By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - In the coming months decisions about what will happen to the Niles Township Police Department are going to be made by the voters and the township board.
Currently the township is serviced by the Niles Township Police Department and by the Michigan State Police. Both of these departments have been working together closely to provide the residents of the township the policing services they need.
Officials from both departments met Friday morning at the Niles Law Enforcement Complex to share information about the services they offer with the media.
Brown added that in the next decade the need for more services will become evident with the area's growth.
Historically the Niles Michigan State Police Post has done a lot of work in the township, because of the area it covers.
In 2004, the state police responded to 2,406 written complaints in the township, with the township police department receiving 7,064 calls, with 3,998 of them turning into written complaints, according to Lt. Brown.
At this time Niles Township responds to calls dealing with ordinances such as barking dogs and loud music, as well as other more serious offenses. The state police do not respond to those types of calls, but do respond to the more serious offenses.
Brown added that between 38 and 40 percent of their call load is in the Niles Township area.
Currently the Niles Township Police Department has five part-time and three full-time officers and the Michigan State Police Niles Post has 17 troopers.
In 2004, there were 157 arrests for assaults and 291 fugitives were arrested. There were 170 driving offenses cited and 55 arrests for drug violations in Niles Township, made by the agencies, Brown said.
Dunlap added that the department has to change the way things were done in the past.