COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners Thursday voted 5-0 to bring forward to next Tuesday’s meeting a proposal to transfer a Sheriffs Department corrections officer to road patrol.
The additional deputy comes after half of the Sheriff’s Department road patrols were dropped five years ago due to budget cuts.
Sheriff John Pollack told Commissioners they want to post the opening in corrections as soon as possible.
Pollack expected there would be an increase in overtime until the new corrections officer is hired.
Although a date has not been determined for the new deputy to take to the road, the Sheriff indicated on Thursday things will start happening once Commissioners take formal action.
The placement of the additional deputy comes after a recent request from Michigan State Police First Lt. James Coleman, who is the commander of the Marshall Post. He pointed out two weeks ago that the State Police has been providing 24 hour protection in Branch County, but it was time for the Sheriff’s Department to step up patrols.
