Alpena County Sheriff’s Office staffing issues could end 24-hour patrols | News, Sports, Jobs

News photo by Steve Schulwitz. Alpena County Sheriff Erik Smith talks on the radio in his car Wednesday. Smith said the sheriff’s office is close to ending 24-hour street patrol because of a shortage of deputies and more staff cuts coming if the county’s proposed tax increase fails in November.

ALPENA – The number of deputies in the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office has dropped to such a level that 24-hour patrol could be in jeopardy.

If the county’s proposal to raise property taxes fails in the November election, it could lead to further cuts in the number of sheriff’s deputies, which in turn could lead to an even greater reduction in patrols.

The county wants voters to approve a tax increase of 0.7051 per thousand that would bring in about $800,000 annually for the county and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $35 per year. A portion of that tax revenue would help stabilize the staffing situation at the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Erik Smith said his department has been proactive in trying to find new sources of revenue to ease some of the pressure on the county budget and has been successful in doing so. He said the department has taken on part of the contract with Alpena Community College to provide police support paid for by the college and helped negotiate a deal between Alpena Public Schools and Alpena Township in which the two municipalities would fully fund a school liaison officer at the school, eliminating the county from having to pay its share itself.

Smith said new drug testing and electronic monitoring programs were also introduced to raise money and ease the budget burden.

The problem is that these new initiatives are taking officers away from their patrol duties. Officers are also working in court and on the Huron Undercover Narcotic Team, which further reduces the personnel available for patrol.

To make matters worse, the sheriff also lost a deputy who took another job because he feared losing his job if the proposed property tax increase failed, Smith said. The county has imposed a hiring freeze and so far commissioners are not looking to replace the departing deputy.

“We’ve done things to help and bring in revenue, but we’re at a point where we’re just running on the bare minimum and it’s clear that if we fail, we’re going to have to make staff cuts,” Smith said. “We’re at a critical point where we could lose 24-hour street policing if we don’t fill the position we lost. If we lose any more people, which is almost certain to happen because of the cuts, we’re just not going to have enough staff to do it.”

Commissioners have discussed the possibility of laying off police officers in budget meetings, but voters who rejected the proposal in the August primary election have failed to sway the district. The district is facing a budget deficit of more than $1 million and has promised cuts if the tax increase fails again.

Smith said in reality, he could use four new deputies to properly patrol, respond to complaints and emergencies and provide needed safety for citizens. He said if the tax proposal fails, he may be able to wring some staff help from the commissioners, but at a minimum, he wants just enough to maintain 24-hour street patrol.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer said cuts are never easy but necessary. He said the election outcome will determine how deep the cuts will be.

The committee has previously outlined what the budget for next year would look like if the tax increase fails, warning citizens that deep cuts are inevitable and would cut both jobs and services.

“Currently, the board is working to create a budget that does not include passing the millage. Of course, if things change, last-minute adjustments can be made,” Osmer said. “While we appreciate the work of Sheriff Smith and our local law enforcement agencies, the reality is that the board has little choice due to the lack of financial foresight of previous boards. There is a very real chance that the sheriff’s department will be affected by the adjustments needed to get our county back on the path to financial health.”

Smith said he will continue to advocate for his employees and the safety of residents, who will be less safe if a solution is not found to maintain or increase the number of his deputies.

“I swore to keep the community safe and that’s what I intend to do,” he said. “I made it very clear to the commissioners that I’m the sheriff, that I’m here for public safety and that’s my only concern. Not the finances. They can handle all of that. I’m going to fight in that ring for my employees and our residents. That’s what I intend to do.”

Smith said he is almost certain the number of officers available for patrol will be cut if the tax increase fails. How many might be laid off and how he will be forced to assign the remaining officers is still unclear, Smith said.

If 24-hour highway patrol is eliminated, Smith said there will be people who may have to wait at night and overnight for a police response. He said officers do have patrol cars they can take home so they can respond from home, but that takes time. He added that while Michigan State Police do their best, they patrol five counties and often don’t have enough staff to cover additional calls in Alpena County.

“Late at night, if God forbid no one is available, officers can respond from home, but that takes quite a long time,” Smith said.

County commissioners are expected to announce what budget cuts will be made if the tax proposal is rejected at their Oct. 8 finance committee meeting.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.