Tuesday, July 27, 2010

As the police blotter writer for Independence, Springfield townships and the City of the Village of Clarkston for the Oakland Press, I am able to talk with law enforcement personnel.They have been telling me for months that Independence and Springfield townships and the village of Clarkston are ripe for break ins and robberies because we are located between two major depressed areas with little left to steal. While some crime is caused by outsiders, plenty of the petty crime appears to be the result of our neighbors.

The smashed windows at Depot Park on July 22, the theft of credit cards from an area store and the daily break ins and larceny from vehicles in the townships should alert residents, that we need to take purses and laptops out of the vehicle and inside the home, make sure things are secured around our homes and vehicles and be alert that we do not live so far out in the country that no one is looking for items of value to take.

A renewal of the police millage for Independence Township is on the ballot on Tuesday. Without the renewal, the township would not have a police force. It would seem to be a no brainer, that residents need to vote affirmative for the renewal.

There is also an increase on the ballot. Information states that without the increase, there will be a loss of deputies to man the Independence Township Oakland County Sheriff's substation. I think it would behove the Oakland County Sheriff's office to tell us where the deputies are being utilized, the needs that deputies are seeing in 2010 and the residents need to make an informed decision on the increase in the police millage.

Independence Township has added low income housing in the apartments in the Sashabaw Corridor, arge mobile home parks in the southeast section of the township which provide affordable living for residents. But the denser population, also causes problems.

As a police blotter writer, I see parents in all areas of the township calling on the police to help negotiate family difficulties and help when identity theft and fraud have taken place because of the Internet. Ten years ago, Internet fraud, threatening Facebook entries and the lack of being able to problem solve family issues were not police issues.

But when you feel you need a law enforcement officer because you don't have anywhere else to turn, they are there.

We may see a couple of them having lunch or even a doughnut, but we don't see them when they come to a suicide, a hospice death, pull over a drunk driver or assist someone with a drug overdose, break up a fight at a bar, take a report on a break in or a larceny from a vehicle, pull us out of our vehicle after an automobile accident or shoot a deer we have just hit with our car. Most of the time, deputies and police officers see citizens at our worse or most vulnerable times. But they respond and we are fortunate that our deputies are well trained and professional in their approach.

Think about your votes on the millage and the increase millage and be informed.

If you are a City of the Village of Clarkston resident, the decision is do we vote yes and keep the Clarkston police or do we vote no and contract with the Oakland County Sheriff's Department. Many residents will talk about response time and village identity when making those decisions. Each resident will have to weigh the facts and make their own decision. Unfortunately, increasing the millage to the 20 mills will max out allowed millage to be collected by the city for any future needs.

The village is not immune from crime though it is more compact in size than the township. Crime is everywhere in today's economy. People who commit crimes do not walk around looking like criminals so each citizen needs to be alert and be watchful of what is happening around them.

Criminal activity can be reduced when citizens report suspicious happenings to the law enforcement officers in a timely manner. Citizens do not replace law enforcement officers but we can help law enforcement by being alert and securing our own property and items.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Around the township and village, political signs are showing up on resident's lawns. Citizens will see Vote for Rick or Hoekstra, vote for Oakland County Sheriff's deputies, Renew the Library millage or pick one of several candidates for state senator and state representative to represent Independence and Clarkston residents.



The citizens that wins the state senator race will win a four year term and receive $79,650 salary. How do citizens become knowledgeable about the candidates for this office? One way to listen to the candidates is by going to http://rhtv.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=6fff87dbe799d58fa01840e4ae62f0cf and view the League of Women Voters candidates forum held in June. Both Democratic and Republican candidates spoke at the June event.



One of the big challenges for the state and our legislators is the constitutional convention which comes up every ten years. Should the state open the consitution? Big question for our representatives.



We all need to be informed voters. Take some time and open the link and get a sense