Macomb Township renews agreement with sheriff's office, adds sergeant – Macomb Daily

On June 12, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees approved renewing the law enforcement and emergency dispatch services agreement with the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, adding a sergeant to the agreement. Lt. Eric Ehrler and Cmdr. Jason Abro, of the sheriff's office, described the need for the sergeant at the June 12 meeting. (PHOTO COURTESY OF macombtwpmi.portal.civicclerk.com/event/402/media)

Macomb Township gained an additional police sergeant June 12 when the board renewed an agreement with the sheriff's office that included the additional manpower.

During a regular meeting, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees approved the renewal of the Law Enforcement and Emergency Dispatch Services Agreement with the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, including an additional sergeant. The renewal of the agreement is for a period of three years, from 2025 to 2027. Information from the supervisor's office confirms that for 2025, the agreement is for $7.3 million, including this new position.

Supervisor Frank Viviano said that at its first budget hearing, the board generally favored an addition to the agreement. Before the board approved the sergeant position, Macomb County Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Jason Abro said the township has a total of 38.5 positions.

“We are looking at the future of the township and the situation of your population. And as a law enforcement professional and looking at the numbers and the statistics, you know, we recommend adding supervision to the night shift,” Abro said.

He added that currently there are five unsupervised deputies on this team. Police and firefighters in other comparable local communities don't operate without supervision on every shift, according to Abro. He said currently a county-funded sergeant patrols the midnight shift and could be anywhere in the county if and when requested by Macomb Township deputies or the public when a supervisor is needed , adding that the sergeants are responsive, but must come from anywhere. they are and whatever they do to respond.

“We are seeing an increase in calls where citizens or the public are constantly asking to see a supervisor. So instead of that citizen waiting for a supervisor to come from another jurisdiction, we should really add a supervisor to the midnight shift,” Abro said.

Abro added that the midnight shift sergeant would perform administrative work, lead midnight shift deputies and also serve on the road. He estimated that about 70 percent of the sergeant's time would be spent on highway patrol.

“We want that supervisor to stop at traffic stops, go to calls with deputies to determine, you know, what's right and what's wrong. There are a lot of questions that arise, on different situations, and the deputies are asking for guidance. And now they’re waiting for that supervisor to come from another jurisdiction,” Abro said.

He added that some midnight calls are two-person races and confirmed the additional position would make a difference in public safety.

“So when you respond to a domestic situation or an alarm at midnight, there are two officers responding to that call. And there's a servant and there's an arrest. These two are off the road. You have three left. So you know that the supervisor can give directives. I know we've had some issues at midnight directing deputies to proactive patrol, questions about critical incidents that they have, and like I said, we're just at the point where the city is, it gets to where yes, supervision is absolutely necessary just for those reasons,” Abro said.

The cost of a sergeant position is $219,000, compared to $172,000 for a deputy, according to Abro.

“So about $47,000 more.” So, in my opinion, about 50 cents per resident to have supervision and another person on patrol is a reasonable request in my opinion,” said Administrator Peter J. Lucido III.

Treasurer Leon Drolet said the Treasury Department had reviewed the law enforcement fund balance and found it to be healthy.

“We have a decision to make as a board. We don't want to just increase the fund balance for the sole purpose of storing fund balances. Our job is to use that money for the benefit of the public. So we either need to reduce the taxes that we charge residents for law enforcement or we need to hire additional law enforcement to provide, you know, enhanced law enforcement services. So I think one of the things we discussed at our council hearing was doing both. Add additional law enforcement, especially to cover the night shift,” Drolet said.

In addition to the law enforcement agreement, on June 12, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees set millage rates for 2024. Rates were set at:

• General operating mileage: 0.6232

• Fire operating mileage: 1.9000. The council approved this millage rate with the understanding that continued fire operations will be placed on the Aug. 6 ballot and, if adopted, will replace the 1.9 rating.

• Fire pension mileage: 0.0625. The board approved the rate with the condition that if voters approve the fire millage on the Aug. 6 ballot, that rate would be reduced to 0.00.

• Police protection mileage: 1.4500

• Parks and recreation mileage: 0.7469

Officials also approved updates to water and sewer rates. The updates will apply from July 1. The changes will include:

• The water service fee per quarter will remain the same at $19.

• Water per unit will increase from $4.47 to $4.65.

• The quarterly sewer service fee will remain the same at $17.75.

• Sewer revenue per unit will increase from $4.25 to $4.49.