Royal Oak’s police force face additional layoffs

According to The Macomb Daily, Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, will face further police layoffs in hopes of reducing a $6 million deficit. Don Johnson, the city manager, advised that the police department be reduced by nearly 3 dozen officers. The City Commission was presented with a proposed timeline of 24 police officer layoffs in 2010-11 and 10 more in the following year, according to Hometown Life. Altogether Royal Oaks may see 74 positions lost, including 19 firefighters. To compensate the reduction reassignments will take place within the department, which according to Police Chief Chris Jahnke, will still reduce shift strength and thousands of cases will be left without any investigation.