Discussions of outsourcing Saline Police dispatch meet criticism from residents
Discussions about the possibility of outsourcing the Saline Police Department’s dispatch service to Pittsfield Township drew criticism from several residents Monday night.
The city is gathering information about a cost-saving agreement with Pittsfield Township that would save the city about $100,000 in the second year.
Chris Boulter was the first to voice his opposition to the plan saying Saline’s residents don’t want to be “New York or Ann Arbor or Pittsfield, we want to be Saline,” and the city’s round-the-clock dispatch system is a place where people routinely go for safety.
Boulter, president of the Saline Police Officers Association, said he was expressing his opinion as a taxpayer, and he wanted the City Council to know that five of the city’s 21 police department employees were actively job hunting - two dispatchers and three police officers.
“Our morale is crumbling,” he said.
Last month, Saline Police Chief Paul Bunten told the City Council that he had had informational meetings with the Pittsfield Public Safety Department and that the township is interested in providing Saline with dispatch services, which would save the city “about $100,000 after the first year.”
He said the city and township police departments train together and have a very good working relationship.
It costs about $225,000 to maintain the city’s dispatch service with three full-time dispatchers and four part-time dispatchers.
Resident Mary Hess reminded the City Council that “The safety in this city is very important,” to its residents and she cited costs for less essential services that the city was spending tax dollars on in opposing the idea.
Mary Lirones said the city’s dispatch system is very important to the city’s residents and she hoped that the City Council would poll residents about this possible change before making a decision.
“We feel secure talking to someone here in the city,” she said urging the City Council to get residents' opinions about the potential change in services.
Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell said that the city was just gathering information. “We are talking about it in a methodical way,” and there would be community forums.
"There has been no decision or agreement," Driskell said, adding the city was considering the plan because the state Legislature is asking communities to look at ways to collaborate to get state funding.
“We have no intention of compromising the safety of our residents,” she said.
The dispatch service is located in City Hall along with the police department, and Saline dispatchers handle about 800 emergency 911 calls and 15,000 regular calls annually, Bunten said previously. Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Saline stories, visit our Saline page.
Comments
RJA
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 1:43 a.m.
I have to agree with (Common Sense) go the way of Washtenaw Co. We in " York Twp" feel safe using Washtenaw Co. I don't feel the need to talk with anyone in Milan City. The officers and dis-patch do a great job!
Morph the Cat
Tue, Jul 12, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
If the estimated savings is fully vetted and realistic, I don't see why this couldn't or shouldn't be a viable option. As a tax paying resident of the City of Saline, I think this may be a prudent move to save hard dollars. I'm sure the dispatch channels of communication are essentialy handled through a combination of landline and wireless transmissions, so what difference does it make if the 'call' terminates (routed to) in Saline or Pittsfield Township? Now, if someone can demonstrate the liklihood of a slower response time and/or the increased chance of confusion due to geographic knowledge or locale familiarity, then there may be a case to maintain a seperate dispatch. I think it's a matter of balancing the expected cost savings with any measurable variations in response times during police, fire, and medical emergencies. It's plausible that merging dispatch services could even result in greater coordination of emergency resources and heightened awareness across the greater Saline community.
Polecat
Tue, Jul 12, 2011 : 2:48 p.m.
I love the threat by the cop that other cops are looking for new employment. Don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out. Like there is any shortage of cops that would be willing to join a police force that never has any crime to deal with. Hassling teenagers and busting drunk drivers is about all they do.
snoopdog
Tue, Jul 12, 2011 : 12:50 p.m.
These parasite unions need to be outlawed. The taxpayers are held hostage by these groups and then when asked for reasonable shared sacrifice they say no and cry that their "morale is crumbling". Good Day
David Briegel
Tue, Jul 12, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.
Kind of like those parasite Banksters and the Fortune 500 that rent the gov't of "we the people" who cry there is no money because their hired hands won't tax where the wealth is? The taxpayers are then held hostage.
Common Sense
Tue, Jul 12, 2011 : 11:33 a.m.
I commend our city leaders for at least looking at possible solutions to the economic crisis facing our nation and its cities. My suggestion is that they go farther and consider incorporating the Saline Police Department into the Washtenaw Country Sherrff's Department. Perhaps this would give us even more in return for our tax monies? It is at least worth a serious discussion by all city residents in a series of community forums!!!