Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

February 9, 2010

Peninsula Twp. could hire safety officer

GT County now provides deputy for $72K a year

BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY

TRAVERSE CITY -- Peninsula Township leaders want their own police officer to patrol the quiet bedroom community.

The township board will continue its investigation into hiring a public safety officer to replace a deputy currently provided by the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department.

The board meets today at 7 p.m. in the township hall.

A public safety officer -- a police officer cross-trained as a firefighter and emergency medical technician -- likely would report to the township's new fire board.

"The concept is getting some real support," said township Supervisor Rob Manigold. "To have a police officer with fire and EMT training would be a positive thing. We need to keep as many firefighters as we can on the peninsula for fire department runs."

But it was cash, taxes and local control that prompted the board to consider its own officer, Manigold said.

The township pays $72,000 a year for a deputy dedicated to Peninsula Township. The 0.2 mill tax levy the township collects to pay for the officer is due to go back on the ballot this year.

"Board members questioned, if we're paying about $2.7 million to the county in taxes, which goes to support the sheriff's department, why are we also charging ourselves a millage?" Manigold said.

The sheriff's cost is greater than the $72,000 it charges to cover a deputy's wages and benefits, Undersheriff Nathan Alger said. The county's general fund picks up the cost of training, uniforms, weapons and a patrol car for the township officer. Property taxes also pay for the jail, record keeping, a detective bureau, general road patrol and other services.

"My opinion is it will be much more expensive for the township to go it alone," Alger said.

The township also thought its deputy was limited by the county's union contract to work four 10-hour days instead of the five days a week the township preferred. They were mistaken, Alger said. The deputy goes on a five-day schedule beginning March 1.

The other unknown facing the township concerns losing those services built into the county system, such as around-the-clock response and its detective bureau, Manigold said.

The sheriff's department has law enforcement responsibility for any unincorporated areas of the county not covered by their own police department, Alger said. He's not sure how the township hiring its own officer might affect other services.

The board plans to make a decision on the officer before its new fiscal year begins April 1, Manigold said.

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