QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – The Village of Quincy will keep its police department.
Following a public hearing that lasted for almost an hour, the Quincy Village Council voted 7-0 on Tuesday night to post the opening for a Police Chief. It was on the village’s web site Wednesday morning.
The sudden resignation of Mike Kolassa as Police Chief last month along with the ongoing departure of officers led to some talk the department would be disbanded.
In deciding to keep the police department, the Council accepted a proposal from Village Manager Brittney Butler.
She said in a memo to the Council for Tuesday night’s meeting, “If it is decided to keep the department, I would suggest having one Police Chief, two full-time
officers, one part-time officer, a LEIN tech, and a crossing guard.”
She said eliminating a third full-time officer position would “allow for deserved wage increases to become more competitive in the current job market.”
The Police Chief salary without benefits would increase from just over $61,000 to $70,000. When the benefits are included, it would increase to over $106,000.
The two full time officers would get a salary without benefits of just over $49,900. Previously with three full time officers, the salary was over $45,700.
The salary for the part time officer for working 20 hours a week would be just over $22,800.
The budgeted total for operating the department was estimated for the 2024-2025 fiscal year at $359,786. With the changes, the total for the department for the year would be $356,727.
Butler said in her memo that although losing the third full time officer position is not wanted, historically over the last few years it was hard to find an officer to fill that position.
After being fully staffed last September, the department was down to officer Kasey Cappela after Kolassa stepped down. He had been the Police Chief since August of 2022.
Cappella will be leaving the Quincy Police Department later this month after accepting a position at the University of Michigan. Her last day with the department will be April 25.
The Branch County Sheriff’s and Michigan State Police are helping with police coverage in Quincy for the time being.
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