Plans Moving Ahead for New State Police Post

The  should have a new, state-of-the-art post to serve Livingston and Washtenaw counties by early next year, if all goes according to plan. The new post is to be constructed next to the Brighton Township hall, less than a mile from where the current post is located on Old US-23.

It will be situated on five acres the township owns directly north of the township hall on Buno Road, north of Spencer Road and within sight of busy US-23.

As is the case now, I-96 and US-23 will be accessible via the Spencer Road exit of I-96. 

According to Township Supervisor Tom Murphy the complex, three-party agreement culminating in the new post works this way: The state will lease the building from the township and pay it $12,500 per month, or $150,000 a year. The township will then turn the money over to a private developer who will build the structure in what is essentially a turnkey arrangement.  

Murphy says the township will obtain ownership of the building after 30 years have elapsed. The lease is for 20 years but is extendable in increments of five years each.   If the state does not extend the lease after 20 years the developer will retain ownership of the building.

However, if the owner wanted to change the building use, Murphy says, he would have to go through a formal approval process,  just as with any other business. Otherwise, he would violate the township's prohibition against contract zoning, Murphy adds. 

Murphy says the builder/developer - identified as Bruce Dietz - has done similar projects for the state. 

The one-story structure will be around 8,500 square feet in size with a facade of contemporary brick and block. Murphy declined to release a rendering of the building until the Planning Commission has taken a look at it. 

Murphy says although the township won't gain any revenue directly from having a post next to the township hall, its residents and businesses stand to benefit from it. "We will be able to keep a state resource in the county, and the state police frequent many businesses around here for services - the county, if not the township," he says.  

Murphy also concedes it's advantageous to have a post in the township because it helps keep taxes low.  "The state police is not our police force, but their presence reduces what we (would have to pay for police services)," he says.

If a police millage were brought to the voters and approved, "it would add 4-5 mills to their tax bill," says Murphy. "It's a very expensive proposition.  (A police department) is close to a $3 million expense and that's $3 million the residents would have to cough up," he says.  

Allen says the current state police post is both inadequate and under-sized for the demands placed on it. "Were doubling the garage as an equipment storage and evidence processing," he says. "The new building will have an evidence processing room, more office space, an expanded locker area  and a training room." 

The current state police post lacks fiber optic cables, but the township is in the process of having a fiber optics network installed at the hall. The new post will have connectivity with the system, making for the fastest, most flexible communications network possible, Murphy says.  

Also, Allen says, the state police have outgrown their current headquarters, even if the impending closure of the Ypsilanti post were not factored in. He says the Ypsi post is slated to be eliminated in a statewide consolidation move between now and October.  "We've already begun combining some administrative functions, and I'm the commander of both posts," he says.

The 20 officers assigned to the Ypsi post will be reassigned to the Brighton post. The Brighton post has "about 34 employees, including 23 troopers," Allen says.

The next step in the process is site plan approval, which is on the Township Planning Commission agenda for at its June 13 meeting. It must also receive approval from the county before construction may begin.

"We're very excited, and we're hoping we can start on it soon," Allen says.