Rochester Hills police millage renewal to appear on Nov. 7 ballot

ROCHESTER HILLS — Voters in Rochester Hills will be asked to renew the millages that fund police service Nov. 7.

In the August 2012 election, Rochester Hills voters approved two police millages to fund police services —  Special Police I for 1.1359 mills and Special Police II for 2.3505 mills, which total 3.4864 mills — as part of a special police ballot proposal for a period of 10 years.

The two police millages expire at the end of this year.

The 3.4864-mill proposed renewal, city officials say, is a renewal of the two previously authorized millages for police services, combining them into one millage.

“It’s simply renewing them for another 10 years and combining them both together,” said Joe Snyder, the city’s chief financial officer.

If approved and fully levied, city officials estimate, the renewal would result in the authorization to collect $15.9 million for police services annually for 10 years, through 2034.

“Any funds generated by the special police millage is only to be used for police services, which would be our Oakland County sheriff’s officers,” Snyder explained.

“It’s important because it’s for all the police services for the city of Rochester Hills,” added Rochester Hills Substation Capt. Russ Yeiser. “It’s important for us to maintain the current operation that we have going.”

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is contracted to provide services in Rochester Hills. Yeiser said the Rochester Hills substation staff includes 39 road patrol deputies, four school resource deputies, one community resource deputy, eight detectives, one school resource sergeant, one deputy sergeant, six patrol sergeants, two lieutenants and one captain.

“The Sheriff’s Office takes great pride in patrolling the city of Rochester Hills, and it shows in the results as being one of the safest cities in the country,” said Yeiser.

The Rochester Hills substation is located at 750 Barclay Circle in Rochester Hills. To contact the Rochester Hills substation office, call dispatch at (248) 537-3530.

For more information on the millage proposal renewal, call the city’s administrative offices at (248) 656-4600.