Voters in Addison Township are being asked to support a millage proposal on the Aug. 7 primary ballot to continue funding police services provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

“All we’re asking for is to renew (it and reset it at) the previously-approved millage (rate),” said Sgt. Keith Weir, commander of the township substation. “We’re not asking for an increase above and beyond that.”

The township is seeking a four-year, 3.4874-mill police protection tax. If approved, it would be levied from 2018 through 2021 and generate an estimated $1.22 million in its first year.

Addison currently has no police millage going forward as the last one expired with the December 2017 collection.

Due to Headlee Amendment rollbacks, the last amount levied was 3.4044 mills.

Voters are being asked to renew the tax and increase it by 0.083 mill in order to get it back to the amount originally approved in the August 2014 election.

If another millage is not approved by voters, Weir said Addison’s police budget has enough money in it to continue funding services through the end of the current fiscal year, which expires March 31, 2019. It also contains enough reserve cash to keep deputies on the road for another seven or eight months after that.

“Then we’d be out of cash,” he said.

Addison’s substation is by no means overstaffed. It’s currently manned by a detective/sergeant (Weir) and six patrol deputies.

Three days a week, there are two deputies working each shift – morning, afternoon and midnight. Four days a week, there’s one deputy covering each of the three shifts. When assistance is required, deputies working in neighboring Oxford and Oakland townships are called in to help.

According to Weir, the relationship between deputies and citizens in Addison is “much different” than it is in “most other communities in Oakland County” because of the township’s rural atmosphere and relatively small population (approximately 6,500 residents).

“We know the majority of the people within this community,” the sergeant said. “We have people stop by the substation on a daily basis just to have a cup of coffee. We have an elderly (population) that comes in just to meet with us, to find out what’s going on within their community (and) keep on top of things.”

In addition to handling the usual criminal complaints, Weir said deputies do their best to offer more “personalized service” and “go above and beyond” for the public.

For example, they check homes on a daily basis when residents go on vacation or away for the winter season.

“We know who’s coming and going. We know what vehicles are supposed to be there. We know their relatives,” he said.

Deputies also do unique things such as searching for missing livestock and helping change flat tires on tractors.

“You ask for our help, we’ll come out and help you,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what it is. If we can help, we’ll help you. (Addison residents) know they can walk in here any day of the week, no matter what it is.”

Weir is grateful for all the support the substation receives from the community.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “We’re always receiving positive feedback. I get phone calls on a continual basis just thanking me for (things the deputies do).”