Way to Go Chief Gladis!!!
Columbiana officials debate the merits of joining homicide task force
May 17, 2012
COLUMBIANA The city has decided to join the newly formed county
homicide task force, but the benefits of doing so were questioned by one
on council.
Kicking off a lengthy discussion, Councilman Bob Bieshelt questioned whether joining the task force would result in the city police department spending time and money to help other departments he believes are already understaffed.
"What this winds up with is it's going to cost us money, and we are going to get very little in return," he said.
But Police Chief Tim Gladis and others on council disagreed.
"No entity is an island, and I think we'll get help," Gladis countered, adding that overtime costs for officers on the city force during a homicide investigation would exceed any cost through the mutual aid agreement.
The agreement was drafted by county Prosecutor Robert Herron and is for providing investigatory assistance from member departments in the event of a homicide. Departments agree to pay the wages of the investigators who assist under the agreement.
Gladis said that contrary to Bieshelt's belief, the city department is also understaffed and would need the help offered through the task force should a homicide occur.
"When Chase Bank was robbed two officers responded to that. We had nine people come from the FBI and violent crimes task force. Without that help we would have been very overwhelmed quickly and it was not even a homicide," Gladis said.
The department is continuing to look for the suspect, believed to be an older woman, who robbed the bank at gunpoint on March 23.
"Chief, I love the term mutual aid, but we don't know who is going to play this game. We don't know who is going to sign, and if it's one of those places down by the river that has a lot of homicides" it could be a problem, Bieshelt said.
Gladis told council members that wouldn't be the case.
"The entity he is referring to is not going to sign. They feel they have the ability to handle it on their own. We have a number of commitments from the Sheriff's Office and Prosecutor's Office," he said.
Those who have already signed the agreement are County Sheriff Ray Stone and the Village of East Palestine. East Liverpool has opted not to join the task force.
Bieshelt also expressed concern over providing mutual aid to Fairfield Township.
"All (mutual aid) says is we are going to move in to cover that imbalance so that no one else will have to pay tax. We have a very professional police department and we pay for it and the gracious taxpayers," he said.
Gladis said the county sheriff's office is responsible for "making the call" when it comes to Fairfield Township, but Bieshelt argued the sheriff's office is also "well understaffed."
Gladis said he believes all area departments would be considered understaffed in the event of a homicide investigation.
Referring to the yet unsolved death of Michele Dana on Christmas Day in the city two years ago and that of Stacey Sutera earlier this year, he said, "We have a number of homicides here in this county. I believe in mutual aid."
Sutera was killed in Canfield but began being stalked in Columbiana, he said.
Councilman James King agreed with Councilman Bryan Blakeman that joining the task force is like purchasing an insurance policy "if you need it, it's there," he said.
He also said the recent bank robbery shows that bad things sometimes happen in Columbiana and it's good to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
"I never imagined someone would walk into Chase Bank at nine o'clock in the morning and rob it," he said.
Joining the task force was approved by all on council except Bieshelt.
Kicking off a lengthy discussion, Councilman Bob Bieshelt questioned whether joining the task force would result in the city police department spending time and money to help other departments he believes are already understaffed.
"What this winds up with is it's going to cost us money, and we are going to get very little in return," he said.
But Police Chief Tim Gladis and others on council disagreed.
"No entity is an island, and I think we'll get help," Gladis countered, adding that overtime costs for officers on the city force during a homicide investigation would exceed any cost through the mutual aid agreement.
The agreement was drafted by county Prosecutor Robert Herron and is for providing investigatory assistance from member departments in the event of a homicide. Departments agree to pay the wages of the investigators who assist under the agreement.
Gladis said that contrary to Bieshelt's belief, the city department is also understaffed and would need the help offered through the task force should a homicide occur.
"When Chase Bank was robbed two officers responded to that. We had nine people come from the FBI and violent crimes task force. Without that help we would have been very overwhelmed quickly and it was not even a homicide," Gladis said.
The department is continuing to look for the suspect, believed to be an older woman, who robbed the bank at gunpoint on March 23.
"Chief, I love the term mutual aid, but we don't know who is going to play this game. We don't know who is going to sign, and if it's one of those places down by the river that has a lot of homicides" it could be a problem, Bieshelt said.
Gladis told council members that wouldn't be the case.
"The entity he is referring to is not going to sign. They feel they have the ability to handle it on their own. We have a number of commitments from the Sheriff's Office and Prosecutor's Office," he said.
Those who have already signed the agreement are County Sheriff Ray Stone and the Village of East Palestine. East Liverpool has opted not to join the task force.
Bieshelt also expressed concern over providing mutual aid to Fairfield Township.
"All (mutual aid) says is we are going to move in to cover that imbalance so that no one else will have to pay tax. We have a very professional police department and we pay for it and the gracious taxpayers," he said.
Gladis said the county sheriff's office is responsible for "making the call" when it comes to Fairfield Township, but Bieshelt argued the sheriff's office is also "well understaffed."
Gladis said he believes all area departments would be considered understaffed in the event of a homicide investigation.
Referring to the yet unsolved death of Michele Dana on Christmas Day in the city two years ago and that of Stacey Sutera earlier this year, he said, "We have a number of homicides here in this county. I believe in mutual aid."
Sutera was killed in Canfield but began being stalked in Columbiana, he said.
Councilman James King agreed with Councilman Bryan Blakeman that joining the task force is like purchasing an insurance policy "if you need it, it's there," he said.
He also said the recent bank robbery shows that bad things sometimes happen in Columbiana and it's good to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
"I never imagined someone would walk into Chase Bank at nine o'clock in the morning and rob it," he said.
Joining the task force was approved by all on council except Bieshelt.
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