What's to stop every city, township, etc., from doing this? Will the state be expected to bail out everyone who makes this choice?
State troopers will soon deploy to Pontiac, helping patrol the city's streets and filling the manpower gaps of the critically hobbled police force.
Michigan State Police announced Thursday that, by next week, 10 troopers will assist the city with criminal investigations and road patrols in high-crime areas.
"We answer the call when there's a need from our neighbors in law enforcement," said State Police Capt. Robert Clark at a press conference Thursday at the Pontiac Police Station on Pike Street.
The announcement comes weeks after city officials ordered another round of layoffs -- 31 total, mostly from the police -- to help reduce a $6.5 million deficit. The police force, which had 170 officers a few years ago, will shrivel to 66 by next week, when another two dozen laid-off officers leave.
You want the city covered, of course, but this is coming at the expense of others. Sure, it won't cost the city anything...
Police Chief Val Gross emphasized that both the state and county's assistance would be temporary and won't cost the city any additional money because tax dollars already pay for their service.
The layoffs were Phillips' response to voters' Jan. 15 rejection of a tax increases for police and recreation, and their refusal to reduce the ranks of the Fire Department, moves that would have saved the city about $5 million.
Most of the troopers providing assistance will be pulled from daily duties of patrolling state highways and freeways around southeastern Michigan. Clark said that because they were pulled from various posts, their absence shouldn't significantly impact highway patrols.
It's not significant until it's you being carjacked, or in an accident, or whatever may befall you, while that one cop is off patrolling Pontiac.
Something to keep an eye on. Apparently this has been done before in Flint and Saginaw, and they say it's temporary (not sure what they plan to do next, except maybe take another vote), but there is precedent being set here that can have some severe consequences if this sort of thing becomes commonplace.