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Posted on Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 11:56 a.m.

Washtenaw County board hasn't decided whether to allow Ypsilanti Township to alter police contract

By Art Aisner

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners may decide Monday whether to allow Ypsilanti Township to alter its police services contract and reduce the number of deputies from 38 to 31.

Following a failed police millage proposal last month, township officials said they'd likely drop the township's police force by 10 deputies. But they were able to whittle that number down to seven by realigning staff and adjusting some overtime funds, said Mike Radzik, director of police services.

The township will also save roughly $30,000 by closing the Holmes Road mini-station, Radzik said.

County commissioners briefly discussed a measure to reopen the police services contract at their committee meeting Wednesday, but put off making any decisions.

sheriff.jpg

Ypsilanti Township may reduce its number of deputies from 38 to 31.

Sheriff's car

“We need a firm policy on this because many other communities, if we go down this road, may choose to come before us with the same intention, and it could have a cascading effect on public safety in Washtenaw County,” said Commissioner Ken Schwartz, D-Scio Township.

Township officials requested the contract change last month after a 2-mill tax increase failed by 169 votes at the polls.

Radzik said township officials hoped to have a decision Wednesday night and already have worked on staffing plans with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department. The township, which contracts for the most number of deputies countywide, already passed its annual budget and reduced the allotment for police service by roughly $1.5 million.

Township officials also have enacted several other cost-cutting measures, including cuts in salary and benefits, and some employees now work a 32-hour week.

“We don’t want to do this and we hope it’s a temporary situation, but we’ve nickeled and dimed this budget down,” Radzik said. “We don’t have the money.”

But Commissioner Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, questioned that. He said he doesn't think the township currently has enough police protection, but could afford to keep the current level if officials reprioritized spending.

Irwin's biggest gripe on reopening the contract was that the county would have to absorb what the township wouldn’t pay, despite a signed agreement.

Irwin said when factoring supervisory costs in the contract, the county stands to lose as much as $370,000 in each of the next two years if the township is allowed to back out.

Augusta Township amended its contract last year and will drop deputy patrols in 2010, but it didn’t cost the county any money because the contract only covered one deputy.

“We entered into contracts several years ago that basically spread all the overhead cost across 81 positions, and now we’re being asked to change the reality,” Irwin said. “That’s going to leave us significantly behind in a very tight budget.”

Commissioner Leah Gunn, D-Ann Arbor, said she had similar concerns but would be willing to reopen the contract in the wake of the millage failure. She also said she wants to address the command structure aspect of the contracts in the near future.

Sheriff Jerry Clayton told commissioners that even without the proposed reduction, the department is below the command/officer ratio recommended for police departments nationally.

Also Wednesday, commissioners passed a separate resolution reopening the contact with Scio Township to increase the number of deputies from five to eight.

The positions will be filled by deputies who were contracted for Augusta Township and the Willow Run school district.

Scio Supervisor Spaulding Clark said the decision to increase wasn't in response to community demands or data showing an increase in crime, but anecdotally officials believe property crimes are on the rise due to the poor economy.

“I believe the previous board deemed it was necessary to reduce when I thought they didn’t have to,” said Clark, who was elected back to the board in 2008. “The real issue is being able to provide a 24-hour police presence in our community.”

Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.

Comments

reddog801

Sat, Dec 5, 2009 : 3:23 a.m.

See the issue is that many of the townships and villages here in the county rely on the Sheriff for their police protection. That is too much. The Deputy Sheriff's are there to support other law enforcement agencies. What the writer is not telling everyone is that there is a Police Study that sits on the City of Ypsilanti website that says that a regional police department would work. Ypsilanti PD already has the cars, the dispatch center and a building. Whats the problem?? The problem is they want everything to revolved around the Sheriff's department. This is where they really need to re-thing the proposal of a regional police department. Ypsilanti Township pays over $150,000 for 1 deputy here. This price tag continues to go up. This is one of the reasons that the twp sued the County. Bring the Regional police study back to the main topic and lets get it going. Still support the Sheriff's department and allow the sheriff to support and assist the local agencies as needed. Take some burden off of the Sheriff's department. They have too much out there.

Heather

Fri, Dec 4, 2009 : 10:10 a.m.

Ybecuz, you asked why the County would want to help the Township when the Township sued the County a year or so ago. Because this is not about "getting even." County and Township officials must now focus on how to keep the residents, the neighborhoods, and the deputies themselves as safe as possible. Bravo to Mike Radzik for figuring out how to save 3 deputies' positions.

cybercitizen

Fri, Dec 4, 2009 : 9:16 a.m.

Lets ask the township officials how much of their fat salaries they want to sacrifice to save money for the township. If you ask me we need to throw all these bums out of office and get rid of the "good ole boys" network of politicians in the township. We don't need less police presence, we need more! I for one will be voting against everyone of the township flunkies that have been getting fat off of all of us for years. It is time for a change in the township!

dading dont delete me bro

Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 8:46 p.m.

yes co$ts are going up and i don't see an immediate end to this crappy economy. i'm still waiting for my change too. i live in the township, but i didn't sue the county. my wonderful board did. if you were a deputy, would you rather be out of a job period or earn less $$? seems there's some negotiating room there. seems to me a pay cut is the lesser evil of that or being out of a job...out of income...out of a house...etc.

ybecuz

Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 5:37 p.m.

Why would the County allow Ypsi Twp relief after they have sued them, costing over 1 million. They have a contract, live with it.

redblue

Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 3:57 p.m.

Unfortunately,I don't think things are going to "pick up". The way things are progressing,it looks like everything is just going to get worse.I hope I'm wrong but it doesn't look that way.

Get Real

Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 3:46 p.m.

"Sheriff Jerry Clayton told commissioners that even without the proposed reduction, the department is below the command/officer ratio recommended for police departments nationally". Does anyone know what the national ratio is that Mr. Clayton is referring to? Please advise.

YpsiLivin

Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 1:59 p.m.

The money provided by the renewal will cover fewer deputies since the cost of each deputy has gone up.

dading dont delete me bro

Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 12:34 p.m.

the INCREASE failed, but the RENEWAL passe (this past spring), so WHY the closing of the mini-station and the deputy reductions? can't we ALL realize this crap economy we're in and muddle through the next few years until things pick up? i've taken an INVOLUNTARY 20% pay cut this year, but hey, i'm hanging in there...yep...hanging until things pick up.