By Meg Peters
Review Co-Editor
Trustees renewed the township’s one-year contract with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Monday night, reinstating one additional deputy to be added to the team January 1, 2016.
This will bring Orion Township three deputies closer to the five that were laid off during the economic downtown in 2011-2012, which was 16 percent of the force. An additional deputy will be reinstated halfway through 2016 as well, bringing the count to four.
As of January 1, a total of 28 OCSD employees will be contracted with the township.
The good news is Orion Township incurred no extra cost with the renewed contract, totaling $3,766,295 for services in 2016.
The additional cost for the reinstated deputy will also come to the township at zero dollars with revenue from the police millage completely covering the new patrol.
‘We’ve been able to keep revenue up by reducing overtime and court costs, among other things,? Lieutenant Dan Toth said. ‘The whole purpose is we want to make sure that the deputies always have a partner so they’re not responding to violent crimes by themselves.?
Each deputy will receive a three percent raise from Oakland County, due to the county’s frugal management of fringe benefits.
‘This is the first time in a number of years [for a raise], so we are keeping up with inflation,? Toth added.