Bridgeport Township leaders approved a new budget calling for painful cuts.
A zoning administrator and five public safety workers will be cut starting Jan. 1.
The police and fire chiefs tell NBC25 they will do the best they can to protect the community with the resources they will have.
“The community is about to experience a 50 percent reduction in police, which means 50 percent fewer resources to respond to calls,” said Police Chief AJ Navidonski.
The department will lose two part-time and two full-time officers. Navidonski said residents should expect slower response times, as often only one officer will be on patrol. He said many crimes will simply not be investigated, if there is no solid lead for police to work with.
“If I don’t have the people to respond, the risk to citizens increases,” said Fire Chief Patrick Nelson.
The fire department’s full-time staff is being slashed from three to two. He said that will leave the fire station unmanned for many more hours than it has been in the past. Volunteer firefighters will assist those firefighters at scenes.
The cuts could have been prevented if taxpayers had approved a millage this year.
William Littlejohn, an active citizen said he understands why residents voted against the tax increase. He said the population has decreased and the township simply needs to decrease its employees and learn how to function.
Firefighters responded to that line of thinking, saying that while the population has decreased in recent years, the number of calls they’ve been asked to handle has increased.
