Sumpter voters to decide police operating millage on Aug. 4 ballot
Voters in Sumpter Township will be asked to vote yes or no on a 5 mill levy Aug. 4 to fund police protection in the community .
In an effort to help residents who have expressed some confusion about the issue or the impact of the funding, Sumpter Township Public Safety Director and Chief of Police Eric Luke recently provided some general information about department operations and details regarding funding of the department.
Luke explained that the Sumpter Township Police Department serves approximately 12,500 residents, an estimate based on the population increase during the past few years. The current staff includes 18 police officers who provide services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls for service have increased considerably during the past five years, Luke said, from 10,699 in 2021 to 20,663 last year.
“Despite increasing demands, our dispatch-to-arrival response times have remained consistent, averaging just over 8 minutes over that same period,” Luke noted in a social media report.
The Sumpter Township department has operated under the same two police millages, totaling 3 mills, since 2011. Those millages expired in 2025, and the remaining funding will support police operations only through the end of this year, Luke explained.
“It's been 15 years since Sumpter Township last asked for a police millage increase. During that time, the Sumpter Township Police Department has continued serving our community, responding to emergencies, protecting neighborhoods, and adapting to rising costs without asking taxpayers for additional support, he said.
“We've worked tirelessly to do more each year with the resources voters approved. We aim to continue providing the level of service residents have come to expect and deserve,” he added.
The cost of operating the police department has continued to rise across the country, the chief noted. Vehicles, equipment, technology, training, fuel, insurance, personnel, and everyday operating expenses all cost significantly more today than when the current millages were approved.
The proposal before voters would replace the two expired police millages with a single 5-mill levy for four years for police protection, operations, and maintenance. This proposal would provide stable funding for the next four years, enabling the police department to continue providing dependable service to the community.
When approved by voters, the proposal is estimated to generate approximately $2,428,884 during the first year. Those funds are restricted by law to be used for police protection, police operations, and maintenance of the Sumpter Township Police Department, Luke explained.
The average taxable value of a home in Sumpter Township is approximately $125,000. Today, the average homeowner contributes approximately $375 per year toward police services through the existing 3-mill levy. Under the proposed 5-mill levy, that amount would be approximately $625 per year, an increase of approximately $250 annually, according to officials.
The expired police millages generated about $1.4 million last year while the annual police department operating budget is approximately $3.4 million. The current millages funded only about 41 percent of police operations in the community. The balance of the necessary funding came from the Township General Fund, primarily through landfill royalty revenues, according to officials.
If approved, the proposed millage would increase the share of police funding coming directly from the police millage to approximately 71 percent of the department operating budget, Luke said.
“It is our privilege to serve the residents of Sumpter Township; we appreciate your support,” Luke concluded.
Sumpter Township voters will be asked to vote yes or no on the Aug. 4 ballot question.
