Over 200 officers in an Ohio police department have applied for a new retirement incentive program.
The program, which offers 100 Columbus Division of Police members an option to receive a one-time $200,000 buyout, was negotiated as part of last year's contract talks between the city and the police union, WENS-TV reports. Of the department members who applied for the buyout, 175 were officers, 31 sergeants, 11 lieutenants and five commanders.
“The incentive is but one strategy intended to better position the Division of Police for the future. As we recognize the contributions of those retiring, we are also working to aggressively hire hundreds of new officers and are pursuing new strategies to allow for well-trained, experienced officers from other communities to join the ranks of the Columbus Division of Police,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said in a statement.
But the potential loss of officers comes at a time when the department is already understaffed. Last year, the Columbus Division of Police hired 50 officers but lost 140.
“The division is going to have to do something," Keith Ferrell, the president of Columbus' police union, told WENS. "We are already down several hundred officers. I question losing another 100 tenured people and supervisors that are tenured and know how to run this place.”
