By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
jnewell@mihomepaper.com
LAKE ORION — The Lake Orion Village Council voted 7-0 during its meeting on Monday to approve a contract renewal with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for police dispatch services.
But the new contract comes with significant cost increases to the village.
The Police Dispatch Service Agreement cost for fiscal year 2023-24 fees is $40,870.92, according to village documents. Dispatching fees will increase by 12.75% to $46,080 for fiscal year 2024-25, with a 3.3% increase to $47,585.04 for fiscal year 2025-26 and a 3.3% increase to $49,139.52 for fiscal year 2026-27.
“The contract rates are established by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners every three years and apply uniformly to all municipalities receiving dispatch services,” said village Manager Darwin McClary.
Despite the rate increases, council members said the village was still getting a deal on police dispatch services.
“I would just like to note to the public that by hiring out the dispatch services to the county we saved a huge amount of money because we don’t have to have a dispatcher (in the Lake Orion Police Department) working three shifts, so that would be a $150,000 a year or something, minimum,” council member Michael Lamb said. “It’s a deal at any price. I just brought that to your attention because oftentimes people are resistant to contracting out for important services in the village, but the cost savings to the residents are tremendous.”
“It’s an excellent service, they provide outstanding dispatch services,” said council President Jerry Narsh, former Lake Orion police chief and current police chief for the Village of Holly Police Department.
Lake Orion Police Chief Stanfield recommended approval of the three-year Police Dispatch Service Agreement with the sheriff’s office. The contract renewal is April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2027. The county will also be charging the village an annual warrant processing fee of $3,000, according to village documents.
The Lake Orion Police Department previously contracted dispatch services with the Oxford Police Department.
During a special meeting in June 2016, Oxford decided to transfer police dispatch services to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, effectively shutting down the village police dispatch center July 1, 2017 “or sooner,” according to Lake Orion Review archives.
The Lake Orion Police Department contracted 911 and non-emergency call-taking and police dispatching services with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center effective at 8 a.m. on Nov. 30, 2016.