Akron to lay off 49 police officers

AKRON, Ohio - Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic announced on Tuesday that the city will lay off 49 police officials, including 40 officers and 9 supervisors.

The layoffs are the result of a $4 million shortfall in the 2010 budget. Those officers will receive notices this weekend and the layoffs will take effect Sept. 12.

“We have done everything we can up until now not to cut safety forces. We have already cut $6 million from last year’s expenditures… And last year’s expenses were down $9 million from the year before,” Plusquellic said, in a release on Tuesday.

Plusquellic also said he is planning on asking the Akron City Council to consider putting a public safety issue on the November ballot. The issue would allow the city to use one third of money generated by an income tax that is used to rebuild schools.

“The only way that I will ask votes to support this measure is for the FOP to first make the same sacrifices as other employee groups, public and private,” Plusquellic said, in a release.

Akron police officers already made concessions in 2009 to prevent 75 layoffs. The city’s firefighters have already agreed to a three-year contract this year so they will not face any layoffs, according to the city of Akron.