CLAYTON TOWNSHIP — Officials for the village of Lennon, located
partially in both Shiawassee and Genesee counties, decided to keep its police
services in house after contemplating a bid by a neighboring township to provide
police services to the village, according to the Swartz Creek News. The village
has its own police force of four — one full-time officer and three part-time
officers.
Clayton Township offered to provide the services for $67,000,
but may have added $4,000 to $5,000 in startup costs, according to the News.
Currently, the village and township provide patrols and backup
coverage of the other’s area, the News reported.
In the end, village officials decided to reject the bid, citing
a desire to maintain control over the police force.
Intergovernmental contracting for police services is an
increasingly popular option among local units of government. In the December
2006 MPR article, "Arrest Municipal Police Costs," the Mackinac Center maps out
how several municipalities have turned to other governments for protection. The
most dramatic savings came in Mt. Clemens, where the city hired the Macomb
County sheriff’s department to provide policing services. The city estimates
that their policing costs fell 38 percent as a result. The article can be found
on the Mackinac Center Web site at
www.mackinac.org/8127.
Reference: Swartz Creek News, "Clayton cops may patrol
Lennon," June 10, 2007
