Clarification about budget request

LPD offers clarification about last week's budget request.

After seeing an editorial in Sunday's Lima News "Really, Lima needs all of that?", we would like to offer some clarifications about the 5 police officer positions that Chief Kevin Martin requested for 2014.

Of the 5 positions that were requested, 4 were for positions that became vacant in 2013 through attrition.  The 5th position is the position that is partially funded through the grant that is providing a school resource officer.  No funds for that position will be taken from the general fund.

The LPD is not asking for any additional positions that were not already in place in 2013.  The exception to that is the school resource officer position which is being funded by a $125,000 Community Oriented Policing grant which will pay for 75% of the officer's salary for the duration of the 3 year grant.  The remaining 25% will be picked up by Lima City Schools.