WHEELING, W.Va -
Its been a controversial subject in Wheeling for years now. Everyone seems to have an opinion about the two man ordinance that requires Wheeling Police to patrol with a partner.
Those opinions are about to be taken into consideration. City Council wants voters to decide whether or not to repeal the law that went into effect in 1972.
Its been three years since a petition to repeal the two officers per cruiser law made it to the courtroom, but died before it made the ballot.
City Council will hear legislation on Tuesday calling for the issue to be put on the ballot in November for voters to decide.
City Councilman Don Atkinson says the repeal of the law would allow the police department to increase it's visibility.
"The big misconception is that we're going to put one man in every car, and that's not the deal," he says. "The deal is to let the Chief that we hired to make decisions for the police department make the decision how many police will be in the car."
Atkinson says the biggest advantage to the repeal is that Wheeling Police would have greater coverage; with cruisers in more neighborhoods as the result of allowing one officer per car on patrol.
He also says he realizes both sides of the issue, and that safety has to be a priority for the police.
Adding this hot topic to November's national election ballot will have no cost to taxpayers. A private election on the issue could cost as much as $40,000.
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