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Police class to begin half a year early, will relieve pressure on current force

Not only is the class starting months earlier than expected, but this class will be bigger than the class that just graduated.

TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The police class slated to begin at the end of the year is now set to start next month.

Not only is the class starting months earlier than expected, but this class will be bigger than the class that just graduated.

Forty recruits will begin the academy in July.

Chief George Kral says the timing of this class could not be better.

"Moving it up that much is dramatically going to affect the patrols on the streets," said Chief Kral.

With the academy now beginning in July rather than December the new officers will hit the streets in January and be ready to be on their own next summer to help with vacation relief.

"I can't reiterate how happy I am that the mayor saw to move this forward. She understood these officers needed to be in the academy," said Kral.

For the past 5 years TPD has been losing around 40 officers a year to retirement.

With the large classes form the 80s aging, the department's strength has gone from about 700 to about 600.

Kral says he hopes for annual classes at the academy, but even with these forty recruits set to start you will see a big difference.

"They are going to see more marked cars on the street. We're going to have move follow up on our felony investigations. I plan on putting more people in our vice, narcotics and gang task forces. So they're going to see a big bang for their buck," said Kral.

Chief Kral also says not only will a new class bump up the staffing numbers but it also bumps up the morale of the current officers on the force.

It means they will have to work fewer overtime hours and be not be stretched as thin on the streets.

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