Editor’s Note
This story was updated at 3:40 p.m. Feb. 23 with information from Police Chief Tommy Hill.
ONTARIO — Ontario City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday that confirms some changes are in store for the Ontario Police Department.
Instead of having three sergeants and 15 patrol officers, the new legislation allows for four sergeants and 14 patrol officers.
Service-safety director Adam Gongwer said the change comes after recommendations from the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy.
“One of those sergeant’s primary responsibilities would be a training coordinator,” he said.
Police Chief Tommy Hill said sergeants are paid about $9,000 more than officers annually. The State of Ohio requires a minimum of 24 hours of continuing professional training for law enforcement and reimburses costs up to 40 hours.
“That is how we fund some of our training programs, including the addition of the training sergeant position,” Hill said. “No cost to the city.
“We believe we can save a minimum of $24,000 additional dollars, as this promotion should keep (overtime) pay or officer-in-charge pay down as the Training Sgt. will now flex his schedule to cover that overtime, and also will flex his schedule to cover training on shifts, when we would normally have to pay an officer to come in on overtime for training.”
Other ranks in the Ontario police department include three lieutenants and one captain — whose position’s name was changed to assistant chief as of Wednesday. Rob Griefenstine will now be the assistant chief.
“We made that change because when somebody calls the police department and the chief’s not available, if we tell them they can speak with the captain, not everyone thinks they’re speaking to someone who has the authority of the chief,” Gongwer said.
“This isn’t a pay change at all, just a moniker because they fulfill some of the chief’s responsibilities when he’s out.”
The ordinance passed Wednesday also formally established the service-safety director as the person responsible for promoting, appointing and demoting within the police department, where the city’s codified ordinances previously stated police will report to the mayor.
“It was written that way when Ontario was still a village and wasn’t corrected when we became a city in 2001,” Gongwer said.
The temporary appropriations city council passed in December for 2025 account for about $1.9 million for police salaries. The permanent appropriations are due to be passed by the end of March.
Also on Wednesday:
- The parks committee approved a fitness station proposal from Ontario High School senior Thatcher Samuels, who is working to become an Eagle Scout by May.
- Council established a Community Improvement Corporation and agreed to a contract with Richland Community Development Group for help in establishing the organization.
- Councill agreed to donate three unneeded police patrol cars to the North Central State College Police Academy. The cars are more than 10 years old and the department purchased three new cruisers this year.
- Council president Eddie Gallo reminded citizens that veteran banner submissions are open through the end of this month. The city has received about 20 submissions with room or approximately 40 banners on Lexington-Springmill Road.
- Gallo also said the city is building a veterans committee led by Brett Baxter to advise the city on a military memorial surrounding the VFW’s donated M42 Duster tank. The city announced its intention to build a memorial in Marshall Park last May. The city plans to fundraise for it, inspired by a military memorial in Carlisle Township.
- Bethel Lane resident Janine Caico asked council for an update to the 1943 Park Avenue West property that Dan Niss bought in May 2023. Mayor Kris Knapp said Niss’ team was surveying utilities at the property and keeping the grass cut. “He does still have intentions and plans to make that a multi-purpose space,” the mayor said.
- Knapp said Moment Development vice president of development Chris Knapton plans to update city council at a meeting in March on the company’s plans to build a hotel and mixed-use space near the Cinemark movie theater.