On April 23, Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner released the Toledo Police Department contingency plan, which details how the department will operate following the announced layoffs of 150 police officers.

Mayor Finkbeiner released the following statement: “I do not wish to lay off any member of our Safety Forces or other City personnel that provide service to our citizens. Yet, I must take this action in order to balance a $20 million deficit that is growing by $500,000 each week. However, it is not too late to greatly reduce the announced number of layoffs. To City Council and the members of our Unions: The power is in our hands. I again appeal to you to join with us to reduce the number of layoffs through passing our entire Balanced Budget Plan. The Balanced Budget Plan will balance Toledo’s budget with few layoffs.”

Chief of Staff and Public Safety Director Robert Reinbolt released the following statement: “These announced layoffs can be greatly reduced in number. This administration has put forth a Balanced Budget Plan to City Council requiring reductions in benefits and salaries for all City of Toledo employees, as well as modest revenue enhancements that would avert the staffing changes now required for the Toledo Police Department. City Council has adopted what is commonly known as “The Szollosi Plan,” which calls for layoffs in all departments, with the Police Department being impacted the most due to minimal manning requirements of the Fire Department. This administration has done all it can do to avoid these layoffs. It now rests on the shoulders of Council and our Unions to prevent this from happening.”

Chief of Police Michael Navarre released the following statement: “The loss of 150 officers on May 1 has required a restructuring of the Police Department. Every effort will be made to continue our success in reducing crime as we have done in each of the last three years.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 6:02 pm and is filed under Breaking News, City of Toledo, Community, Exclusively Online, Toledo Business Link.
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