Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis has told township officials he has to cut 35 of the 76 deputies assigned to road patrols because of budget problems.
The largest cutback comes in Green Township where 12 of the 15 deputies won't be funded in the future.
"In my entire career I've never been in such a difficult position," Leis told township officials at his Patrol Headquarters in New Burlington Tuesday afternoon.
Leis promised officials that sheriff's department resources will continue to be available such as criminal investigation, traffic reconstruction, the bomb squad, and the computer crimes task force.
Commissioners have promised to revisit the funding issue in July and Leis vowed he will not drop the ball in trying to find additional funding. That includes trying to get a share of money likely to come to the county if a credit card fee for traffic tickets is approved on Wednesday.
