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Middletown, Ohio, Police Were Prepared for Lockout

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By Lauren Pack, Middletown Journal, Ohio

Mar. 1--Shortly after the lockout announcement, Middletown police were informed by union representatives that picketers were on their way to AK gates, said Maj. Mark Hoffman.

He said at 1:30 a.m. that workers were picketing at the main gate on Crawford Street, the Wicoff Street gate and a few at the Oxford State Road gate.

"There have been no problems," Hoffman said. "They have been orderly." But Middletown police were prepared to keep no matter what the outcome of the negotiations.

Even Middletown detectives who typically do not wear uniforms donned their police blues Tuesday just to be ready in case of a strike or lockout at AK Steel Corp.

As of 10: 30 p.m. Tuesday, Middletown police Chief Mike Bruck, Maj. Greg Schwarber and Maj. Mark Hoffman, also in uniform, said they had not heard anything on the negotiations between AK Steel and the Armco Employees Independent Federation.

Bruck said the department's 3 to 11 p.m. shift was held over to augment the officers on the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, doubling the number of officers usually on the overnight shift.

Bruck said he was waiting to hear what is going on with the negotiations before making additional staffing decisions.

If there is going to be a job action, Bruck said that he hopes "they a get a good, peaceful start." Officers were seen carrying riot helmets to their cruisers. Bruck said officers have been told to patrol their normal beats but also were told to familiarize themselves with the gates at AK's Middletown Works.

At Middletown's Fire Headquarters, which is located near AK's Wicoff Street gate, a police cruiser was stationed to ensure fire and EMS vehicles would be able to respond from the station either to the steel plant or to nearby neighborhoods.

In addition, AK security was in the process of setting up spotlights to better light the area around the Wicoff Street gate and were posting security officers in trucks and vans.

Police said they were waiting to see what happens at midnight since that is all they can do as they hope for the best.

Street officers and detectives underwent training sessions on crowd control in recent weeks in preparation of a work stoppage. Middletown police with crowd control equipment in hand hit the streets at just before 3 p.m.

Tuesday when AK workers were scheduled to work their last shift.

Earlier on Tuesday, police cruisers and a van were stationed at the Wicoff Street gate near the city's fire headquarters to assure emergency vehicles were not blocked by any protesters. Officers cruised by the union hall on Crawford Street and monitored the Lefferson Road gate and the AK entrance near the blast furnace. With the exception of the union hall, officers said they saw no large gathering of workers Tuesday afternoon.

Bruck said he planned to be on the streets himself if there is a strike or a lockout.

"We have everything in control," Bruck said.

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To see more of the Middletown Journal, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.middletown.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Middletown Journal, Ohio

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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AKS,

Source: Middletown Journal

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