State police to downgrade Ypsilanti post, put more troopers in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County will lose its full-service state police post next month but will gain six troopers for road patrol with the implementation of a regional policing plan next month.
The Ypsilanti post, 1501 S. Huron St., will transition from a post to a detachment on Oct. 16, said 1st Lt. Joel Allen, commander of the Brighton post of the Michigan State Police. The Brighton post will serve Livingston and Washtenaw counties under the new plan, which was announced in March as a cost-saving move.
A regional policing plan will put more troopers on the road in Washtenaw County.
Photo courtesy of the Michigan State Police
State police already have detachments in Salem and Sylvan, but the Salem detachment will be moving across the parking lot from its current Township Hall location, 9600 Six Mile Road, Plymouth, to another township-owned building, where the troopers will have more space.
Once the transition is complete, state police will have 19 troopers assigned to Washtenaw County, compared with the current 13. The assignments will include four troopers working out of the Salem detachment, four in Saline, seven working out of Sylvan Township Hall near Chelsea and four, including a K9 officer, in Ypsilanti.
A community service trooper will work in both counties. The Brighton post will have 43 troopers between the two counties.
The public should notice no difference in how calls are handled, but the plan should provide a benefit, Allen said. “We will be able to have more troopers on the road per shift,” he said. “The number of incidents per trooper should go down.”
He noted the goal of the plan, which is closing several posts throughout the state, was to save money without laying off troopers. It's accomplishing that, he said.
While the Ypsilanti post will switch to detachment status on Oct. 16, the transition to the new regional policing model will happen a bit more gradually, Allen said. By mid-November all troopers should be assigned to their respective detachments and the transition will be complete.
The Brighton post is one of five pilot posts first to implement the new policing plan. By June 20 of next year, the entire state will have made the transition, Allen said.
State police announced the plan to close posts as part of an effort to cut $17.7 million million from the fiscal 2012 budget March 24. More information about the regional police plan is on the Michigan State Police website.
Comments
Salinemary
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.
The Michigan State Police do not only patrol the roads. In some townships (Saline Township, for example), they provide police presence in general and respond to all kinds of calls.
David Cahill
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 8:49 p.m.
AnnArbor.com, where will LAWNET be headquartered?
Nephilim
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 12:07 a.m.
Probably where you spent a little time Atticus...comfy?
Atticus F.
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 9:17 p.m.
...With any luck, a 6 x 9 jail cell.
Atticus F.
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.
Sounds great... Now they should have more resourses by which they can chase around drunks, and pull over and search minorities in statistically higher numbers.
jcj
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
More troopers on the road is a good thing!
1bigbud
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 2:19 p.m.
Thats good for Salem The new location will get the cops out of the Salem party store Thats how we know the cops are around. Just ck out the Salem store lot
rs
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 2:11 p.m.
Can somebody explain how changing the name from "Post" to "Detachment" saves money? Its still a building and grounds they have to maintain, heat, pay utilities on, etc. Police will still report there, they will store equipment and evidence there. Whats so magical about it being declared a "Detachment" that makes it more affordable to operate? If I start calling my "house" a "garage", will my taxes and utilities go down?
Chris
Mon, Oct 17, 2011 : 12:28 p.m.
What's not really made clear in the article is that the building will be closed at 1501 S. Huron St., hence the name change from Post to Detachment This save money on the building maintenance cost. This AnnArbor.com article explains it better: <a href="http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/state-police-closing-21-posts-including-one-in-ypsilanti/">http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/state-police-closing-21-posts-including-one-in-ypsilanti/</a>
Nephilim
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 12:05 a.m.
The other lieutenant went to metro north
Cindy Heflin
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 9:35 p.m.
Regarding the staffing, it's my understanding the former Ypsilanti post commander has moved to a position with LAWNET. Seven sergeants and three detective sergeants will work out of the Brighton post, and some of those will be assigned to Washtenaw County.
rs
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.
They reported no lay offs, so does that mean Brighton now has 2 First Lieutenants, 2 Lieutenants and 6 sergeants, or did all these positions get demoted? If they aren't in Ypsi and they didn't get laid off, where these people go?
Nephilim
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.
That's probably about 250k removed right there by combining post areas under one supervisory set. You can change your houses name to a "fort" it will only raise your taxes since the appraised amount won't decrease but you will lose your homestead exemption. Go for it......
Nephilim
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.
No first lieuetenant, no lieutenant, no three sergeants.
Silly Sally
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 2:11 p.m.
What we need are troopers that enforce other laws besides speeding. Laws that take a amall amount of judgement to enforce. Speeding by itself is not dangerous. Just look at Germany and its very safe Autobahns. It is unsafe lane changes, speeding past slow moving traffic (where someone might change lanes), and tailgating. Michiganders tailgate like those in no other state. Did I forget distracted drivers on cell phones, and lat-at-night drunks?
djacks24
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 5:39 p.m.
"Just look at Germany and its very safe Autobahns." The roads here would need to all be completely redone to accommodate something like that here. Remember the Merkur line of automobiles back in the late 80s? They were designed in Germany and sold here in the US. The cars sold literally fell apart because of how bad our roads were as opposed to what the cars were designed for. Not to mention our expressway curbs are 70mph curbs.
Mr. Ed
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.
It's really a duplication of services. We need more police on the expressways slowing people down and making our roads safer.
John A2
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 1:59 p.m.
Yeah, more great news.
djacks24
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
What? Are you mad that you won't be able to leave later for work in the morning and fly down the E-way? We are getting 6 more troopers in Washtenaw county. How is that a bad thing unless you are afraid of getting a ticket? They are turning some posts into detachments and adding troopers. We are gaining here and I'll bet its going to be more cost efficient for the state and our tax burden.