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Pontiac Police Department to end with takeover by Oakland County Sheriff

Venator

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Same crew different color uniform.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/10/12/news/doc4cb4c5d65d08c388981027.txt

Pontiac Police Department to end with takeover by Oakland County Sheriff

PONTIAC — It looks like Pontiac is going from blue to brown.

Emergency Financial Manager Michael Stampfler signed a memorandum of understanding for Pontiac and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office to enter into contract negotiations for all police services, including dispatch.

The change will take place in January 2011 with Pontiac Police Chief Val Gross being required to provide a transition plan for Stampfler no later than Oct. 19.
 

sprinklerguy28

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Oakland Sheriff's are a huge step above the Pontiac PD. However I wonder how many Pontiac officers will be hired by the county. Similar situation happened when Mt. Clemens disbanded their department and contracted Macomb. Macomb County hired many of the former city officers.
 

warrior1978

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Same crew different color uniform.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/10/12/news/doc4cb4c5d65d08c388981027.txt

Pontiac Police Department to end with takeover by Oakland County Sheriff

PONTIAC — It looks like Pontiac is going from blue to brown.

Emergency Financial Manager Michael Stampfler signed a memorandum of understanding for Pontiac and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office to enter into contract negotiations for all police services, including dispatch.

The change will take place in January 2011 with Pontiac Police Chief Val Gross being required to provide a transition plan for Stampfler no later than Oct. 19.


It sounds like it is far from a done deal. In the short run it will save the city some money but OCSO has been known to increase the costs when contract renewal time comes up. I'm not being critical here as the cost of wages and benefits do increase. Giving up their PD means giving up the city council and mayor's ability to directly influence law enforcement. Another disadvantage to the city, is the ability to cut money from law enforcement when funds come up short. You can't do that in middle of the fiscal year when you've entered into a contract with OCSO.

PPD at one point had 175 officers, now the city is down to 60 something. The reduction in LE is not the sole cause of the increase in crime however it certainly contributes to it.
 

warrior1978

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Sure some PPD officers will hire to OCSO however I'm assuming that the Deputy Union contract will play a role. I beleive that OCSO has laid off deputies waiting to be called back and they are entitled to callbacks before new hires are brought on.

One could argue that OCSO will be more effective than PPD however, the end result would be no additional officers so it is unlikely that switching uniforms and patrol car decals will have any significant effect on crime.
 

scot623

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It sounds like it is far from a done deal. In the short run it will save the city some money but OCSO has been known to increase the costs when contract renewal time comes up. I'm not being critical here as the cost of wages and benefits do increase. Giving up their PD means giving up the city council and mayor's ability to directly influence law enforcement. Another disadvantage to the city, is the ability to cut money from law enforcement when funds come up short. You can't do that in middle of the fiscal year when you've entered into a contract with OCSO.

PPD at one point had 175 officers, now the city is down to 60 something. The reduction in LE is not the sole cause of the increase in crime however it certainly contributes to it.

Based on my experiences at the Pontiac City Council meetings, we don't want them to have control over their police. The council are all fools who use emotion instead of law to guide their descisions.
 

Michigander

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If I had to make a prediction, it would be that the OCSD will patrol very little after the takeover, very much like in Royal Oak township. Not that it will be much different. I've almost never spotted cops in Pontiac.
 

PDinDetroit

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Based on my experiences at the Pontiac City Council meetings, we don't want them to have control over their police. The council are all fools who use emotion instead of law to guide their descisions.

Well, I see it this way:

1. OCSD will not enforce any unlawful/illegal ordinances, I have that confirmation after speaking with Sheriff Bouchard about the Royal Oak ABE Issue.

2. As long as their is no "police chief" appointed by Pontiac, the City Council will have little "pull" over OCSD work in the City.
 

warrior1978

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With as few officers as they have allocated for Pontiac and the number of complaints that Pontiac generates, there is little patrol, only running from complaint to complaint. Almost no one on this website would be caught dead unarmed in the city of Pontiac. Roll up your windows, lock your doors and make sure you have Onstar to track your stolen car, make sure your life insurance policy is up to date as well. Truly sad.

My solution and bad as it sounds because it will involve more tax dollars, but double the size of the Oakland County Jail. The problem is no simpler than this, when you allow criminals to run the streets you will continue to have crime.
 
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detroit_fan

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My solution and bad as it sounds because it will involve more tax dollars, but double the size of the Oakland County Jail. The problem is no simpler than this, when you allow criminals to run the streets you will continue to have crime.

You want a solution? Quit locking people up for possession of drugs, especially marijuana. Last figure I read was 40% of all US inmates are in for drug possession, a victimless crime.

I'm glad PPD is going away, OCS is much better to deal with and will actually follow MI law in regards to firearms.
 

warrior1978

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Drug possession is far from a victimless crime.....If everyone who was arrested for dope (including marijuana) did a minimum of 2 years locked up, without a doubt you would see less theft, assaults, murders etc...
The cost of this would be significant however.
 

Venator

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Oakland Sheriff's are a huge step above the Pontiac PD. However I wonder how many Pontiac officers will be hired by the county. Similar situation happened when Mt. Clemens disbanded their department and contracted Macomb. Macomb County hired many of the former city officers.
Yes, my point exactly, many may be retained, but they will now have to answer to the Sheriff and the Sheriff answers to the electorate.
 

detroit_fan

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Drug possession is far from a victimless crime.....If everyone who was arrested for dope (including marijuana) did a minimum of 2 years locked up, without a doubt you would see less theft, assaults, murders etc...
The cost of this would be significant however.

Yeah, all those pot smokers stealing to support their habit, lol. Get real.

Minimum 2 years for marijuana possession? Are you serious? I'm glad our society doesn't agree with your draconian views, 60% of the country would be locked up.
 

detroit_fan

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More often the people defending the dope heads are dope heads themselves

Or they support liberty, freedom of choice, and states rights. It could also be that they oppose the $40 BILLION in TAXPAYER money wasted every year in the "war on drugs". I suppose you think that's money well spent, and after having this short discussion with you, I think you probably believe we are winning that "war".
 

TheQ

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Drug possession is far from a victimless crime.....If everyone who was arrested for dope (including marijuana) did a minimum of 2 years locked up, without a doubt you would see less theft, assaults, murders etc...
The cost of this would be significant however.

I would argue if drug sale/possession was legal you'd see far less crime!

Why?

People steal because the drugs they are addicted to are illegal.

Since they are illegal there is an artificial supply shortage (vs. demand).

Since the supply isn't the same as the demand, prices rise way up to a level that attempts to keep demand down.

So to afford to use the drug which the user has formed a dependence on, bs has to steal.

My answer? Make it all legal, let them use as much as they want. Maybe some will OD and kill themselves *shrugs*.

Building more prisons and housing more people isn't the answer and it isn't sustainable.

If drugs were legal, supply would meet demand, prices would go down, and less people would need to steal to support their habit.

If you want to punish theft more severely, punish theft more severely. Aside from causing more theft, drug use and possession only hurts the user. Punish the theft (the problem) not drug use.

This is just my $.02. I don't intend to engage in a public debate with anyone. Anyone who wants to intelligently debate the topic can PM me. Anyone who just wants to call me an idiot fan save us both time by not bothering
 

TheQ

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More often the people defending the dope heads are dope heads themselves

For the record, I've never so much as smoked a joint. In all honesty, I took a puff off of a Tabbacco hooka once at a bar in Ann Arbor (Heidelberg).

I support a person's right to choose what to do with their life, even if they just want to screw it up -- so long as they don't harm anyone else.

To say I use drugs because I defend use is just plain ignorant, I'm sorry.
 

TheQ

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Or they support liberty, freedom of choice, and states rights. It could also be that they oppose the $40 BILLION in TAXPAYER money wasted every year in the "war on drugs". I suppose you think that's money well spent, and after having this short discussion with you, I think you probably believe we are winning that "war".

+1
 

jm62383

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For the record, I've never so much as smoked a joint. In all honesty, I took a puff off of a Tabbacco hooka once at a bar in Ann Arbor (Heidelberg).

I support a person's right to choose what to do with their life, even if they just want to screw it up -- so long as they don't harm anyone else.

To say I use drugs because I defend use is just plain ignorant, I'm sorry.
Same here, Ive never touched the stuff but if someone wants to sit in thier own living room and get lit up it no different than sitting in your living room get drunk off your ass. To each their own in their own homes.
 

WilDChilD

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is there any laws about firearms and the new marijuana laws in mi? Can people have a marijuana card and a cpl? Is there any federal laws that might come in to play with that?
 

detroit_fan

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is there any laws about firearms and the new marijuana laws in mi? Can people have a marijuana card and a cpl? Is there any federal laws that might come in to play with that?

there are lots of people with both a cpl and medical card. federal rules can always come into play because it remains illegal at the federal level.
 
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