Grosse Ile police describe staffing shortfalls, possible $112,000 millage gap and plan generator replacement

Grosse Ile Police Chief Doug Carmack on Feb. 10 told the township board that the department finished its 2024 review with lower proactive activity in some categories, ongoing staffing shortages and a draft projection that could leave roughly $112,000 less in police-dedicated millage revenue beginning April 1.

The numbers and staffing picture matter because the Public Safety building houses dispatch and serves as a warming and cooling station for residents; if power or the department’s 33-year-old generator failed, dispatch and emergency response could be impaired, Carmack said.

Carmack said dispatch received 10,651 incoming phone calls in 2024 and that calls for service and some categories of enforcement changed year to year. He reported reserve volunteers logged 1,889 hours; the animal-control/ordinance officer handled about 603 animal calls and roughly 865 ordinance calls; and arrests and certain citation types varied compared with prior years. He told the board the department is authorized for 24 members but is “about four people down” because of a mix of unfilled positions, long-term injuries and planned leaves.

The staffing shortfall translates into operational pressure: minimum staffing requires two officers per shift, officers work 12‑hour platoons under the current contract, and shortages increase overtime and the risk of burnout, Carmack said. He told trustees the…