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HUBBARD TOWNSHIP — A performance audit of the Hubbard Township Police Department conducted by the Ohio auditor at the request of trustees recommends staffing cuts, changes to union contracts and increasing productivity to keep the department going amid dwindling police funding.

Trustee Rick Hernandez said all of the recommendations in the 51-page report will be considered and the trustees already have begun productive talks with the police union to start looking at some changes.

Although the report details the cost comparison showing what it could cost if the township were to disband its police force and take a three-year contract for police services from the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office, Hernandez said the township is going to concentrate on other options that preserve the local department.

REVENUE

Four levies generating $850,000 annually are the department’s primary funding source.

If the township were to take the deal with the sheriff’s office, it would have to find alternate funding sources, would give up local control of policing, have to disband completely and sell off police equipment, would be unlikely to be able to revive the department and would not know the cost of the service after three years.

According to the audit report, the township in 2019 collected about $2.1 million in revenue, but spent about $2.2 million. The police department is one of the primary drivers in deficit spending in the township of 5,000, the report states.

“The police district fund particularly has seen a reduction in fund balance of more than 75 percent in the past three years,” the report states.

Implementing contract, personnel and vehicle changes could save the township $165,000, the report states.

If the department were to cut one full-time and all part-time employees, it could save $127,000 per year, the report states. At the time of the audit, the department had a chief, detective sergeant, two patrol sergeants, five full-time patrol officers and three part-time patrol officers.

Since the audit, a full-time officer left, a longtime sergeant is considering retirement and the chief announced he is retiring at the end of the year, Hernandez said.

The report states not filling the position of the patrol officer who left satisfies the recommendation of eliminating one full-time position.

“So, we are in a better position today than when the audit was first initiated six months ago,” Hernandez said. “It is bittersweet, because we lost some good full-time officers, but it did free up some money.”

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations that the department use compiled data of patrol activities to decide shift staffing levels, decrease overtime costs and share responsibilities will further help with cost savings, Hernandez said.

At this time, the township is going to keep on its part-time officers, but will consider the move.

“We are looking at this as a very extensive and good guide. I can’t say for sure what we will do, we may need some flexibility,” Hernandez said. “But we are going to make this department lean and mean.”

Talks with the union have been going well, Hernandez said, and part of the plan may include having more senior department members, including the next chief, take on patrol shifts.

With the changes made already, the department is in better shape, but COVID-19 could throw a wrench into the plans.

“We are moving in the right direction to maintain the department. It is a long road, but I think we are starting to see through the clouds. We are currently very tight on payroll. It is very close. We are cautiously optimistic,” Hernandez said. “But, because of COVID-19, we are not sure yet if our second half of property tax is going to come in where we expect it. If there were a lot of people out of work and not paying their taxes, there is a possibility of a hit there. If that is the case, we will have some problems. We will be cutting it close, but I believe it is getting better.”

Talks with the union will include recommendations from the report, including reducing the amount of sick days that can be cashed out at retirement from 60 to 30; reducing paid time off by 40 hours per year; reducing the uniform allowance from $1,150 to to $500 per year; adjusting the way officers are paid more for time when they appear in court; reducing the allowable comp time from 300 hours to the peer average of about 140 hours; and changing the way overtime is calculated to reduce overtime costs.

The recommended changes would bring the department more in line with peer departments, according to the report.

POLICE ACTIVITY

The report also calls for changes in the culture of the department to increase its activity. Although the population of the township has declined, police activity has declined at a higher rate, the report states.

“In just the past five years, the number of reports taken and citations issued have both declined by more than 60 percent and the number of arrests declined by more than 40 percent. During the same time period, dispatch calls to (the department) have declined by only 17 percent,” the report states, adding the township population declined by 11.3 percent between 2000 and 2018.

“This drop-off in law enforcement activities appears related to the expectations of personnel and the management of their activities. Officers have collectively refused to man speed cameras because they are fundamentally opposed to them, while others have stated they will not actively patrol because they are trying to save (the department) money on fuel costs. Police department leadership has been unwilling to enforce these expectations or reprimand officers for their failure to meet them out of a fear of the union filing costly grievances,” the report states.

Hernandez said things were tense and contentious with the union for some time, but everyone is working together, legal confrontations appear to be over and he believes changes for the better are now being made.

rfox@tribtoday.com