YOUNGSTOWN — In a move prompted by a state retirement program policy, police Chief Carl Davis left his job but was subsequently rehired.

Davis officially retired as chief on May 5, and Mayor Jamael Tito Brown rehired him two days later for the job.

“It’s a retire-rehire,” Davis said. “I’m extremely grateful the mayor allowed me to continue serving the people of Youngstown as police chief.”

The retirement decision was made so Davis, a Youngstown officer since Sept. 4, 1986, could collect his state pension as well as a lump sum payment from the Deferred Retirement Option Plan.

Under DROP, a participating officer has to retire within eight years of joining the plan or lose all of the accumulated money, according to the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund.

Davis, who makes $98,530 annually in salary, will receive about $65,000 annually in pension, according to a benefit calculator on the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund’s website. His DROP payment would be about $400,000, according to the DROP calculator on the same website.

Davis declined to discuss his retirement payments, but said, “It’s not the money. I thank God for the money, but I enjoy doing what I’m doing. I truly enjoy this.”

Asked about when he would stop being police chief, Davis said, “Until God tells me I can’t do it.”

Brown said of Davis, “He’s doing a great job. We’re headed in the right direction. He’s hitting all of the marks that I want to see as chief.”

In addition to his state pension, the city’s board of control will vote today to give Davis a $45,440.77 severance package, with most of the money for unused sick time, paid at 35 percent of his hourly rate, and for unused vacation time.

City council passed legislation in December 1984 that allows employees to be paid for money owed them for unused time as well as 35 percent of their unused sick time.

Brown appointed Davis as police chief on Jan. 15, 2021. Prior to that, Davis, who has nearly 37 years on the city force, served as a detective sergeant since 1990.

Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward and a retired Youngstown police chief, said all the money that Davis is “going to receive is earned income and well deserved.”

Hughes retired in September 2011 after 34 years as a Youngstown police officer, including five as chief. Hughes had to retire as Youngstown police chief because of his participation in the DROP program.

Davis replaced Robin Lees, who was fired in early January 2021 as police chief by Brown when the mayor decided he wanted to take the department in a different direction.

Lees, who also participated in the DROP program, previously had retired from the department when then-Mayor John A. McNally hired him as police chief in January 2014.

Lees is the deputy director of the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency, a position he’s held since September 2021.