LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Safe and livable neighborhoods remain a top priority for Lima residents and the city administration acknowledges this and is making a significant investment in providing those.
Today(1/16/24), Mayor Sharetta Smith along with Lima Police Chief Angel Cortes and representatives of the police department and city administration announced the agreement of a new competitive contract with the police department's FOP Blue Unit. This unit includes patrol officers, detectives, correction officers, and communication operators. The city will be investing approximately $560,000 in salaries and wages this year with the new contract that gives a $3 per hour increase this year and a 3% increase for each year of the contract.
"Negotiations between us and the city was very cordial, very open, and we believe we worked out the best for both worlds for the city as well as for the police department," commented Matt Boss, Lima Police Detective FOP Blue Unit.
The contract also raised the starting salary for an officer to $29.28 per hour. Both the mayor and police chief believe this will make them competitive to attract and retain new officers. This along with special teams such as the SWAT, canine, and the developing drone units are enticing for a career in law enforcement.
"This is important because we need officers to patrol the streets of the city of Lima. We want good qualified patrol officers. We will never reduce our standards just to put people on the street. We just want to attract the best and keep what we have because right now the officers that we have at the Lima Police Department are among the best in the state of Ohio," explained Chief Angel Cortes, Lima Police Department.
"Over the last two years we've done several things to help with the nationwide officer shortage which was increasing the age of police officers, going to national testing, we've also been consistently involved in a conversation with the civil service board to do lateral hires, but we're most proud of what we announced today is the ability to negotiate a competitive contract with our FOP Blue Unit," stated Mayor Sharetta Smith, City of Lima.
With the wage increases, Chief Cortes says we are the top-paying municipality of our size. The department is currently at 70 officers and has a budgeted strength ordinance of 86. You can see the requirements and applications to apply to be a Lima Police Officer on the City of Lima's website at https://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/168/Police-Department.
You can read the press release from the City of Lima by clicking here.
