ZEELAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – It looks as if the public spoke in Zeeland and City Hall listened.
During last night’s business meeting, City Council members voted 6-1 to keep the city’s police department intact and begin a search for a permanent Police Chief. The matter surfaced this summer with the retirement of Chief Bill Olney after 16 years at the helm, as city leaders wanted to consider all options before deciding whether to name a replacement. A special Police Services Review Committee looked into contracting with Ottawa County for police services and merging officers and equipment into the Sheriff’s Department, similar to what was done in Hudsonville and Coopersville. The possibility of creating a public safety department of both police and fire staff was also considered, although not that extensively.
After hearing public sentiment in two separate meetings earlier this fall for keeping the Zeeland police department intact, which apparently supported what the panel had found through its due diligence efforts, the committee formally presented such a recommendation in a 133-page report to Council last night. As a result of this vote, Council will draw up a committee in two weeks to begin the process of naming a new Police Chief, with a decision to be made by this spring. Currently, Tom Ball and Kevin Cisler are sharing the leadership duties on an interim basis.
