BRANCH COUNTY, Mich. — Sheriff John Pollack of the Branch County Sheriff’s Office has announced that he will not continue night patrols.
In Jan. 2013, the department dealt with severe budget cuts, causing the Sheriff to cover the day and night shifts seven days a week with four deputies per shift. However, according to the department, because of pass days, sick time, vacation days, and a bigger workload from the courts, the shifts are often times covered with two deputies, or sometimes only one. The Sheriff says that it is a safety issue for department personnel.
The Sheriff’s Department worked out schedules with Michigan State Police (MSP) for 24 hour coverage. The Sheriff’s Department will cover patrols 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. seven days a week, and MSP will patrol 5 p.m. – 7 a.m.
