TOLEDO, Ohio — Twenty men and women have taken their first steps toward becoming Toledo’s newest police officers, joining the Toledo Police Department’s 73rd academy class at a time leaders say is critical for staffing.
Police Chief Mike Troendle told recruits during Friday’s opening ceremony that the class is smaller than usual because budget cuts limited the number of candidates the department could bring in.
The reduced class size comes as the department braces for significant turnover. Troendle said as many as 40 officers could retire this year, increasing the need to retain every recruit who enters the academy…