Bloomfield Township's Public Safety Millage on Aug. 7 Ballot

Among the three funding issues facing Bloomfield Township voters on Tuesday is the renewal of the township's public safety millage, which is currently set to expire in 2013. The unanimously approved the ballot language for the 10-year levy in May.

The move followed a survey by Mitchell Research and Communications, Inc., indicated they would either vote "yes" or probably vote "yes" on the measure. Sixty-two percent of Patch readers indicated they would not support the millage renewal, and 8 percent said they were undecided.

Millage Proposal Basics

What: Bloomfield Township voters will decide whether to renew a 2.39-mill tax to support police and fire protection.

When: Tuesday, Aug. 7.

Why: Township officials say the millage will allow service levels to remain the same.

Cost: If approved, the township will begin collecting the tax on Dec. 13, and expects to generate $7.41 million in the first year.

To Consider: This millage is good for 10 years and is responsible for covering roughly one-third of the township's $24 million public safety budget. Residents approved additional funding in 2010 that is used to supplement the cost.

Township officials report that due to changes in the Headlee Amendment and the Consumer Price Index, that the purchasing power of this millage will be $2.7 million less than when it was first administered in 2003. The township spent a good portion of last year trying to eliminate future legacy costs by successfully negotiating new contracts with employees.

By the Numbers

According to the 2011 Annual Report:

• 94: The total number of Police Department employees, including 67 sworn officers.
• 88: The total number of service calls by the department's K-9 unit.
• 42: The total number of open cases reported by the investigations division. 
• 1,321: The total number of cases assigned to the investigations division.
• 18,849: The number of complaints officers responded to, which was down for the third consecutive year.
• 83.3 Percent: The percentage increase in forced-entry burglaries from June of 2011 to June 2012, according to the department's latest monthly report. Larcenies (35.7 percent) and auto larcenies (48.5 percent) are also up, while robberies (66.7 percent) and retail frauds (43.8 percent) declined from June of last year.

According to the 2011 Annual Report:

• 60: The number of uniformed personnel
• 1,023: Total number of inspections performed.
• 2,360: Total number of calls for EMS service, representing 63 percent.
• 3,720: Total number of cals for emergency service, 29 fewer than 2010.
• 12,000: Estimate of total work hours dedicated to training by department personnel.