“It’s something citizens have been asking council to look into for some time.” “It’s a large amount of our budget and some of the members of the community have expressed concerns about various things with the department,” City Manager Kirk Harrier said in June, the Sentinel reports.

The move is expected to save Saugatuck over $220,000 per year, but about four officers within the joint police department will be laid off. Saugatuck has paid just over $500,000 per year for the past three years to give its citizens police services, MLive reports. “I am concerned for the safety of the residents of Saugatuck based on the scheduling provided by the sheriff’s office.” “Our department will continue on as the Douglas Police Department, but we will be losing half of our officers due to the decision made tonight,” Interim Police Chief of the Saugatuck-Douglas Police Department Steve Kent said, per the Holland Sentinel. The city will then contract with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office for its police needs, WHTC reports.

The current agreement for the Saugatuck-Douglas Police Department, which has been in place for two decades, will stay intact until June 30. 1,305), according to Michigan radio station WHTC. 980) City Council voted to not renew the intergovernmental police services agreement the city had with Douglas, Mich. A two-decade police partnership between two Michigan cities is ending so that one city can save money by contracting with its county’s police.

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