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Public Safety Funding For The Future

On May 2, 2023, Wyoming voters will be asked to consider a ballot proposal that will provide funding to support critical public safety needs. If approved by voters, the ballot proposal would allow the City to increase the millage rate by 1.5 mills for five years for property owners - residential and business property - in the City of Wyoming beginning Summer 2023. The proposal would generate an additional $4 million in revenue dedicated to the public safety department. 

If approved, additional funding would:

  • Result in faster police and fire response times to emergencies in your neighborhood. 
  • Ensure every corner of the City is covered by allowing us to fully operate all four of our fire stations. 
  • Enhance crime prevention efforts and improve traffic safety.

Current staffing levels in the Public Safety Department are too low. The City operates with less staff than we did in 2000, even though the population in Wyoming has grown 10%. 

Fire

Staffing levels in the Fire Department are too low. Minimum staffing does not provide the department with enough firefighters on any shift to safely manage a structure fire. 

The City’s firefighter staffing levels are significantly below neighboring communities. 

Below is how the City of Wyoming’s firefighter staffing compares to neighboring communities.

If residents approve additional funding for public safety, all four fire stations would be staffed 24/7. Staffing would also be increased from seven to 13 on each shift, which would reduce response times, decrease the amount of time the City doesn’t have firefighters available to respond to calls and reduce the reliance on other local fire departments.

City

Population

Firefighters

Firefighters per 1,000 population

2019 calls for service

Calls for service per firefighter

Lansing

118,210

119

1.01

22,579

190

Grand Rapids

201,013

195

0.97

24,124

124

Kentwood

51,898

42

0.81

4,606

110

Portage

46,445

30

0.65

5,097

170

Muskegon

36,565

21

0.57

5,078

242

Holland

33,216

18

0.54

3,852

214

Wyoming

75,667

33

0.43

6,792

252

Police

The City has 1.3 police officers per 1,000 people, which continues to fall below the national average of 2.4 and decreases response times to critical incidents.

Due to the volume, complexity and severity of calls for service, police officers have less time for proactive, self-initiated activities. Over the past five years, our City has seen a steady increase in violent crime. 

Similar to the critical staffing levels in the Fire Department, there are times when there are no police officers available to respond to calls for service. 

If voters approve additional funding for the Public Safety Department, there will be more officers assigned to shifts and give officers time for neighborhood, school and business visits, property checks and more. These proactive efforts will give officers more time to build community-police relationships.

The City of Wyoming ranked No. 7 out of 533 municipalities in the state with a total of 46 pedestrians killed in traffic-related crashes from 2015-19. Traffic safety has been identified by community members as a top priority, and additional funding would allow for a dedicated traffic unit with the Department of Public Safety to focus on driving safety.

Additional funding would also provide more staff in the department’s investigative division to assist with the nearly doubled caseloads since 2008. Cases continue to grow more complex, requiring detectives to specialize in specific areas. The additional funding also would allow the City to dedicate detectives to cell phone, internet and computer crimes, the Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force and general cases.

Tax calculator

Use the calculator below to see how passage of this ballot proposal would impact the amount of taxes you pay to the City of Wyoming.

Want to Learn More?

Residents, business owners and other community members can attend any of the meetings below:

  • March 9 at 7 p.m., Wyoming Branch of the Kent District Library, 3350 Michael Ave SW, Wyoming, MI 49509
  • March 27 at 7 p.m., Gezon Fire Station open house, 2300 Gezon Pkwy SW, Wyoming, MI 49509
  • April 27 at 7 p.m., Wyoming Police Department open house, 2300 De Hoop Ave, Wyoming, MI 49509

Residents and community members can expect to hear from Mayor Kent Vanderwood, Police Chief Kimberly Koster, Interim City Manager John McCarter and others.