Butler police Chief Tim Fennell presented to the city council Thursday evening a number of interesting observations and suggestions as he lobbied for the hiring of a new officer to replace retiring Lt. John Hertzog.

The council should examine seriously the points the chief presented.

But the chief also has a responsibility. He must find ways for his department to help the city overcome its financial crisis.

Trouble is, on Thursday the chief seemed too focused on how others could help, without offering police department contributions to the savings mix.

There are savings opportunities that he chooses to ignore, but which the city council shouldn't as it ponders the future. One big area of possible savings lies within the issue of whether the city really needs desk sergeants manning police headquarters around the clock.

In neighboring Butler Township and other county communities with police departments, police calls - emergency and non-emergency - are made by dialing 911. Between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Butler Township has two clerical workers on duty for police administrative matters. Those workers are not in the office on the weekends.

A similar system could be in effect in the city, freeing up a sergeant or sergeants for patrol duty, allowing the city to have one fewer patrol officer.

If such a policy had been initiated Thursday, the council would not have had reason to vote to hire an additional officer, which will require an annual outlay of $64,000 for salary, benefits, uniforms and equipment.

Theoretically, the city could realize other savings and improve public safety if Fennell were able to spend a certain amount of time during his workday on patrol.

Police visibility is a crime deterrent.

Meanwhile, Fennell should be going through his department with the proverbial "fine-tooth comb" to exact any savings that his department can produce. Actually, all city departments should be doing that, considering the municipality's continuing fianancial deterioration and the ominous predictions that have been voiced about upcoming budgets.

Still, Fennell's suggestions about revenue-raising outside his department merit council discussion and more than a cursory examination. Fennell told the council it ought to be looking toward increasing the fine for disabled or junk vehicles, increasing the occupational privilege tax, selling Ritts Park for residential development and requiring tenant registration and an accompanying rental tax.

Nothing should be outside the scope of the council's consideration for saving money, and that also applies to Fennell.

The police department should not be gutted to the point that Butler is allowed to become an unsafe city. The city's drug problem alone dictates that a formidable police presence be maintained.

And, the city is far from being a clean city in terms of other categories of crime.

The state police cannot be expected to carry out Butler's police work.

But at Thursday's council meeting, Fennell, in addition to coming prepared to tell the council what he feels is wrong with a consultant's opinion about police department manpower, should have come with a pledge to cut his department's costs to help the city with its budget challenges.

Each community has its own police needs, and studies and computer models cannot be totally relied upon to meet every community's requirements.

The challenge for Fennell and the city council is to look closely at all aspects of police department operations and ensure that everything that is in place on Jan. 1, when the 2005 budget takes effect, is truly justified. Anything less would be a disserve to city taxpayers.

- J.R.K.