (council) supported and invested in over the past few years has initially helped us in a reactive case support manner.”

He highlighted the significant improvement in their operations, noting, “For instance, the solvability rate for homicides before this technology was available and now, we’re at almost 100% solvability rate with convictions for 2024.”

Altiere further elaborated on the role’s proactive potential saying, “For example, when we begin to see a pattern in shootings or other crimes like burglaries, this role will allow us to identify and analyze small bits of information from each incident.” He concluded by emphasizing the benefits of turning data into preventive measures, “We can then develop this information into actionable intelligence, helping our officers prevent these crimes before they happen again.”

Rucker expressed concerns about the need for a full-time position, questioning the cost-effectiveness and necessity given the already noted successes with current technology. She suggested exploring alternative approaches that could include part-time or consultant roles instead of adding a permanent position.

The discussion also touched upon the administrative and budgetary implications of creating a new full-time role within the police department.

Rucker, in particular, was wary of potential changes to the authorized strength of the department’s staff, a term that refers to the maximum number of employees the department is permitted to have.

She stressed the importance of transparency and adherence to proper legislative processes when making such structural changes. “If we’re changing, if we’re at max and we’re increasing authorized strength, it has to be in this piece of legislation,” Rucker said.

Johnson added to the conversation by questioning the funding and future needs for such a position. “Are you saying that funding these new technologies necessitated the need to maximize, essentially, the new tools that you have at your disposal now?”

Colbert responded to both Rucker and Johnson, clarifying the funding and purpose of the role. “We wouldn’t be coming to you if it wasn’t something that we could not afford,” Colbert assured them, and addressed the issue of staffing levels, stating, “This is a civilian position to basically make what our uniform guys are doing more efficient so they can focus on more critical tasks.”