Lansing – Earlier this year budget shortfalls of more than $700 million prompted Gov. Jennifer Granholm to recommend the state police team in Groveland Township, along with state police posts in Grand Haven, and Iron River close. The proposed Oct. 1 closures, would save the state an estimated $1.1 million say officials from the governor’s office.
Since the announcement Groveland Township Supervisor Bob DePalma, along with officials from Holly and Rose townships have appealed to legislators and the governor’s office. Several officials have testified before the budget committee in support of keeping the state police team in the township.
On June 10 officials from Rep. Jim Marleau’s (R-Lake Orion) office announced that following the passage of a proposed $39.7 billion budget from the House no state police teams or posts will close. Rep. Marleau along with Rep. David Farhat (R-Muskegon) co-sponsored an amendment which would prevent the Groveland Post from closing in the House proposed budget.
However, on June 15 the Senate voted 19 to 17 to not restore the funding for the Groveland team.
Sen. Deb Cherry (D-Burton) who voted to support keeping the Groveland team remains optimistic.
‘It’s important that the people of Oakland County realize the need to keep the facility open,? said Cherry, a few hours after the vote. ‘A state police presence on I-75 is necessary for a safe environment.?
Cherry said that during her appeal to the Senate for the $340,000 needed to keep the Groveland facility open she recommended several other line items cut from the state police budget.
If there is a difference in the proposed State Police budgets between the House and the Senate, there will be a Conference Committee made up of two members of the House and Senate which will decide the outcome of the State police budget.
The House passed a balanced budget and according to the Constitution the State Budget must be approved by the end of the fiscal year Oct.1. The budget process must be completed and approved no later than Sept. 30.
The Michigan State Police opened the Groveland Township location in 1996, troopers from the police post patrol in Groveland, Holly, and Rose townships.
The Michigan State Police considered four criterion in recommending which posts to close, including the number of complaints taken, number of incidents responded to, population growth, and other law enforcement services in the area. Troopers and other personnel will be relocated, according to state police officials, rather than terminated, although reassignment information is not yet available.
Groveland Township Fire Department Station No. 1 shares the township-owned building with the Groveland team. The township doesn’t charge the Michigan State Police to rent its post building. Groveland Township picked up the cost of remodeling the building to accommodate the post, and pays for utilities such as electricity and sewer.
If the post closes the nearest post is 42 miles away in Oak Park. The Flint post, located 17 miles north of Groveland Township in Genesee County, doesn’t normally respond to incidents in the Groveland Township area. Other options for that area’s 6,250 residents will be forced to pay to set up a local police department, or pay to contract with another police agency such as the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, said DePalma.