Dearborn Heights police chief seeks larger force, cites traffic enforcement, task forces and overtime savings

During a budget hearing on the police department, Dearborn Heights officials and the police chief discussed a request to increase sworn staffing from 45 officers in the recommended budget to 58 officers, saying the additional personnel would restore traffic enforcement, create a special-ops unit and reduce overtime costs.

The chief told the City Council the department is currently staffed at roughly 38 sworn officers and that hiring would bring the force closer to the requested 58. "With the additional 13 officers, the goal is . . . to bring back traffic enforcement," the chief said, adding the proposal would include officers assigned to traffic, community policing and federal task forces.

Council members and staff pressed for details about how added positions would be deployed and how the city would pay for them. Council discussion centered on which positions to prioritize within the requested increase and how new hires would affect benefits, overtime and fund balance.

Why it matters

Council members said staffing levels influence response times, community visibility and the city's overtime bill. The chief and several councilmembers said some new positions could generate or offset costs over time through increased traffic enforcement, participation in federal task forces and reduced overtime spending.

What the chief proposed

The chief described a 13-officer increase beyond the recommended budget (from 45 to 58) and explained how those positions would be used: four officers for traffic enforcement (two in the north end and two in the south end), four officers for a special operations unit to pursue fugitives and vehicle thefts, two community-relations (neighborhood) officers (one north, one south) and three officers intended to participate with federal task forces.

"We don't have any community relations police officers, neighborhood police officers. And the goal is to get 2," the chief said, describing those officers as points of contact residents could call directly. On task force positions, the chief said federal partners such as the U.S. Marshals or DEA sometimes provide pay and training for task-force officers and bring additional resources.

Council concerns and fiscal context

Council members repeatedly asked for a clear financial picture showing net costs and potential revenue offsets. One councilmember said the administration needs a plan showing how the hires would reduce overtime and produce revenue (for example, district court receipts from traffic enforcement or asset forfeiture proceeds tied to federal task-force work).

Officials noted current budget pressures: hospital insurance costs cited during the hearing were budgeted at about $1.7 million for the police department; overtime was listed at $950,000; and the proposed capital items and other expenses would increase the department's overall budget. Council members and staff said those lines must be reconciled with any staffing changes so the city remains balanced on paper.

Dispatchers, reserves and recruiting

The department asked for increased dispatcher staffing (the recommended personnel page lists 10 positions while the department reported nine active dispatchers and said it had requested 12). Council and staff agreed to verify the minimums required under the dispatchers' contract before finalizing personnel lines.

On reserves, the chief said the department has 10 reserve officers who have not been active; the department would like to recruit and outfit additional reserves but is prioritizing pay and uniforms for full-time hires. "The reserves are not a solution, guys. Like, we need officers. That's the truth," the chief said.

Command staffing and titles

Council members and department leaders discussed proposed changes to command-level positions. The personnel pages show a vacant deputy chief position and a line labeled "director of support services." Councilmembers suggested renaming or reallocating that line to reflect captains or deputy chief pay and to ensure the budget reflects expected promotions and vacancies. Staff cautioned that changes tied to personnel actions should be supported by HR paperwork and compliance with union agreements.

Contracts, benefits and budget mechanics

Budget staff told the council they will update line items after personnel page corrections. Council members asked for a legal opinion and HR confirmation in matters touching collective bargaining and a referenced federal injunction. Staff said the city would seek a legal opinion before approving items that might conflict with the injunction or union contract rules.

Public comments

Residents who spoke during the hearing urged the council to fund more officers and to restore community policing presence. "The more police we have, the more tickets they write. The less overtime they have, the less crime our city has," resident Sue Kaminski said during public comment and asked the council to ask the department to model expected ticket revenue, court receipts and overtime savings tied to a traffic unit.

What happens next

Council and staff agreed the budget is a fluid document and that personnel counts and associated costs will be updated before final adoption. Council members requested a breakdown showing projected overtime savings and potential revenue offsets tied to the proposed hires. Staff also said budget numbers for salaries and benefits will be corrected after personnel-page updates and HR confirmations.

Ending

Council members and staff repeatedly returned to the same themes: the department's requested hires would change operations and budget pressures, but the city needs detailed cost estimates and documentation (payroll, HR paperwork and legal guidance) before committing to the larger hiring plan. The council asked staff and the chief to supply those clarifications before the budget is finalized.