Two of Oakland County’s wealthiest communities are considering consolidating police departments in an attempt to save money, ward off future tax hikes and keep streets safe.
Birmingham and Bloomfield Township aren’t in financial trouble, officials said. But, as state funding decreases, the municipalities are considering the cost-cutting move.
A draft of the county-funded study for the communities — which also are weighing sharing a fire department — was released in January. Both communities are reviewing the study, which showed potential savings of up to $4 million after the merger is complete. Such a merger could take about seven years.
"It’s just good government," said Bloomfield Township Supervisor David Payne.
The municipalities are the latest of at least six metro communities that have merged police operations or are considering it.
Walled Lake and Wolverine Lake partially merged police operations a year ago and will meet this week to discuss taking it further.
Naheed Huq, manager of community and economic development for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), said communities likely will have to at least consider sharing some services in the future.
"Communities have to look at ways to become more efficient," Huq said. "They have to look at what are natural fits, easy collaborations."
Alex Allie, city manager for Huntington Woods, said officials in that city and Berkley could revive talks that stalled 14 years ago about consolidating police services.
"We were a little ahead of our time then," Allie said. If the same idea were introduced today, "I think it would get a better reception."
Oakland County appears to be leading the way in consolidation talks. That could be because of a county program that pays for studies on the issue, said Robert Daddow deputy Oakland County executive.
The county’s Capital and Cooperative Initiatives Revolving Fund has paid for six such studies over the past two years, Daddow said. He said the county provides a neutral ground for communities to begin talks and get an unbiased look at the advantages — and pitfalls — consolidation could bring.
In Wayne and Macomb counties, such mergers don’t appear to be as popular. Northville and Northville Township share dispatch services after a 2004 agreement.
But some Downriver communities have put an effort to form a five-city fire authority on hold, saying the effort might not save money or serve residents, said Lincoln Park City Manager Steve Duchane
In Macomb County, Clinton Township dropped out of a group of communities studying dispatch consolidation. And Sheriff Mark Hackel said he’s not in the market to take over any other police departments like his office did in 2005, when Mt. Clemens disbanded its 113-year-old force.
Officials in Birmingham and Bloomfield Township started talking about a possible police merger about seven months ago. The two communities already share a district court, said City Manager Tom Markus.
Bloomfield Township, with a population of about 42,000, spent $11.4 million for police in 2006, compared with the $6 million spent in Birmingham, which has a population of 20,000. In the 2007-2008 budget, Birmingham has 35 sworn police officers and Bloomfield Township has 69.
Both communities will hold public meetings this summer on the merger, Payne said.
Contact KORIE WILKINS at 248-351-5186 or kwilkins@freepress.com. Staff writer Amber Hunt contributed to this report.
