Clearcreek Twp. police levy would raise $3M a year

“The last levy we ran was in 1999, so it’s been 26 years since we’ve asked the public for any additional funds,” said Chief John Terrill.

The Clearcreek Twp. Police Department, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in July, has 19 sworn officers and is the lowest staffed per population among other departments in the county, including Hamilton Twp., Franklin, Springboro, Lebanon and Mason.

“In 1975 when the township opened the police department, they promised the public two officers on the street at all times. And we kept that promise. However, we need at least three now in the street at all times,” Terrill said.

The chief said they have moved into that model early to keep up with criminal conduct and the population increase even with funds depleting. However, he said without additional revenue the department would be in the red $800,000 to $900,000 a year.

Levy passage would allow the department to add three officers, one a year over the next three years, Terrill said, with the department in cooperation with Springboro Schools to place a full-time school resource officer at Five Points Elementary in the township.

Last year, Clearcreek Twp. was the fastest-growing in terms of population. Between 2000 and 2020, it ranks third, behind Hamilton and Deerfield townships.

In that time, the population in the township of about 48 square miles has grown from just under 6,000 to 19,000 residents.

“We do anticipate sometime here in the not too distant future our population will surpass Springboro’s population,” he said, which is just under 20,000, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.

“We’ve got subdivisions starting now that are going to bring hundreds of new homes,” he said. “We’re at a level where we need more policemen.”

The Clearcreek Twp. Police Department has the lowest budget of other departments in the county and the highest number of calls for service for each officer, he said.

“Our officers answer over 1,400 calls a year individually per person. The next closest one to us is 856 (in Hamilton Twp.) so we have the lowest number of police officers answering the highest numbers of call,” Terrill said.

Even adding three officers will keep the department at the lowest staffed department of those they studied.

“A levy doesn’t allow us to go overboard and just hire people left and right,” Terrill said. “It would be sufficient for later on down the road, looking to see how the community’s grown and adjust from there. But right now, I think that will keep us OK for the future and accommodate the bills that are coming.”