The Columbus Dispatch
LONDON, Ohio — The city’s police officers and firefighters have taken their budget lumps without much complaint over the past two years.
Positions went unfilled, raises were forgone and contract negotiations were delayed.
But they collectively decided that 2011 was going to be different. When it looked as if the City Council wasn’t going to budget enough money to allow the police and fire departments to fill existing vacancies, both the chiefs and the rank and file spoke up.
They showed up in full force at a budget hearing two weeks ago to plead their case.
It must have worked, because on Thursday night the council switched course and restored about $130,000 to the budget that will allow one police job and one firefighter’s position to be filled.
Councilman John Dixon said he hopes the gesture will be remembered when the fire department completes its next union contract. Negotiations are under way.
“Safety forces have always been a priority of council, and we wanted to fund them at full strength if we could,” Dixon said. “But this was also an effort to restore some faith, and we hope the unions see that we did what we could.”
Safety-Service Director Steve Hume said the departments are stretched even when at full strength, so filling a position after someone leaves becomes critical.
He said the need has been greatest at the fire department, which must have three people each shift to run the fire engine and two more in the station in case a second piece of equipment is needed on a call.
“Without it, we’re shorting the people of London of adequate protection,” Hume said.
And when the police department is understaffed, it is a safety issue for the officers themselves, Hume said.
“If they must work all the time just to cover the shifts, they get tired, and their ability to be as sharp as they can be is affected,” he said.
The council approved a $4.45 million budget for next year, including nearly $1.8 million for the police department and $917,000 for fire.
Fire Chief Todd Eades said one position might not sound like much, but when a department is bare-bones to begin with, it can make a vital difference.
The fire department had 10 firefighters in 2000 when crews made 367 runs. In 2010, with the same number of firefighters as a decade ago, the department has responded to 690 calls.
The department has no frills. It has no unused equipment, no administrative assistant to help with paperwork, and no code-enforcement or fire-prevention officer. Those duties are handled by on-duty firefighters when they have time.
“We weren’t asking for bells and whistles or making a bunch of demands,” Eades said. “We just want to be able to be efficient, and protect the residents the way they deserve to be protected.”
The extra money restored to the budget will put the police force back up to full strength, with 17 officers and the chief.
That’s still six fewer people than where experts say a city of London’s size should be, but Police Chief David Wiseman said he’s happy to get what he can.
“Everyone we have but two people -- myself and the detective -- are out patrolling the streets already. We have no extras,” Wiseman said. “When you operate like that, one position can make all the difference.”
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