TOLEDO, Ohio — For members of Toledo Police Patrolman's Association Local 10 and Toledo Firefighters Local 92, the last few months have been frustrating.
"I would be 100% able to say that every one of my members is frustrated," said Local 10 president Michael Haynes.
Haynes and Local 10 represent 467 officers in the Toledo Police Department.
He says the union hasn't had a new contract since the last one expired on March 31 and the disagreements over wage increases are stalling negotiations between the union and city.
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This, Haynes says, is creating fears of bigger problems if an agreement cannot be reached.
"We're having a retention crisis right now, we're losing officers and I don't think that the city has the urgency set in them for where the city is going to be officer-wise in the next few years if we don't really step it up," he said.
Haynes says wages for Toledo police officers are some of the lowest in the area compared to departments in Oregon, Perrysburg and Bowling Green.
In terms of staffing, Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz in 2021 said his goal was to have 700 officers.
There are currently 621, though, TPD Chief Michael Troendle said while sharing statistics a Toledo City Council's public safety committee meeting on Tuesday.
"They as a city should want to see a better police response," Haynes said, adding that fewer officers will increase response times.
The firefighters union has been negotiating a new contract with the city since March. Local 92 President Matt Tabb says Toledo firefighters are asking for wage increases, too. He's also concerned about a newly implemented Advanced Life Support system.
"In the system, the previous system that we had, the county system, is that for every single one of those runs, a person was getting at least three paramedics on that run," Tabb said. "And with the new system, it reduces that number by one, so you're only getting a minimum of two."
The city and fire union entered mediation on Aug. 15 after not being able to meet a deal on wages, which according to a letter sent to WTOL 11 by Tabb, asked for wage increases from 7-9% over the next three years.
With an agreement not reached yet for either union, it's a concern that is weighing on city leaders.
"To me, a fair contract is obviously not going to be able to give everyone what they want, but I'm all about a path to yes, and so if there is something that our unions need, how can we get there without bankrupting the city?" said Toledo City Council President Carrie Hartman.