DEFIANCE, OH (Toledo News Now) – The Defiance Police Department is doing its best with very few officers, after several employees left at the beginning of the year.
At the beginning of 2012, the DPD had three officers leave. They moved to other departments, and forced the DPD to adjust how it operates.
For example, one detective was moved to patrol the area, leaving Defiance with a one-person detective bureau.
The city has actually hired two out of the three positions. Officials are currently going through training, but the chief said it is normally at least six months before they are full-fledged officers.
Police Chief Tim Tobias said they are working to hire a third replacement. He said losing three people in a department that already has less than 30 people has a big impact.
"I can't remember being this far down, as far as our manpower, in quite a long time. We generally carry about 27 officers total, and we were down to 23," said Tobias.
Tobias said he cannot give a solid date as to when the new police officers will be out on the streets alone, but is expecting it will be late summer or early autumn.
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