Wayland City Police Chief Steven Harper has indicated he will retire from law enforcement and will step down from his duties here by next February.
Harper, who will be concluding a six-year commitment as Wayland’s chief, has agreed to take a position as community impact pastor at his church, Chapel Pointe, in Hudsonville.
“It’s going to be fun, I’m looking forward to it,” Harper said Monday night at the City Council meeting. “It’s not really a retirement, it’s more like a change in career.
“I will miss Wayland. It’s been like family.”
Harper served as commander of the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police for three years before he took the chief’s job in Wayland in early 2013. He was on the force of the State Police for 26 years before retiring.
Harper was one of two finalists eight months ago for police chief at the City of Zeeland, but Eaton County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Jungel was hired.
City Manager Josh Eggleston told council members Monday night that posting of the job will be done this week, as well as that for police department secretary. He said he hopes to have a three-member panel of council members interview candidates Dec. 18 or 19.
Now it is time to approach the Allegan Sheriff office to make a bid to supply Wayland City law enforcement duties . They patrol the streets more than the city police do anyway.
Will the City Council make a change to possibly save taxpayer revenue? Wake up Wayland!
Sorry, but if you lose your city police…you may save money but will lose the benefits of local enforcement.
Yes, you have a MSP post, but my guess is it isn’t manned. 24/ 7
If you believe the sheriff department will provide the same services you now have. You may be very disappointed.
Before I would advocate losing a city police department. I would check and see what amount of time and how many officers would be in your area.
I very rarely see a Wayland officer on patrol, I see more county police going north, south, east, and west. Mr Smit, there are many towns protected and patrolled by county police officers, and Wayland would be well served by the county, many live nearby now. I appreciate your point of view, it is valid, but think it only prudent to look at reducing costs in all areas of city government.
I would agree with Don’t tread on Me. I think our township neighbors, Dorr, Leighton and Wayland all contract with the Sheriff’s dept. I think its something like 2 deputies for 12 hrs/day and they pay under $200k a year for these services. We might not see the deputies in the Township as much but those townships are 10 times larger than the City of Wayland. City of Wayland’s police budget is somewhere around $800,000-$1,000,000 I think. Seems to me, we could contract for, 4 Deputies and be covered 24/7. (2 deputies per 12 hrs.) This would free up around half a million dollars in the city budget…I guess my only question is , what are we waiting for?