BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP -- A police manpower dispute that has been brewing for some time appears ready to boil over.
On Monday, the union representing Fairfield Township police issued a statement claiming that the police force lacks sufficient staff and equipment and that township trustees have been slow to correct the problems despite ample funds to fix them.
Township officials harbor concerns about the department, Trustee President Joe McAbee said, declining to elaborate. But he says trustees have been working diligently to solve them.
Mr. McAbee denounced Monday's news release from Fraternal Order of Police Hamilton Lodge 38 (FOP), saying the FOP issued the statement without first making good-faith attempts to resolve the issues.
Mr. McAbee said he was unaware of the FOP statement until a reporter from The Cincinnati Enquirer called to ask him about it.
Attempts to reach Hamilton Police Officer Sam Hopkins, FOP lodge president, were unsuccessful Monday.
An attachment to the FOP statement says citizens are expected to show up at tonight's township trustees meeting to air concerns about police protection. A work session begins at 6 p.m. followed by the trustees' regular meeting at 7 p.m. in the township administration building, 6032 Morris Road.
The FOP statement says that the union has repeatedly requested meetings with trustees and that officers "are becoming increasingly concerned over the lack of action on important issues." Those issues include the trustees' alleged failure to obtain federal grants for more police officers and equipment.
The FOP also says "concerns are being raised over actions of the trustees, comments made by trustees about officers and the department, and discussions of police contracting services." The statement gave no specifics.
Mr. McAbee blames scheduling conflicts for the lack of meetings between trustees and the FOP; he said he thinks FOP leaders might misunderstand provisions of the grants. But he acknowledges "an ongoing controversy" about the township's police staffing and equipment.
In January, trustees admitted they had asked the Butler County sheriff's office for a proposal for services in 1997. But the trustees denied trying to disband the department; they said they gave no response to the sheriff's proposal.
Concerns about police protection arise from the township's attempts to ensure services keep pace with the township's growth, Mr. McAbee said.
With a population of about 15,000, Fairfield Township is one of the fastest-growing townships in the Tristate. It has gained about 1,000 new residents annually during the past several years, Mr. McAbee said.
However, Mr. McAbee said trustees have acted to increase police staffing accordingly. When he first took office 2 1/2 years ago, the department had only one officer working per shift. Now there are two, he said, adding that there are at least two more full-time officers now, bringing the total to eight. There are also six part-timers. "We've made big strides in the past 30 months," he said. "And we're going to continue doing this whether the FOP is involved in it or not."
