Brownstown council beefs up police department

BROWNSTOWN

When Brownstown Police Officer Tom Hanner became the county seat’s town marshal at the beginning of the year, he made some promises to the people who hired him.

“I told you I would find a way to do more with less money,” Hanner told town councilmen during a recent meeting at Town Hall.

Hanner said he’s accomplished that goal and asked the council to spend some of the savings to bring the department’s weapons up to date as well as purchasing another police car.

Most of the savings the town has realized has come through the elimination of overtime for police officers, he said. A sixth officer, Joe Kelly, was added to the five-man force this year, and additional reserve officers have been added as well to control overtime costs.

“We’ve spent $252,744.87 this year,” Hanner said.

That compares to the $272,097.49 it cost the town to operate the department through the same period a year ago.

Hanner said projected spending for the year is $316,744.97 or $56,144.51 less than the $372,889.38 spent in 2011 and $148,662.13 less than the approved budget of $465,407.

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