MORE OFFICERS SOUGHT IN VIENNA

VIENNA -- Police Chief David Ovesny said the gap is widening between
the level of service the public expects and his department's
capabilities.

That's why he is offering trustees some solutions on how to make the
department more efficient and make the community safer.

"It all comes down to efficiency. We can't just have good community
policing. We also need investigative capabilities. The grim reality is
that we're only as effective as the cases we clear. What good is
24-hour police coverage if we can't solve the crimes we respond to,"
he said.

Ovesny did an internal assessment of the department as part of his
2006 annual report. He said he did not intend the assessment to be a
criticism of the department or township trustees, but said he felt
obligated to draw attention to the department's shortcomings in an
effort to strengthen it.

He said the department is heading into its third year of providing
24-hour patrols, a move that happened in March 2005, after several
businesses were burglarized when part-time officers were off-duty.

Ovesny said, according to statistics kept by the Trumbull911 Center,
the township's overall crime rate has increased over the past three
years. And although some categories have held steady or decreased in
that time period, some -- including thefts, criminal damaging,
harassment and criminal damaging -- have increased.

The largest increase was in the number of calls for suspicious
vehicles: from 98 in 2004 and 195 in 2005 to 247 in 2006. Ovesny said
that jump is largely the result of the Vienna Neighborhood Watch,
which celebrated its fourth anniversary last month.

Neighborhood Watch President Roseann Kennedy said she thinks the
police department does a good job responding to calls. She also said
her organization has done a good job promoting safety to the community
by encouraging residents to call 911 if they see a suspicious vehicle
or activity.

"It does make a difference to have an officer on the street 24/7,"
she said.

Kennedy said the township has three major highways -- state Routes 11,
82 and 193 -- running through it, with a lot of people travel through
Vienna on their way to somewhere else. She said it is her belief many
of the crimes being committed are by people just passing through, but
she recognizes there is a need for a greater police presence.

"Our township is growing, and I think the police department should
grow with it," she said.

Ovesny said the department's only full-time officer is Brian Darbey
and he works during the day. He said Darbey spends most of his time
responding to 911 calls, leaving little time for evidence gathering or
investigative follow-up.

"When the priority is 911 calls, we can't focus on other stuff," he
said.

His solution is to hire an additional full-time officer for patrol
duties and reassign Darbey to investigations and follow-up. He said
Darbey also will become the department's Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (DARE) officer if the township's grant is approved.

Ovesny said there are 12 active part-time officers, but most of them
have full-time jobs with other departments, which makes scheduling a
challenge. In addition, many officers use Vienna as a training ground
for other jobs, which Ovesny said does not provide enough consistency
to make the part-time officers effective.

"We lose officers to full-time departments all the time. I don't
mind, and I am happy they move on, but then I have to start from
scratch training new ones. It's hard to maintain department stability
that way," he said.

Ovesny said replacing Darbey with a part-time or full-time officer on
day shift and assigning Darbey to investigations and the DARE program
would cost approximately $23,000 with salary and benefits. He said if
the township gets the DARE grant to help pay for Darbey's salary, and
the Mathews Local School District also contributes to the cost, the
allocated funds could pay for another officer.

He said two other options exist: creating a police district through a
merger with a neighboring department such as Liberty or Brookfield, or
disbanding the Vienna Police Department and contracting with the
Trumbull County Sheriff's Office for patrols.

Ovesny said creating a special police district would require a
feasibility study to determine the costs, benefits and drawbacks.

Trustees Heidi Brown and Phil Pegg said they are working on the
staffing issues and plan to start the DARE program in the fall as long
as the grant is approved. Brown said the township also is considering
arming officers with Tasers to provide them with a non-lethal weapon
for increased safety.

She said if Vienna gets the DARE grant, it would provide $16,000 for a
full-time officer and $8,000 for a part-time one. She said the school
district would contribute some funds as well, and trustees also would
seek funds from Fowler since Neal Middle School is located there.

Brown said trustees don't really have a Plan B if the DARE funding
falls through, but said Ovesny's latter two options have not even been
discussed.

Ovesny said whatever the solution is, he knows nothing will happen
overnight.

"I am not trying to create animosity with the trustees. I am just
trying to give them my assessment so they know what direction to take.
If I don't put this information out there, it's my fault if nothing is
done," he said. "Saving money can't come second to the safety of my
officers and the community."