Not today.
Last week, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther did something unexpected and refreshing. He bucked the Columbus City Council, albeit politely, and he sided with Columbus police.
Surprising, yes?
In a budget meeting Thursday morning, Council President Shannon Hardin introduced a budget amendment that would divert into other programs the $2.5 million slated to pay for a recruit class scheduled for June, a move that would, temporarily at least, shut down the process of hiring new police officers beyond the most-recent recruit class.
That most-recent class, which included 39 future Columbus police officers, graduated on Friday.
Final action on the $964 million, general fund budget appropriation was tabled until at least Feb. 22, but Hardin said the decision to suspend future recruit classes was warranted while the city looks for a new police chief and reexamines policing in Columbus.