Gaines Township Police Department Dissolved After Vote On Wednesday

The Gaines Township Police Department is no more.

On Wednesday evening, a vote was taken by the Gaines Township board that ended in the decision to dissolve the police department. The board made the move after residents voted to reject a millage proposal that would have kept the department alive. Without the millage, there is not enough money to run the department.

In the future, the primary policing agency will be the Michigan State Police. However, it doesn't look like any state troopers will be assigned to patrol the township specifically. After using the budget for the year, Gaines Township police officers were asked to turn in all of their equipment and have been laid off since April 1st.

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The township tried to put a property tax increase in place to pull in around $179,000 each year to continue the department. The annual police budget was right around $174,000 each year for part-time patrols. Now after 21 years, the Gaines Township Police Department is now more.

During the May 4th special election, the millage received roughly 594 votes in favor and 1,223 votes against it. While voters voted against the millage, they voted in favor of a mosquito control assessment. That assessment will allow the township to collect $35 from each commercial, industrial, and housing unit for five years to fight against mosquitos.

Source: MLive