Groveland Twp.-Lacking a local police force, several area townships rely on the Michigan State Police as their primary means of public saftey.
In Groveland Township, troopers respond to township service calls in addition to duties associated with patrolling I-75. However, the state police presence in the townships has come under scrutiny lately prompting a township official to respond.
Groveland Township Supervisor and Michigan Association of Township Supervisors President Robert DePalma recently distributed more than 1,200 resolutions to township leaders statewide opposing any proposal to reduce or eliminate Michigan State Police in townships. The reasons for the opposition included:
‘Rural townships in Michigan are subject to significant revenue sharing reductions during the next fiscal year,
‘The limited resources available to provide services to rural townships are insufficient to allow funding of contracted police services,
‘If the community policing services are cut or eliminated rural townships will not have police services.
‘The state police are located in our township anyway, near I-75,? said DePalma, who said hundreds of signed resolutions have been returned. ‘We have a good positive relationship with the state police, they do a great job.?
During the summer months thousands of people visit the Holly Recreational Area, says DePalma, which requires police coverage adding to the cost Groveland Township would have to absorb if they had their own police force.
However, because of recent state budget considerations the State Police protection in several communities, including Groveland is now challenged.
DePalma’s resolution came after Oakland County Sheriff, Michael J. Bouchard called for the State of Michigan to contract with counties including Oakland County to provide the very same services that the State Police provide, however at far less cost. The duplication, says Bouchard, ‘is eliminated and most counties would actually be able to provide a higher number of deputies.?
‘First of all, many people are not aware that numerous communities, including yours (Groveland), across the state receive state police patrols underwritten by the state while the majority of the state’s communities pay their own cost for policing,? stated Bouchard in the letter to DePalma.
‘But, since the state is paying for local policing, the question that needs to be asked is: Is it being done in the most cost-effective manner? Also, given our changing world and all the new needs in our state for homeland security, does having the State Police provide local patrols make the most sense??