CINCINNATI, OH – The debate continues over the use of private police officers in the city of Cincinnati.

A lot of times you’ll see a private police officer as you walk to your car after shopping at a strip mall. They’re there to protect you. Now the question is will City Council be there to protect their jobs?

Employees at Stag’s Barbershop in Avondale pushed for the building’s landlord to hire a private police officer.

Barber Douglas Runyon thinks it’s a bad idea to eliminate the private officers.

“It would not be such a good thing to get rid of them. I would probably try to keep them around,” said Runyon.

Customers said they feel the same way.

Jody Allen said private officers patrol his senior apartment building just around the corner from the barber shop.

“You see the security guy walking around and it’s like what can he do, but actually he’s a deterrent, so I feel better with them there,” Allen said.

Cincinnati City Council member Kevin Flynn questions if private police officers should be allowed to work detail assignments when they’re not fully trained peace officers.

Lester Slone is the chief of the Private Police Association. Slone said his officers have proper training.

He said they’re trained by the Cincinnati Police Department.

“With the weapons, Cincinnat Police Department, they do train us every year on the weapons. We train at the police academy with the weapons,” said Slone.

It appears there is a lot more to be worked out before this issue moves out of the law committee and on to City Council for a full vote.

The Cincinnati City Council Law Committee will take the issue up again at its April 27 meeting.

From WLWT.com