POLICE CUTS ARE IN PLACE

Elyria – The Elyria Police Department notified 5 Officers today by phone that they will receive layoff notices.

In a letter released today by Elyria Police Chief Michael Medders he informed his Department the results of a meeting that he and his command staff had with Elyria Safety Service Director Chris Eichenlaub. “The Safety Service Director advised the police department that the 2010 budget was being cut 1.8 million from the General Fund and $250,000.00 from the Police Levy Fund”, Medders wrote. “The total cuts would amount to $ 2,050,000.00 from the police budget for 2010. The amount will include the amount that the police department has already cut from the budget during 2009. The jail amounts to about $1,000,000.00 of the budget cuts.”

With an Officer recently accepting a job offer with the Avon Police Department and with the recent retirement of Captain Robert Hood, the Elyria Police Department is now down to 85 Police Officers. Another Officer will soon be deployed to Afghanistan, which will further reduce the Department’s staffing.

Medders stated that with his retirement the staffing level will be at 83.

Medders then spelled out the plans that he and his Captains presented to Director Eichenlaub this morning and they are as follows:
Four Supervisor positions will be cut, Two Captains positions will not be filled which will amount to $220,000.00 in savings and Two Sergeants positions should be reduced which will result in about $15,000.00 savings.
There will be a reduction of 5 Patrolmen.

The Officers affected by this were contacted by phone today at 1 p.m.

Medders said that the Police Department does not have any information on how long the layoffs will be in place. “However, it is my understanding that the economy will have to turn around before the officers and civilians can be called back. Please keep the officers in your thoughts during this difficult time. I wish that I had some good news to pass on, however I do not.”

Elyria Police Officer and Police Union President Tom Baracskai said that he is disappointed to see any Officers let go, but understands the situation the City is in at this time. “Obviously I would rather not see any Officers lose their jobs. I am glad to see that the Department has decided to make reductions in the Command Staff (Captains and Sergeants) so that it’s just not the Officers taking the brunt of the cuts.”

One of the Officers cut today just returned to the Department within the last month after serving overseas in the Military for the last year.

Mayor Bill Grace is expected to announce these numbers tonight during a City Council meeting at 7:30.


The Chronicle Telegram will be running a LIVE stream from inside the Council Chambers – log onto their site at 7 p.m. to watch as Mayor Grace explains his plans for the 2010 budget. Chroniclet.com