Police position remains empty

SALINEVILLE - The non-replacement of a departing police officer caused some friction Tuesday evening between the mayor, village council and the police department.

Words were exchanged during the village council meeting after Mayor Mary Smith decided not to immediately hire a replacement for Officer Christopher Bruno, who resigned from the department this week.

"We tried to hire another officer, but the mayor put the kibosh on that as usual," Councilman Brian Zaverl said.

Smith said she was unaware there was an opening at the time until four days prior to the meeting when fiscal officer Patti Gibson texted Smith regarding an application received for a police officer's position. Smith also explained that she was trying not to violate an ordinance which designates how many officers are to be hired.

"First question I had was 'Do we have room on the roster?' You cannot exceed that ordinance, or you're in violation of breaking your own law," Smith said. "Second thing is we have had financial difficulties for years in the village. I do not know where we are financially in the police department. We have a budget we have to stick with. Every week, or quite often, the police department is getting overtime, and I do not see that."

One major concern among council and the police department was a $9,000 grant Police Chief Andy Straley received earlier this month, which would help add another officer to the force.

According to the conditions of the grant, if an officer was not hired by March 1, the village would lose out on the grant. Smith's decision, however, stood which disappointed the council and Straley.

"He worked and got us a grant," council president Sally Keating said. "If we don't get this guy hired, then we're going to lose that grant."

"The police chief told her that we have to get somebody in there or we'll have to pay a penalty," Zaverl said. "It didn't seem to phase her."

Smith said that at the Feb. 2 meeting when the grant was handed to the fiscal officer, she asked Straley if there were any conditions to the grant and was told no.

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Police position remains empty