COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Sheriff John Pollack is again asking county commissioners to find a way to approve bringing back a number of deputies to his department which has been short staffed since major cuts were made in 2013.
Pollack pointed out some of the dangers his officers can face while on duty as they work on a reduced schedule with budget restraints resulting in no more night patrols or property checks. The Sheriff spoke of an incident this past weekend when during a traffic stop and subsequent drug bust, the deputy confiscated a technical assault weapon out of the vehicle.
Pollack said at a Monday night township board meeting in the county, he was asked how he felt his department could perform given the loss of 13 deputies three years ago, leaving just 8 officers to patrol the roads and the Sheriff repeated what he has said on numerous occasions that he doesn’t feel an adequate response is possible under the current circumstances.
Pollack pleaded for commissioners to at least sit down with him for a meeting to begin making an attempt to come up with a plan that could eventually bring back some deputies at some point.
