TRAVERSE CITY -- Some city officials are suggesting a cost-saving plan to replace blue-clad Traverse City police with brown-shirted deputies.
Traverse City commissioners want to meet with county officials to discuss a variety of local police services, including an idea to replace some city officers with deputies.
Newly elected city Commissioner Michael Gillman said city taxpayers contribute about $800,000 a year to county road patrols, but receive nothing in return. They city also pays the county about $190,000 annually for police records it creates, but townships aren't similarly billed.
"There's a need for Traverse City to get equity in terms of its tax dollars," Gillman said. "For example, if the sheriff patrolled city streets we could reduce our police force."
Sheriff Tom Bensley said he's not opposed to including the city in patrols, but questioned the need.
"The generally accepted ratio of police officers to populace is two officers per 1,000 people," Bensley said. "The city has over two cops per thousand, while we have less than one."
The sheriff's department has 68 officers, including 19 deputies assigned to patrol the county.
County officials don't appear anxious to discuss the use of deputies for city patrols. A board committee recently recommended the county administrator cut a new deal with the city over records-keeping costs, but not discuss expanding county patrols.
City Mayor Chris Bzdok called its decision to limit discussion "short-sighted."
"We can be more efficient and more effective in this community if we find more ways to collaborate with the county," Bzdok said. "Police services is one area ripe for further investigation ... and it's not acceptable to me to limit that discussion and rule out all other areas for collaboration."
County board members expressed their greatest concern over the community policing program, in which 19 deputies are assigned to county townships.
The program hires deputies for townships, which pay salary and benefits of about $72,000 per officer, per year, while the county picks up equipment, training, supervision and record-keeping costs. Equipment costs about $52,000 per deputy over a four-year period.
"We were in different economic times when the county started the community police officer program," county Commissioner Larry Inman said. "We need to step back and look at the whole thing, the possible ramifications and the budget situation."
County board members appear more amenable to addressing the $190,000 records bill. Commissioners Christine Maxbauer and Ross Richardson both live in the city and said it is not fair to charge the city for something that's free to the townships.
County administrator Dennis Aloia said the city should get the same deal as the townships.
"I think the solution to the (records) problem is we need to revise what we charge for community police officers," Aloia said.
