Because they take the biggest bites out of Toledo's city budget, police and fire are always in budget-cutters' sights, but rarely are they cut as much as other services.

Both departments would like to hire more police officers and firefighters this year, but public safety officials agree there isn't a magic number for how many Toledo should have.

City officials, grappling with how to eliminate an almost $12 million deficit this year, are considering whether to cut proposed police and fire classes and combine dispatching and leadership of the departments.

The answers they come up with may lie with what residents are willing to pay.

"You can reduce a lot of things if your expectations are reduced," said Fire Chief Mike Bell, who said his crews arrive at a fire or accident scene in 6 minutes or less about 90 percent of the time. "If you're prepared not to see a fire truck for 10 minutes, we can get by with fewer people."

Carol Van Sickle, vice president of public affairs for the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, said taxpayers may feel they have been as generous as they can afford to be.

"Our citizens have paid very willingly for years for fire and police, and I don't think there's going to be a lot of sympathy for a tax increase," she said.

On Thursday, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner proposed eliminating the fire chief's position when Chief Bell retires this year and naming Police Chief Mike Navarre as the chief of public safety, overseeing both departments.

From 1970 to 2005, Toledo's population dropped 21 percent, from 383,818 to 301,285. Police and fire staffing dropped during that time, but not as much.

Police manpower declined 6 percent, from 730 uniformed officers in 1970 to 686 in 2005. The number of firefighters fell 9 percent, to 509 in 2005 from 558 in 1970.

One number that's stayed fairly constant since 1970 is the city's size: 84 square miles.

"Population is only one factor," Chief Navarre said. "You have to look at socioeconomic issues that may be more important than population and square miles. You also need to look at calls for service."

Police calls increased from 310,169 in 1976 to 542,106 calls in 2005, of which 433,415 were 911 calls.

Chief Navarre said the city's police force is "lean compared to cities our size." Toledo is near the bottom of Ohio's major cities with 2.2 officers per 1,000 residents.

More paperwork with certain types of calls, such as domestic violence, and booking suspects can eat up time, said Rick Wise, vice president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association.

As for the fire department, Assistant Fire Chief Mike Wolever said Toledo's population has shrunk, but "we're seeing more emergency medical runs today."

Fire runs peaked at 9,247 in 1976 and dropped to 7,175 two years ago. But EMS runs have quadrupled since 1970, to 39,796 in 2005.

Chief Wolever said the fire department today has additional responsibilities it didn't have more than 30 years ago, including homeland security. Though fewer people live in the city, he said many still work in or drive through Toledo.

Toledo has 1.7 firefighters per 1,000 residents, near the bottom among Ohio's big cities, a Blade survey of fire manning showed.

Mark Light, interim executive director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, said many factors affect the number of firefighters needed, including the age and size of buildings.

Ohio's seven big-city fire departments all have mandatory minimum daily staffing levels.

Toledo has a total 502 firefighters, and by union contract must have a minimum of 103 on duty daily across its 17 stations. If there are fewer, firefighters are recalled on overtime - a requirement that costs the city millions every year.

Cincinnati, similar in population and size to Toledo, has 833 firefighters and a minimum daily staffing of 161 at its 26 stations. Firefighters there make basic life support runs - which Toledo wants to start - and strive to be on scene within four minutes, District Chief Will Jones said.

Akron, which has fewer people and square miles than Toledo, has 363 firefighters and is budgeted for 392, Deputy Chief Robert Ross said. The department has 13 stations and its ambulances are sometimes staffed by the same crew that mans the fire apparatus.

On the law enforcement side, Toledo has 683 police officers compared to 1,082 in Cincinnati, where there are more people, but fewer square miles. Cincinnati City Council recently increased the budgeted police complement to 1,115. That city has budgeted for a class of 50 this year, Sgt. Louise Shields said.

Akron has 443 police officers and a budgeted strength of 487. It hopes to start a police class next month of up to 40 officers and another class in late fall, police Major Gus Hall said.

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic has proposed an increase in that city's payroll tax from 2 percent to 2.33 percent, enough to hire 25 additional police officers. He also wants to hire 40 part-time officers in the summer, when police demand is greatest, using retired or off-duty officers who require minimal retraining. The police union is against the idea.

Chief Navarre said he advocates hiring part-time officers in Toledo, but the police union here is likewise opposed. Chief Navarre said he would like auxiliary police to write parking tickets or have additional duties. But the chief said he is "not going to violate union contracts."

Toledo may not get a new police class this year or next. If 50 officers leave through attrition as expected and the force falls to 630, Chief Navarre said, "It's going to require we prioritize."

The last time Toledo's police force dropped that low, the chief said, was in the early 1980s. He said the force is in a better position to lose 50 people now than in the early 1980s, when officers took calls, dispatched, and worked in records - jobs now held by civilians.

A police labor-management committee has met monthly to talk about the staffing situation.

"It's not like the criminals moved out," said Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association. His suggestions for saving money: cut the mayor's chief-of-staff, Robert Reinbolt, and have fewer command officers take home department vehicles.

Toledo fire officials and union leaders have suggested raising about $1 million annually by handling basic life-support calls. Private ambulance companies are vehemently opposed.

The fire department last year began charging a controversial accident response fee, which generated about $260,000.

Jim Martin, Toledo Firefighters Local 92 president, said he expects overtime will go up if a fire class is canceled.

"When people are working more, putting in more hours, you see more injuries. You deplete your manpower, causing more overtime again," he said.

Staff writer Tom Troy contributed to this report.

Contact Christina Hall at:

chall@theblade.com

or 419-724-6007.

First Published March 5, 2007, 10:30 a.m.