Issue 5: Greater law enforcement presence for Springfield Township?
A tense at times public meeting was held Tuesday to discuss the levy, which would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $147 per year.
TOLEDO, Ohio — It is widely agreed on that a stronger law enforcement presence is needed in Springfield Township, but will it be accomplished?
That was the question voters had to decide for themselves during a public meeting Tuesday evening at Stone Oak Country Club. It allowed residents to ask questions, and county officials to hopefully provide them with answers.
Issue 5 will be on the ballot for township residents to decide whether or not their community will enter into a contract with the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office. That contract would allow for an expanded police presence in Springfield, something many agree is needed.
“There are situations where we don’t generally have deputies in the area. There’s just certain areas where there aren’t any at all, most of the time lately, especially the last couple of years,” said Springfield resident John Beatrice.
One part of the multi-pronged proposed solution to the township’s lackluster police presence is deputies on bikes, as well as community policing. One of those ideas, however, some attendees didn’t take kindly to. The concern is that the township’s size and lack of pedestrian-friendly transportation would deem the bike concept ineffective.
Meanwhile, Beatrice believes the county still has more work to do in educating the community on what their plans are.
“Some of the things that I didn’t like was I felt like we could have had a lot more information, because it is a really big issue. It’s a really big ask and there’s a really big need in our township,” he added.
Sheriff Mike Navarre, who was part of the small group representing the county, stressed that the levy needs to pass. He says if it doesn’t, the repercussions won’t immediately be felt, but will, once the current policing services begin to slowly fade.
Any additional concerns over the levy, and how it stacks up in comparison to others in the county, could be addressed at a meeting planned for the near future.
The fate of Issue 5 will be decided May 3rd.
