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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
