The St. Albans Police Department announced it will swear in Matthew Cooper - who previously was laid off during budget cuts in Huntington - as a probationary police officer today.
The ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located at 51 Sixth Ave., Maj. Mike Farry, deputy chief of the St. Albans Police Department, wrote in an email.
"The Saint Albans Police Department is excited to get the opportunity to hire an already certified police officer in hopes that his training and determination will have an immediate positive impact on the community," he wrote.
Cooper was one of 24 city employees to lose their jobs after Huntington Mayor Steve Williams announced his plan to address a $4.8 million budget deficit on Jan. 26, according to a news release. As a result of the cuts, the Huntington Police Department lost six civilian employees, one temporary officer and 10 recently-hired probationary officers, according to the release.
The announcement, which included cuts to officers' overtime hours, also caused the Huntington Fire Department to lose seven probationary firefighters.
The city estimated it would save about $610,000 between cutting the police department's operational costs and laying off several of its officers and civilian employees. Between all the announced cuts, the savings are estimated to near $2,643,000. The release does not mention the cuts' possible effects on public safety.
"We have made every effort to save as many jobs as possible and continue providing essential services," Williams is quoted as saying in the release.
Reach Giuseppe Sabella at giuseppe.sabella@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @gsabella on Twitter.