Pontiac Disbanding Police Department

Ridiculous! I cant imagine a town of that size not having a police department.

A sad sign of the times.

There always is an answer to any problem. But the answer you get, Is not necessarily the one you want.

I don't have a good feeling about this.....

Times change.

Sometimes a Metro Police Unit breaks out and becomes it's own agency.

Sometimes a Police Agency is absorbed into another...... for reasons like lack of funding, chaning population and/or anti-corruption issues.

That being said.... I still hope that this current changeover plan works out for everyone.

As I've said in the past, cutting back on/cutting out the first responders ( police, fire fighters, etc. ) should be a last resort. I feel sorry for the residents of Pontiac. Bad days ahead .....

Pontiac is definitely an interesting place but the Sheriff's Department won't be strained. . . .trust me. Unlike other states where the Sheriff's Office is king of the hill in that county, the Sheriff's Departments in Michigan are not required by law to put patrols out. Michigan Constitution only requires the Sheriff to operate the jail and do civil service. . . .and Oakland County has that down to a science. They will NOT patrol a township unless they have a contract with the township. If it is an emergency, they will come in and hold it down until the local authority (or state police if no local authority) comes in to take the complaint. . . .unless it might become "newsworthy". Otherwise, they won't show up, even though it is with in their county. It is not the road officer's decision, it is their boss' decision on that.

Pontiac has it's issues with contracts and the contracts the police signed did not include a minimum staffing levels on a shift so at times they would be lucky to get 3 to maybe 5 cars out on the street. Now, they contract with the Sheriff's Department. . . they don't have to worry about insurances, training, understaffing issues (i.e. paying overtime), equipment issues. . .etc., etc.,. . . .the Sheriff's Department has to worry about that. At roughly $300,000.00/year per officer per day (i.e. 3 officers to cover 3 shifts along with a sgt. and a building), Pontiac may have saved themselves some money so they can pay their firemen that DID get a minimum staffing clause in THEIR contract.

All I can say is wow. Just let the citizen’s vote on it. I bet 99.999999% of Pontiac citizens will vote to keep Police/Fire around. It always amazes me when I walk in city halls and there are more sectary’s to the mayor than officers actually patrolling the streets. If a city has to make cuts make them where it will least affect the city. A city of 66,000 shouldn’t have the same revenue issues as a city of 600!!

You knowjust stop blaming President Obama. He inherited a nation that was being overwhelmed by the greediness of high positioned executives. I feel bad for the officers of the Pontiac Police Department and hope that they all land on thier feet. Having been through a disbandment myself (CHA Police 1999) I can tell you they will need the support of family, friends, and the community. In closing, one must point the finger at the city officials who knew that fiscal hardships were a possibility and they should have prepared for it. Once again officers good luck to all of you.