The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office has been making the rounds to get local government leaders on board to support the renewal of the Mental Health and Public Safety Millage.
The one-mill levy renewal is for eight years and is expected to raise about $22.4 million the first year. What the money will be used for was the subject of a presentation this week to the Dexter City Council.
As at other locations, the mental health aspects of the millage were of key interest to council members.
Sheriff’s Office Community Engagement Director Derrick Jackson touted the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program that allows officers get help to people they come across in the field.
“Not they have to be the experts to solve these issues by themselves, but they have a phone number to call. They can pick up that phone and call that social worker out, and the social worker can kind of take over. So, we try to give a lot of tools for our deputies to relieve some of that pressure.”
The millage renewal will be on the November 5th ballot. County commissioners have already made changes to direct more dollars to non-law enforcement services.
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