Oh no!! Here we go again with the sky is falling if law enforcement has to take cuts. According to the police to crime and population ratios that were posted during the APD layoffs, there is no evidence that if the sheriff's department makes cuts, that the crime will go up. they always play off of people's fear and use scare tactics.
Why is it that everyone else in America has to tighten their belts when times are hard, but ALL government agencies, including police departments think they should stay the same or even increase if possible?

It seems like unions always say that the admnistration or management is top heavy. Generally, people do not exam this assertion and accept it as fact. I would like for the union to make a list of positions that it believes shoud be entirely cut or consolidated with other positions. It would be even better if the union gave reasons for each of their suggested administrative cuts. This would help me to understand exactly what the union means by top heavy.

But President Obama has been saying the recession is over...is he wrong?

Why don't they add booking fees at the jail, not ask for everyone to give up a ton, instead ask for some and then Pry could give a little of the fund. Unions give some, administration gives some, Pry gives some. Seems fair to me escpecially with saved money in the county accounts.

buy a gun, lock your doors....

I hope Russ Pry and his pal Obama are happy that instead of campaign BS of putting "more cops on the street, or boots on the ground" we are getting less. Keep cutting till their is nothing left and then the citizens will toss all you liars so far out of office that you will never show your face around summit county again. Maybe all of you can work in the animal shelter. Oh yea, that "position" is full. Democrats in summit county means fun for all.

I'm not sure if they're top heavy, but they certain have enough on their administration who have retired (collecting a pension) and have been re-hired to earn towards another pension. Why not trim the fat of those to make way for newer staff who make much less and at a younger age, use the insurance less, costing everyone less?

If the sheriff says he has no more administrative positions than previous sheriffs, maybe it's time to evaluate how many are truly needed. Show some good faith to the unions that you are willing to make concessions as well and see if there are fiduciary positions that could be eliminated by restructuring, without giving all of them raises using the excuse "they took on other responsibilities"-or won't that permit the standard Summit County practice of hiring of political cronies and family to have enough positions?

There are plenty of ways to trim government fat, but laying people off is not one of them. It will only lead to paying out overtime. How will that cut your costs? Stop being stubborn and work together-including Pry. Shame on you for letting things get to this point!

citizen62- Gee, looks like you have a short memory. Bush was at the helm when our entire economy went in the tank over a year ago. Obama began the year trying to stimulate the economy after years of Bush deregulation...

How about the Deputies take the cut UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: Drew Alexander his Chief Deputies and all other appointed political positions take at least a 15% pay cut and freeze for the duration of the contract, give up 2 weeks paid vacation time, 50% of sick pay and all paid days off. That alone should give back quite a few thousand. Let us see if a very hot place freezes over.

Maybe if they didn't have 21 deputies to storm troop a marijuana garden worth $100 they would have the money when they need. Bunch of cowboys. They are being asked to give up an up coming pay raise of 3% and they cry like babies. Oh yes, they just paid out a little under a million $ for killing an inmate. The sad thing is the community just sits on its hands and tolerate this incompetence.

Well, they'll have to work more.

He said the layoffs would cripple the county's ability to provide police protection.

''It will have a huge impact,'' Quiner said. ''Everything will be run at a bare minimum . . . When you reduce your force like that, crime naturally will go up.''

Tough argument to make since we found out recently that the locks don't even work at the jail and there haven't been any major injuries (at least to deputies).

''When you take a job in law enforcement whether it be a police officer or deputy sheriff . . . you do it because you want to help the community,'' Quiner added. ''You don't do it to get rich.''

No but how many people who don't need a college education can START at $50,000 for eight hours of work a day? In this economy that is a tough argument to make to those of us directly affected by job loss.

To IT: Great point. Leadership starts at the top. Won't happen.

These are the same jokers that want to take over the Akron PD???? Maybe it should be the other way around.

Todd65--Arnoldsburg WV?? Take care of Barney and his bullet. Alexander will handle his department.

GOOD RIDDANCE!

I smell a Levy coming.....

"No but how many people who don't need a college education can START at $50,000 for eight hours of work a day? In this economy that is a tough argument to make to those of us directly affected by job loss."

fine you go put your life on the line everyday with little or no respect for $50,000 a year then we will talk. until your opinion means nothing.

It's tiresome, at times, to read some of the lame comments made here, regarding how the safety forces have to tighten their belts just like evryone else in these economic times.

While in a sense I would agree in theory, to that assessment, I wonder what makes these economic giants think that crime tightens it's belt in a tough economy.

Some things we need, no matter what state everyone elses economic conditions are. Safety forces are one of those.

Thank you City of Green voters for passing the renewal levy. There is still a budget short-fall, so we'll see how Superintendent Nutter and the Board resolve it. The City of Green received $250,000 from the stimilus and can use it however they like. Mayor Norton wants to use that money to build a Veteran's Memorial in Green. I am in favor of honoring and supporting our Veterans, but Mayor Norton may have a hidden agenda with wanting this Memorial now. Mayor Norton will not make any decisions that are considered controversial because it would hurt his chances for re-election and all of his decisions are based on getting himself re-elected. The City of Green has the $250,000 stimulus money now and the Green Local School District needs that $250,000 NOW. Mayor Norton could organize a Veterans Memorial committee and that committee would be responsible for raising the funds necessary to build a Veteran's Memorial. Mayor Norton wants to take credit for actually doing something before the next Mayor's election. It is mind baffling that Mayor Norton (along with the City of Green Administration) is fully aware that Green Schools NEEDS that $250,000 and isn't giving it up to the schools. This clearly shows his hidden agenda and his lack of supporting Green Local Schools. Mayor Norton's term is up in 2012, you can see his profile needs something added to the year 2010 www.cityofgreen.org. Mayor Norton also hired Valerie Wolford, Communications Coordinator, to "handle" press releases and a newsletter for the City. Her press releases and newsletters have numerous grammar errors and misspelled names. Ms. Wolford has been paid over $80k so far for doing virtually nothing. Her duties were effectively handled previously by current staff and it didn't cost the City anything additional!
If you are as outraged with Mayor Norton's hidden agenda, please email him at mayor@cityofgreen.org or call him at 330-896-6601 and voice your outrage!

Alexander created positions for his buddies from the APD. They are retired and then hired at the Sheriff's dept making more than two deputies put together and nobody knows what these guys do. You never see them actually working. Get rid of the double dippers before getting rid of the actual workers.

See yu!

Oh dear. Laid off deputies! What will all the bars and lounges do? They will lose some of their very best customers.

@MaD I bet you one of the people that said Bush was not doing his job when the twin towers were attacked. He had only been on the job nine months but you blamed Bush.. instead of Clinton.. Now the shoe is on the other foot.. and you STILL blame Bush.. Sorry that line no longer flies..

From here on out its all Obama and his minions.. and Virginia and New Jersey has already spoken!!

The APD took the concessions and they are still going to lay off those cops in January. The same thing with the Deputies. Take the concessions but you will still lose the 45 deputies in January.

@GEORGEUS,I resided in that fine city of yours for more than 25 years, then I was smart enough to leave your police state.
Real intelligent comment about Barney, but it sounds to me like you have Barney (Alexander) running your sheriff's department, that's why there is going to be lay-offs.
It's nice to live in a community where we don't need 400 police officers and 300 sheriff deputies, so don't be jealous, just move.

As I stated earlier, this is all scare tactics,trying to operate off of people's fear. To hear the departments talk, they put their life on the line on a daily basis,BULL. When you compare law enforcement to other occupations the fatality rate is a lot higher in a lot of other occupation, yet you don't hear them throwing it up to everyone.
If you don't like being a cop, then quit and get you a job at Walmart as a security guard.

@Todd65

What APD layoffs?

They need to get First Energy to pony up some dollars like they did for Akron.

i know this sucks, but then cut them.

Thats what would happen in corporate america.

tired of cops getting special treatment all the time.

Watching in Summit County - Serving as a an officer is a privilege. If you don't accept that and the risks involved, then do something else (if you can). Let's admit it, being a police officer is a pretty easy job - especially if you have no skills to offer industry.

farwest side-Given your logic, Bush was responsible for the twin towers as what Obama and his minions inherited...Lets talk about the Democrats in Albany!

Cut more if needed..we are over policed as it is. They dont really stop crime. They collect revenue for the state via traffic stops and seizure of private property. We have become over policed...too many cops...too many laws... I wonder if there is anyone out there who feels the same way I do. We are becoming the exact opposite of what our country's founders intended. Over taxed...over policed...over regulated. Our legislators bow to the fears of the little old lady voter block. I am disgusted.

Hey Drew - I've got a concept for you. If you want to save some cash - how about you stop screwing with Deputies that you don't personally like, but do their jobs. This way, they won't have sue to get their jobs back, and you won't have to pay the Deputies attorney fees (and you won't have to worry about potentially having to pay any additional damages either). That should save you some cash there. Plus - then you can spend the time on other things - maybe you can take up knitting. I'm sure that might even help you relax some. Or, better yet, take out your petty anger on people who actually deserve it.

I know - it's kind of a radical idea - but take some time and think it over...

Here we go again. Unions vs. management. We're not taking concessions until the managements cuts the fat.

Crime will be rampant if we have layoffs.

Just because the economy is down, doesn't mean crime is down.

Face it, times are tough and everybody needs to make some cuts. There isn't money to pay the current contracts for the number of employees they have. The people (taxpayers) are not just an endless pool of money.

Finally, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OBAMA OR BUSH, SO ALL OF YOU WITH AN AXE TO GRIND NEED TO GIVE IT UP.

In response to police state. We have become over taxed and over policed. I do not dispute the fact that having a visible police presence deters crime, but when they start violating the rights of the common individual, it has gone too far. BIG BROTHER is watching you. As I see it, yes the sheriffs, deputies, and police officers have a difficult and emotionally stressful job, however the problem is that our gov't, lawyers, and the judicial system have turned law enforcement into an income generating enterprise. I once heard a venerable Barberton judge tell an attorney " I love DUI's. Without them neither you nor I, nor my bailiff or my secretaries would have a job...we'd all be out of work." Until we take the economic incentive out of police work and the judicial system in general we can never have true jurisprudence. In other words, as long as lawyers receive huge fees for inane judgements, as long as officers get kickbacks and incentives for the # of DUI's and speeding tickets they write, and as long as judges hold financial interests in DUI offender programs such as the Oriana House the law will never be fair to the ordinary citizen. Economic incentive and law enforcement/prosecution are not complementary bedfellows...but our entire system in the USA is dominated by it. It needs to STOP!

Don't even want to argue over any of this.Have at it!

GO ahead, cut them loose.

The problem is Drew has got away from what the county is supposed to do. 1.) provide court security 2.) Run the jail. That is what they are supposed to worry about. They have got to involved in patrol. Stick with what you Are supposed to be doing.

Unions? that's pretty much socialism. Break them now. Its unAmerican.

Sorry MAD, my bad. The campaign promise about more law enforcement started with CLINTON (100,000 cops) and then went on to his young one, Obama (another promise of 100,000 cops).

Beachman you are so right..its a business..just like all the union and management arguments on here...they dont talk about the real issues...just how to keep their business going and all the stupid internal politics of the business...nothing about constitutional freedoms...violations of our countries citizens..We are becoming a really scary nation. Cut the police....repeal laws..bring back our freedoms...lets talk about the prison system..how much money could we save if we did not lock up so many harmless people? Ohhh no cant do that gotta have jobs for the police...gaurds..counselors...nurses...wardens.....probation officers..parole officers....Keep em in the system keep making money. WE DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR UNIONS OR MANAGEMENT ISSUES You do! YOU WORK FOR US.....SOCIETY...YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT

P.S. Cops dont stop crime no matter how many are on streets...good parenting..good environments do.

I say fire them all and see if they can go without breaking the law

Oh money is needed again or it this another dumb threat? Try cutting back on the coming holiday events, and the county would be okay!!!

Let me gets this straight: The Sheriff has several assistant sheriffs earning a pension (probably cronies from APD) plus being paid a top-dollar administrative salary from the county? Now the sheriff and the county are asking deputies who risk their lives in a job many people couldn't stomach, to take a pay cut, furlough days that amounts to four weeks of pay, sick time, uniform money and other concessions? I see why the deputies union is telling the sheriff to shove it. That's got to be about a 10 percent pay cut. Get real people.

How about they just lay off the fat guys?

The anti-police comments on here make me sad. I didn't know it was possibly cram this much ignorance on one comment board outside of 4chan. Anyway, what no one is really pointing at is the $25 million rainy day fund. We all keep hearing about what a horrible economy this is. Now you're going to lay off deputies. Could we classify this as a rainy day? Or is that too much to ask, because it was really earmarked for a pet project?

When they layoff these 45 deputies from the jail, where do you think they will get their replacements to fill these shifts? They are going to take deputies off the street. They are going to pull people who monitor sex offenders in Summit County. They are going to pull people from drug investigation units. The people of Summit County will suffer, while Drew Alexanders friends who are already raking in retirement from apd can have a second income. Contact Russ Pry and ask him why that is happening.

I'm with you starrman.

Big Top Tommy & starrman get whats going on think about it people. Drew's cronies do jobs & rake in big bucks that could be done by officers that are actually part of Summit County Sheriffs Office.Instead of demoting captains ,lieutenants & sergeants why not let them do the jobs and do away with the "GOOD-OLE-BUDDY" system.

"officers get kickbacks and incentives for the # of DUI's and speeding tickets they write"

Do you have proof of this? How much?
I'd like to see the facts.

''I don't want one kid walking out the door with a pink slip,'' he said.

But he'll help them right out the door as long as his buddies have their jobs.

citizen62-Clinton followed through, Bush made cuts! What is your source (link) in Obama promising 100,000 more cops?

Wayne County Commissioners; refusing; to demand; every corporation, farmer, business, outsourcer sweatshop, and nonprofit, tax-exempt, organization and Church; markets the cost; in the wholesale and retail price of his or her product and service; Of Sheriff deputies; and every workers, consumers, and taxpayers living (including pension and health care); enabling parents to love, nurse, nurture, discipline, protect, and provide for every child (job) they conceive; and fund schools, infrastructure, national security, government services, and etc.; with money derived from wages or independent business profit.
This defiance; of demands; of Natural Law: what Mother Nature, God, or Whatever Power decreed to be the reality of the real world, God, democracy, capitalism, the US Constitution, and free, fair, and affordable commerce.
Demanding every corporation, farmer, business, outsourcer sweatshop, and nonprofit, tax-exempt, organization and Church; markets the cost; in the wholesale and retail price of his or her product and service; Of every workers, consumers, and taxpayers living (including pension and health care); enabling parents to love, nurse, nurture, discipline, protect, and provide for every child (job) they conceive; and fund schools, infrastructure, national security, government services, and etc.; with money derived from wages or independent business profit.
Demands; EVERY; resident of Wayne County; defend THEMSELVES; from criminals; and Terrorists; however; they can!

All I know is that we are lucky to have the high level of service that is provided by the Sheriffs Department. As a resident of Green, I have watched my children go through safety city, I see the D.A.R.E. Deputies in our schools and the Sheriffs Drug Unit is one of the most active in the nation. I hope that the union can find a way to get through this difficult economic time without sacrificing the valuable services that some residents take for granted.

I love the geniuses who think that cops get kickbacks and bonuses for tickets...... probably could never be a cop so let's insult them and degrade them.

All these allegations about padding the payroll with cronies, double dipping, bonuses for writing tickets, and the like need to be substantiated with names, dates, times, and other forms of hard evidence. All the those who are accused are public employees on the public dime - they have not privacy rights. Without evidence, all these accusations amount to doodledy squat.

Hey, don't be down on Drew. He said he's not replacing Givens. Boy what a savings that will be. We'll have one less Assisant Sheriff standing in the mezzanine smoking three quarters of the day. Great savings to the County.

sheila- I think you know something more than the rest!

Todd65
Oh no!! Here we go again with the sky is falling if law enforcement has to take cuts. According to the police to crime and population ratios that were posted during the APD layoffs, there is no evidence that if the sheriff's department makes cuts, that the crime will go up. they always play off of people's fear and use scare tactics.
Why is it that everyone else in America has to tighten their belts when times are hard, but ALL government agencies, including police departments think they should stay the same or even increase if possible?

TODD65..... LETS THINK A LITTLE BEFORE YOU TYPE. YOU THINK ITS OK TO CUT POLICE, FIRE, EMS (GOVERNMENT AGENCIES) WHO DO YOU THINK YOU OR YOUR FAMILY IS GOING TO CALL WHEN YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, OR YOUR WIFE AND KIDS ARE IN A TRAFFIC CRASH, OR SOMEONE BREAKS INTO YOUR PARENTS HOUSE WHILE THEY ARE SLEEPING. MMMMMM.... LETS CUT OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SO IT TAKES JUST A FEW EXTRA MINS FOR THEM TO GET THERE, BECAUSE OF FIRE STATIONS THEY HAD TO CLOSE, OR THE FEW EXTRA POLICE OFFICERS THEY HAD TO CUT THAT WERE ON THE ROAD. DO ME A FAVOR AND KICK YOURSELF IN THE A**. THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE.

PAYIN OVERTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOTS!!!!!!!

Layoffs, do more with less, move manufacturing off shore, broken promises that is the change I see.

Having family members in both the APD and the sheriffs office, I can proudly say I am glad I no longer live there. You have no respect for the job they do and the sacrifice they and the families make to protect and serve. Yes, there are a few bad apples, but you will find them in all walks of life. I see the area and the state dying, never to recover from their terminal illness. All of you have a choice, you need to pick wisely.

'how about they just layoff the fatguys'.

Ideally, they would use this chance to get rid of low-performers, power-hungry types, cops that are breaking rules, or people that shouldnt be cops in the first place.

However, the union will ensure that doesnt happen by protecting those people. The union will instead ensure that promising young cops (with low service) are cut vs. low-performing higher years-service officers.

Police unions suck period.

Zero sympathy for the cowards who jump on here and attack individuals because they have some personal beef (probably related to their own sub-par performance). If these yella-belly gripers were in the private sector and spouting off like this, they would be gone, gone, gone. So who says the unions are worthless.

I agree with you Minna Wade. They all whine on here like there is currently some huge shortage of police in Akron. News FLASH, if these people ever left THE HEART OF IT ALL, they would relize they have just as many, if not more police than other areas of the country. If you are cowards and want to live in a police state, have at it, but I don't.

@NORTH HILLBILLY,you are assuming fire departments, EMS,etc,. The article is about the over staffed sheriff's department. i never mentioned fire, EMS or other. I did mention other government agencies though, but I didn't mean fire.

TODD65......

ALREADY AKRON FIRE HAS LAID OFF 41 FIREFIGHTERS. AND AKRON POLICE SAVED JOBS TILL THE END OF THE YEAR. THIS IS ALL PART OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 45 DEPUTIES IS ONE FULL SHIFT AT THE JAIL. THIS MEANS CLOSING DOWN PART OF THE JAIL. WITH MEANS MORE CRIMINALS ON THE STREET.
PLUS ALL THE OTHER POLICE AND FIRE DEPTS IN SUMMIT COUNTY THAT ARE PASSING OUT PINK SLIPS. ITS ALL A SNOWBALL EFFECT. NOT JUST SUMMIT COUNTY EITHER.

NORTH HILLBILLY- I understand your point, no need for all the caps though. LOL. I am probably more informed on this matter than you know, though.

I have a relative that is president of one of the unions that represent the city workers,so I'm aware of what's going on in Akron. This is not just an Akron or Ohio problem though, it's everywhere in America. We are still in a recession, regardless what the politicians and experts say and we're quickly headed for a depression, so, there will be more cuts everywhere, get used to it.

I was just trying to make the point that more cops on the street does not mean less crime. In the vast majority of cases cops respond to crime after the fact, they do not prevent or deter it, therefore having more cops doesn't prevent crime from happening. I suppose you think if they had more cops in Florida or Texas, that would've prevented those tragic crimes.