The Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A judge Friday rejected a police union’s attempt to get a court order restoring jobs of 250 Cleveland police officers who were laid off as of Monday.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard McMonagle made the ruling after three days of testimony.
Police Chief Ed Lohn testified that he expressed concern to Mayor Jane Campbell about the city’s ability to handle more than 100 police layoffs. He said the mayor’s administration was considering cutting between 300 and 450 police jobs.
But Lohn also said the city’s final job-cut figure will still allow the department to provide an “adequate” level of service.
The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association sought to convince McMonagle that the police layoffs endanger public safety.
The layoffs are part of the city’s plan to close a $61 million budget gap by cutting jobs for more than 700 city workers.
After the police layoffs, which left the police department with about 1,560 officers, the city has about 3.2 officers per 1,000 residents. The national average for cities over 250,000 is 2.9 officers per 1,000 residents, the city contended.