WATERLOO TWP., MI -- After a couple of months of seemingly operating in limbo, Waterloo Township's board voted to suspend its police department as of Feb. 1.
The board voted 4-0 in favor of Supervisor Doug Lance's motion. Trustee Justin Parks was absent, according to meeting minutes.
In November, citizens shot down a 10-year, 1.5-mill tax proposal 664 votes to 346 votes. The proposed millage would have cost residents with property with an $80,000 taxable value about $120 a year.
The township will pay two weeks severance to current employees, and converted chief Rob Reznick's pay from salary to an hourly rate.
Reznick will only be paid for the hours it takes to shut down all areas of the police department.
When Reznick was hired as Waterloo Township's Chief of Police on March 13, 2014, he immediately brought about $60,000 in donations for the police department with him.
This included a $45,000 Chevrolet Tahoe, which was sold to purchase a 2014 Ford Interceptor Explorer.
At the time, Reznick was also the chief in Oakley, a community of about 300 southwest of Saginaw. Reznick fully funded the police department in 2013 with donations from people he says simply like to give.
The police department's assets will be inventoried, and the board will decide what items to sell or to absorb.
Reznick told reporter Danielle Salisbury he predicts a rise in break-ins and thefts and that having a dog and gun is not sufficient.
Waterloo's most recent public safety millage expired Dec. 31, and left the township unable to cover the $156,000 a yearly police department costs.