Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard is making plans to take over the policing duties in Pontiac. The city of Pontiac is shutting down its police department as the city deals with severe budget problems.
The city’s rank and file police officers voted to dissolve their union contract this week. Other public safety unions must also do the same before the Sheriff’s department takes over. Sheriff Bouchard says policing Pontiac will pose some public safety challenges to his office.
“It’s nothing that we don’t know or we’re not ready for.”
Bouchard plans to hire at least 60 current Pontiac police officers to patrol Pontiac’s city streets. The city hopes to save two million dollars by having the sheriff’s department police its streets.
The Detroit News reports Pontiac Police Chief Vallard Goss was fired today.
