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Politics & Government

State Police to Base Troopers at Chesterfield PD

Local residents will likely see an increase in patrols by Michigan State Police troopers on nearby freeways starting in October.

About a dozen Michigan State Police officers will likely set up shop in Chesterfield Township next month.

The Chesterfield Township Board of Trustees voted Monday night to allow the township’s police department to enter into an agreement with state police. The decision paves the way for 12 state troopers and two sergeants to start and end their shifts at the township’s station.

The move to form a Michigan State Police detachment in the township comes in response to a $17.7-million cut to the state police 2012 budget, Capt. Monica Yesh said Monday.

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“Our director did not want to lay off troopers so we wanted to look at how we are delivering services and can we do it better than what we’ve been doing in the past,” she said.

The department’s 62 posts will be cut down to 29 next month. With the Richmond and Detroit Freeway posts closing, Yesh said that having troopers work out of the township would make it easier to respond to nearby incidents.

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“We would have additional officers driving through the township at any given time of the day, Chief Bruce Smith told board members. “I think also having the state police here, if we did have an issue, they would be close to respond to help us if we needed that.

"Also having the state police operating out of our building would hopefully have them in the area more frequently and reduce the amount of freeway accidents we might have to police.”

Yesh said her department is unable to pay rent to use the facility, but will provide a gun safe, cell phones and computers for their officers to use.

The township department will provide lockers, indoor space and outside parking space for 14 patrol cars.

“I think it’s a great idea, especially for added coverage on the freeways in this area,” Chesterfield Township Clerk Jan Uglis said.

The Michigan State Police hopes to have troopers in the Chesterfield Township building and on patrol by Oct. 15.

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