FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio — With several failed levies in the past, officers with the Franklin Township Police Department have left the department fearing layoffs.
Franklin Township Trustee John Fleshman said that he was worried that the proposed levy on the Nov. 8 ballot this year wasn’t going to pass.
“It's been tough because is it really going to pass this time?” he said.
This was the fourth time Franklin Township has tried to pass a levy to continue to fund its police department. If the levy didn't pass this year, the police department would have been forced to lay off all but four officers and rely on the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for police protection.
Fortunately, the levy passed and now, the police department has the tough job of trying to return to full staff.
“The passage of the levy was the first step. Without it, there was no going forward. Now we have to begin the process of trying to recruit or bring back officers we can,” said Franklin Township Police Chief Byron Smith.
Because officers feared the levy would fail again, several of them took jobs in other departments. There are currently eight officers in the department, including the chief.
The Franklin Township Police Department is now looking to get back to full staff and have 12 to 13 full-time officers with the addition of six part-time positions.
“Every department in Franklin County is hiring. Most of them are doing lateral transfers. We are in competition with every other department. It is going to be a very hard road to hoe,” Smith explained.
Smith said it's a challenge he accepts to serve the township residents.
“They are going to have protection now. We will be able to provide 24/7 protection,” he said.
With this levy being permanent, the township won't have to go back to voters.
Franklin County Sheriff deputies have assisted the township with protection. Chief Deputy Jim Gilbert said in a statement:
"The men and women of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office Patrol Division over the last several months have stepped up to respond to emergency runs in Franklin Twp. when there was no township officer on duty. We are very thankful that the township residents have passed the police operational levy, so that the township can go back to having their own officers on duty!"