BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN) – The Beavercreek Police Department is asking for help from voters to approve a levy that would provide the funding needed to hire new police officers.
The City of Beavercreek has a 1.8 mill additional property tax levy on the May ballot that would fund five new officers, new equipment and other costs.
“The population has grown, the business has grown, but our police department has not grown,” Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone said.
FBI data suggests the department should have 68 officers, according to information on the levy provided by the city.
The Beavercreek Police Department currently has 50 officers on staff. With five new officers, which would bring the total to 55 officers, it would add one more officer per shift.
“We feel that the 50 have done a great job, but they’re starting to be overworked. So going up to 55 should be more than adequate.”
If passed, the levy would cost $63 per $100,000 appraised property value each year starting in 2024.
Stone said this 1.8 mill police levy is different from the one voters saw on the ballot last November.
This time, the levy is asking for less money and it does not include a new building for the police department.
“This will continue our current funding for the existing police force and also add five new officers and the associated equipment that may go with the officers, but no new building,” Stone said.
Stone said that rising costs due to inflation have caused the police department’s expenses to outpace its revenue. This levy would provide the extra funding to keep the department running.
“Inflation hits all of us, and it is time now that we’ve got to catch up with the police department,” Stone said.
The Beavercreek Police Department gets 92% of their funding from property tax levies, according to the city. It’s been nine years since a police levy passed in Beavercreek.
