Washtenaw County's $11 million rent-a-cop program is taking shape, with 82 sheriff's deputies set to be hired by townships and villages beginning Jan. 1, 2002 - but with many western communities unable or unwilling to pay for protection.
Preliminary figures collected at a Wednesday meeting of county and local government officials indicate that at least five, and as many as seven, townships will not sign up for Sheriff's Department patrols. And that worries Sheriff Dan Minzey, who is barely six months into office and facing his biggest political challenge so far.
Under a new cost-cutting measure, the county will no longer provide road patrol out of the general fund, with most of the savings going to county jail renovation. Instead, the county is requiring all local municipalities to sign a contract by Aug. 1 for police protection or lose the sheriff's coverage. Communities without their own department and without sheriff's coverage would rely on the state police to respond to calls. State police officials have said they will reallocate their resources where necessary, but that department will still have to cover its other responsibilities, such as patrolling freeways.
"My biggest concern is the noncontract areas. Almost the whole western side of county is an open hole," said Minzey, a Democrat and former sheriff's sergeant who unseated four-term Republican Ronald Schebil last November and inherited the politically sensitive patrol issue. The decision by the county board of commissioners to pull patrol cars from nonpaying municipalities has angered many rural county voters who rejected a county millage for courthouse and jail renovation last fall, as well as ousting Schebil.
"I am not really a chief of police but I am the sheriff of the county. I was elected to serve all of the county, and I do feel I am responsible to serve them all," Minzey said.
As of Wednesday, these rural communities have indicated that they have no money to hire deputies, according to sheriff's officials: Lima Township, Lyndon Township, Sharon Township, Sylvan Township and Saline Township. In addition, Freedom Township and Lodi Township may join the no-police ranks.
Lodi Township currently contracts for one deputy but may drop that option and use the money for other forms of police response, such as paying for the runs made by state police troopers, said Supervisor Janann M. Godek.
The county will charge townships and villages $78,333 for each contract deputy, while subsidizing $40,353 with county money. The total $118,686 cost per "police service unit" includes deputy salary and fringe benefits, overtime and sick pay, patrol car and equipment, supervision, uniform and support service.
In all, the contract policing program will deploy 82 deputies across the county, costing $11 million next year, with $6.6 million collected in fees and the remainder paid by the county.
During the month of July, the county will negotiate a two-year contract with each unit of government interested in contract patrol to meet the Aug. 1 deadline, said County Administrator Robert E. Guenzel.
Last fall, three townships tried to pass new property taxes for police service, but voters rejected two.
Lyndon Township asked for 2.75 mills in the first year and 1.5 mills in the following six years, but the measure was defeated by a 2-1 margin. Manchester Township's 1.2 mill request also went down
Only Bridgewater Township passed a 0.5-mill patrol tax that will raise $27,950 a year, compared to one deputy price of $78,333, and a half-time officer would still require more than the millage revenue. Carol Peacock, Bridgewater Township supervisor, said her township and neighboring communities are trying to work out some sort of a collective package.
One full-time deputy is expected to log in 1,880 hours a year, and 24-hour coverage requires five deputies, said Undersheriff Herb Mahony.
Ypsilanti Township, the biggest client of the sheriff's department, will maintain the current force of 44 deputies, while Ann Arbor Township, Superior Township, Augusta Township, Scio Township, York Township, Dexter Township, Superior Township and Webster Township are all expected to increase their contract protection.
Curtis Hedger, county corporation counsel, will meet with township supervisors and attorneys May 21. One issue to be negotiated is whether contract deputies should be asked to enforce local ordinances. Another would be how a deputy's time should be billed in case the officer's travel crosses a township line.