CLEARCREEK TOWNSHIP, Ohio — In Clearcreek Township, a looming decision for residents could impact the future of its police department.
One week from Tuesday, residents will head to the polls for the upcoming election. On the ballot will be a 2.25-mill levy for the police department. It's the first time the department has asked residents to approve a levy in 26 years.
It would bring in an extra $3 million a year for the department. Police Chief John Terrill said it would be enough to keep the existing staff and add a couple of officers.
"We just need a little help to get the staffing where it needs to be," Terrill said.
Of course, passing the levy is easier said than done. That's because the levy would increase property taxes for homeowners to generate the funds needed for the department.
Hear how much it would cost Clearcreek Township residents in the video below:
The levy would cost roughly $79 in property taxes per $100,000 in appraised home value.
It comes at a time when many Ohioans are struggling with rising property taxes.
For Terrill, however, the impact of a failed levy would be detrimental for his department.
"Really, where it hits you is manpower," Terrill said.
If the levy fails, Terrill said he would likely have to cut seven officers. That would lead to longer response times and reduce the department’s ability to handle investigations.
"Unfortunately, with people comes crime," Terrill said. "We need to keep up with the crime that's occurring."
Terrill said a recent study of six police departments in Warren County found his department has the lowest annual budget and the fewest officers.
Despite this, he said his officers are still handling more than 1,400 calls per year each. A failed levy, he said, would only increase that workload.
"It took me years to get the police department up to an acceptable level to handle the calls for service," Terrill said. "So, what I would hate to see us do is take that step backward again in some way."
He said he understands it’s never a good time to ask for money, but the cost of the levy is not as significant as the cost of it failing.
"We're not asking for the moon here, we're asking to let us keep what we got," Terrill said.
