BRANCH COUNTY — Sheriff John Pollacks told township boards in January he does not expect all six new road patrol deputies to be on patrol until this summer.

After a lobbying effort with resolutions passed by each of the 16 townships, Branch County commissioners found funds in the 2024 budget to add six deputies to the current staff of eight and two sergeants.

An increase in rural crime over the last three years concerned township boards.

The six additions should return 24-hour patrol coverage to Branch County.

After the Great Recession of 2008-09, county revenues fell, and budget cuts in 2013 forced the sheriff to lay off 11 deputies and cut services. 

Municipal officers and Michigan State Police have provided overnight county law enforcement services since 2013. 

Related story Sheriff faces challenges filling new deputy spots

Pollack hired one potential officer who, along with two county corrections officers, is in the 16-week police academy.

“When they come out, there is field training with another officer. We’ll probably get them out on the road at the end of April,” he said.

Two other corrections officers are in their pre-testing phase to qualify for the police academy.

“If they don’t, then we’ll be going out to look for those final three (people) that we need that the county commissioners approved,” Pollack promised.

The county pays those in the academy.

“Hopefully we will have everyone for night patrols by the summer,” Pollack said.

As soon as the three now in the academy come off field training, Pollack said he hopes to extend hours for deputy coverage. “We’re already out at 4 o’clock in the morning working to 6 p.m. with split shifts,” the sheriff explained.

When the first three graduate, “We’ll split the shift again, and work up till 10 or 11 o’clock at night,” Pollack said. “We’ll just keep inching our way around till we get 24-hour coverage.”

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Commissioners approved hiring replacement corrections staff for those in the academy to keep the jail fully staffed.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Sheriff tells townships don’t expect 24-hour road patrol until summer