By By JAN GRIFFEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES - After four unsuccessful attempts to seek funding from its residents to operate its police department, the Niles Township board is giving up.
The board voted unanimously Monday night to disband its police department come Dec. 31 and contract for police services in the township through Sheriff Paul Bailey in Berrien County.
The move seemed to surprise no one at Monday night's meeting, though that didn't make it any more popular with the majority of the audience. The latest Niles Township election in August, in which voters turned down a millage request, sealed the department's fate.
The township approved a three-year contract with the county, the cost of which escalates each year, from $676,467 in 2006 to $704,649 in 2007 and $731,651 in 2008.
The City of Niles Police Department also proposed contracting with the township to provide police services. However, Ringler said, although the city's contract is less expensive initially, "it is the committee's opinion that the Berrien County sheriff's department offers more in both short and long-term benefits for Niles Township."
After Monday night's meeting, Ringler told reporters the sheriff's department's crime lab, marine unit and drug enforcement program were among some of the benefits that swayed township trustees to choose the county over the city's proposal.
Niles City Administrator Terry Eull disagrees that the county's proposal is a better one for the township, but said he was not surprised by the township's choice.
Jim Kidwell, a City of Niles police officer who also works part-time as a township officer, told the township board the township will be left vulnerable when county deputies are needed to respond to 9-1-1 calls elsewhere.
Also, Kidwell said the township is likely to be without police protection during times when officers are needed to transport prisoners to the county jail in St. Joseph.
Ringler said the county will provide six deputies, one sergeant and one records clerk to the township. However, Kidwell responded those officers are already county employees and are not additional hires.