The City of Beavercreek wants to increase its police force and the May Primary gives residents another chance to decide if they want to make that happen.
Beavercreek has about fifty police officers for the city of nearly 47,000 residents, plus hundreds of businesses. Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone says it’s been nine years since the department last got a boost in funding. “In order to continue the level of service that we have, we need additional funds,” Stone said.
The city’s 1.8 mill property tax increase is on the May 2 ballot. If passed, it would generate about $3 million dollars a year. That would enable the city to hire five new police officers, purchase their gear and maintain other equipment. In addition to the city’s residents, Mayor Stone said officers put in overtime to assist the estimated 23-thousand people who work in the city.
“Seventy-five percent of our calls for police are from people who don’t even live in Beavercreek,” explains Stone. “As we grow with retail and defense officers or whatever type of business growth we do–that increases the workload for the police.”
Last November, residents rejected a proposed police levy. If this levy passes–beginning next year — the owner of a $100,000 house would pay an additional $63 per year, according to the Greene County Auditor’s office.
