YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -
Members of the Youngstown Police Department will be picketing in the city Wednesday and Friday.

President of the Youngstown Police Association James Rowley says the union is taking issue with wages, and a "missed mark" by the city when it comes to recruitment and retainment of officers.

The message from the union comes as the city is trying to manage a violent year and a violent end to the summer.

There have already been more shootings than in all of 2020. Among them 23 lives have been lost.

Rowley says officers keep leaving for better paying jobs, causing the number of officers on the street to keep "dwindling."

He says, "No one wants to come here and work." Rowley goes on to say that officers "still show up to a call" but, "not as fast."

Figures provided by the union show the starting salary for a Youngstown Police Officer is $34,299. The top pay for a patrol officer is $58,302.

In Lorain, a city comparable in size, public records posted by the State Employment Relations Board show a starting salary of $57,297.

The SERB does not show a starting salary for officers in Canton. But, officers there earn $43,350 after one year of service. Canton's top paid patrol officers earn $63,977.

Youngstown State University starts pay for their officers at $19.62/hour. $3.13 more than the city.

Rowley says "We are well below all these, especially (considering the city's) crime and violence."

Rowley says Youngstown Police "hover around" 89 patrol officers. But, that number varies.

Just last month, Youngstown hired five additional patrol officers. But, Rowley says one of those has been deployed, two others have yet to go through the police academy and likely won't be seen on the street until next summer.

City Council determines the number of employees set for most city departments, including the police department. Youngstown Council Safety Committee Chairwoman, and former officer, Anita Davis says there is no set ratio for the city's population vs. how many officers are on the street.

Davis doesn't believe the wage discrepancies compound the city's violence problem, but believes the city should have a higher ratio of patrol officers to ranking officers.

"There's a 2:1 ratio, 89 or 90 patrol officers and about 45 ranking officers...and that is definitely out of whack," said Davis.

Davis also said it shouldn't take 12 years for an officer to attain the top tier salary.

Youngstown City Council has worked to maintain control of some rocky finances in recent years.

Last summer, 21 News reported Youngstown was looking at the possibility of city employee layoffs with a budgeted shortfall of $4 million due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on income tax collections.

The city has since received news of an $83 million windfall from the federal government as part of their share of the American Rescue Plan funds. How that money will be spent has yet to be determined. 

The contract between the City and the Youngstown Police Officer's union is set to expire November 30th.

Rowley says over the past 13 years, the union has received a total of a 7% pay raise while accepting 0% pay raises for seven of those 13 years.

Stay with 21 News for more on this developing story.