Shanon Beeman, Washtenaw County Commissioner District 3
by Marsha Chartrand
Two weeks in the past, we shared a press release from Sheriff Jerry Clayton relating to the 2020 Public Security and neighborhood Psychological Well being millage, that gives much-needed funding for psychological well being companies and in addition augments the contract police funding mannequin that’s utilized in out-county areas, together with a collaboration between the Metropolis of Manchester and Lodi Township. At the moment, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is contemplating whether or not to place this millage up for renewal in November 2024 or to probably separate out the Neighborhood Psychological Well being portion and the Public Security parts into distinct millages which could consequence within the passage of 1 portion however not the opposite.
Clayton recommended in that article that if the millage is just not placed on the poll this fall for a vote or doesn’t move a vote of the individuals, it may devastate neighborhood wellness and security in Washtenaw County, by forcing the county to decide on between a blow to its finances or leaving many county residents with out the required police companies or safety.
Shannon Beeman, a Manchester resident who’s at the moment serving in her second time period on the County Board of Commissioners for Washtenaw County, provided to reply to the dilemma which may pit the Board in opposition to the Sheriff’s Workplace. “There’s lots of false impression across the millage and that’s troublesome to distill down to some sentences,” she stated.
Beginning out, Beeman defined, “there are expectations from the general public by way of authorities companies that purpose to supply wellness and security. Through the creation of the Psychological Well being and Public Security millage, earlier than I used to be elected to the Board of Commissioners, it grew to become evident that the monetary construction in place was not sustainable to fulfill the demand. This posed a threat of the police companies being discontinued, with the county now not providing assist or offering companies at full value regionally.”
At the moment, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Workplace engages with a spread of communities by way of a contract-based policing mannequin. At the moment, the contracts embody 9 townships, one village (now the Metropolis of Manchester), one metropolis, and two college districts. In most cases, these contracts guarantee round the clock protection, though some companions request or favor collaborative preparations.
This association is just not a cheap one. For 2023, every contracting accomplice contributed $170,471 per Police Service Unit (PSU) — a majority of those localities’ budgets. “You will need to be aware that the precise value per PSU totals $208,220, with $37,749 being lined by millage funding,” Beeman added. “The general value for all PSUs quantities to $16,865,833, with $3,057,677 being sponsored by the millage. From 2019 to 2023, the neighborhood requested 1000’s of requires service from WCSO: Manchester 7,695, Lodi 10,217, and York 15,441.”
All of District 3 advantages from the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Workplace, together with the townships that would not have WCSO contracts, Beeman defined. Dispatch is offered by way of WCSO, which implies from Saline to Milan to Bridgewater (and in all places in between) if you choose up the cellphone to dial 911 you attain the WCSO dispatch middle for police, fireplace, ambulance, and different emergency companies. The colleges in Manchester are protected by WCSO due to the subsidy from the millage. Sadly, we reside in a world the place college shootings are a actuality and our kindergarteners by way of excessive schoolers should really feel secure. The WCSO trains and prepares for emergencies involving the Customers Power Freedom Gasoline Compressor Station in Freedom Township, the place a number of main pure fuel pipelines cross. Nonetheless, Beeman says, the best piece of getting the WCSO outpost in Manchester is the necessity for response to a possible lack of life scenario. In any life-threatening emergency, the closest officer on patrol responds no matter whether or not the township pays for companies or not. For District 3, that is extra usually WCSO than Chelsea, Saline, or State police. Response time is essential in these life-or-death conditions and the WCSO saves lives with their proximity and attain. From automobile crashes to home violence conditions, the WCSO crew is there to assist and save our neighbors.
Beeman continues, “Whereas many want to separate psychological well being from public security, given the partnership between the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Workplace (WCSO) and Neighborhood Psychological Well being (CMH), it’s crucial to collaboratively deal with this concern. Many converse of reimagining policing and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Workplace is a mannequin of this effort. Neighborhood wellness can greatest be achieved by way of neighborhood responders. That’s why the WCSO continues to develop a mannequin in partnership with CMH and different organizations to assist neighborhood wellness by way of neighborhood responders. In an emergency scenario, the Sheriff’s Workplace works in partnership with neighborhood responders, akin to psychological well being professionals and substance use counselors, to determine how greatest to reply to a name.”
Lastly, Beeman concludes, “Successfully attaining the mission of wellness and security for our neighborhood requires acceptable funding within the companies to achieve desired outcomes. The main focus of the millage is on fostering neighborhood wellness, recognizing that psychological well being and public security encompasses not solely personnel but additionally necessitates the implementation of packages, infrastructure, and acquisition of kit to place WCSO, CMH, and our companions to successfully meet these wants. Shifting ahead, the significance of addressing these necessities is heightened much more. We face a psychological well being disaster in America and funding is required to deal with it. Renewing this millage in November will present a continuation of companies and packages – with out interruption – to assist our high quality of life.”
We’re all working in the identical route to assist that one trigger — the standard of life in Western Washtenaw County.