submitted by Fraternal Order of Police/Ohio Labor Council

(8-4-23) Due to the dire and urgent concerns for public safety, the Fraternal Order of Police/Ohio Labor Council (FOP/OLC) implores the City of Celina to sit down with the union and negotiate an immediate adjustment to the substandard wages the Celina Police Officers currently earn. The Police Officers sworn to protect the citizens of Celina are woefully underpaid, which does not bode well for the safety and confidence of the public. The substandard wages are causing experienced officers to go elsewhere and are not attracting qualified officers to work in Celina.


The Celina Police Department is facing a retention crisis and is developing a reputation where newly certified Police Officers come to start their careers, gain experience, and then transfer to a department where they can earn their worth. The citizens of Celina recently passed an ordinance amending Celina Ordinance 15-22-0 to extend the collection of one- half of one percent of income taxes to December 31, 2029. One of the purposes of this ordinance was to fund the City’s Safety Departments, which includes the Celina Police Department. The voters indicated that public safety is a priority, and they support their Police Officers.

The Celina Police Departmentis paid approximately 18% less than the average department in the surrounding area. Currently, Celina’s top pay is almost $6.00 less per hour than the top pay at the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Van Wert Police Department, the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, and the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office. Celina’s starting pay is ranked at the bottom of current police jobs for similar- sized towns in Ohio, many of which have a lower median household income. In comparison with cities of similar population sizes in Ohio, Celina’s starting pay is ranked below Bellefontaine, London, and Urbana


While the police officers are underpaid compared to their counterparts in contiguous departments, the Safety Service Director’s annual salary exceeds the average salary of other safety service directors in surrounding areas. No other safety service director in the surrounding area has made over $100,000 as of 2022 yet Celina’s safety director is paid approximately $115,000.00 annually. While the citizens of Celina have placed a high value on its police officers, management has not. Otherwise, why are the Police Officers…the ones who deliver the “Safety” and the “Service” compensated far below their nearby counterparts while the safety director exceeds his nearby counterparts?

The Dispatchers in Celina are not faring any better. The Celina Police Department Dispatch has been operating with poor working conditions for approximately two years. A section of dispatch was demolished to provide for better working conditions but the demolition is not complete and has been left “as is” for two years. Like the Police Officers, Celina dispatch is also having issues with retaining dispatchers due to low pay, working conditions due to the demolition, and lack of proper equipment. This is unacceptable. Dispatchers are often the lifeline between the public and their first responders.

In attempts to alleviate these issues, the FOP/OLC has reached out to the city administrators, including Mayor Jeffrey Hazel; however, the City refuses to sit down and work out a solution to this pending crisis. The City can meet with the union and work out a temporary memorandum of understanding until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement is negotiated. The time to act is now before the danger to the citizens and officer safety reaches a tipping point. If the City continues to ignore the pleas of its first responders it will continue to lose more personnel to other police agencies.


FOP/OLC Staff Attorney Andrew Fortlage stated that –

“the job of being a law enforcement officer is dangerous under the best of circumstances. The officers who work for the Celina Police Department are dedicated public servants who put their lives on the line every time they put on a uniform and go to work, and they need to be paid accordingly”.

FOP/OLC Executive Director Gwen Callender stressed –

“we desire for our members and their employer to have a harmonious and respectable relationship. Our officers want support and approachable leadership when they put their lives on the line to protect and serve the citizens in Celina and they deserve fair compensation.”


The FOP/OLC implores the City of Celina to immediately work with us to improve the pay of the dedicated Officers of Celina.


The Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council, Inc. is the largest law enforcement labor organization in the State of Ohio. The FOP/Ohio Labor Council has been representing members of the law enforcement profession since 1984.