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A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
April 19, 2012
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Ripple Effect to celebrate
The proposed increased police
patrols throughout Westland are
the result of another intergovern-
mental service agreement between
the city and the Wayne County
Sheriff'sDepartment.
Members of the Westland City
Council approved a resolution con-
firming the new partnership at the
regular April 2 meeting. Now, if
approved by the Wayne County
Board of Commissioners, the
Wayne County Sheriff's Office will
provide additional traffic enforce-
ment patrols on roadways through-
out Westland. As part of the agree-
ment, the city and the sheriff's
office will equally divide any rev-
enue received as a result of
enforcement action taken by sher-
iff's deputies.
The agreement allows the sher-
iff's office to assign officers fromthe
SecondaryRoad Patrol Unit, which
is funded by a grant from the State
of Michigan Office of Highway
Safety and Planning, to operate
within the city limits. The grant
that pays for these specific
deputies is funded by a surcharge
that is placed on tickets written by
officers throughout the state. The
state collects the surcharge and dis-
tributes the funding to sheriff's
patrols.
Westland Mayor William Wild
said that residentswill benefit from
the implementation of the agree-
ments.
First, he said, there will be an
increase in visible law enforce-
ment activity by uniformed police
officers on the city streets. These
enforcement efforts should will a
positive impact on traffic safety and
accident reduction.
Secondly, he said, it is a well-
established fact that police visibili-
ty serves as a deterrent to criminal
activity, as potential criminal
offenders perceive an increased
likelihood of detection and appre-
hension.
“And these patrols will be pro-
vided at no cost to city taxpayers,”
Wild said.
Wayne County Sheriff Benny N.
Napoleon and Wild were support-
ive of the agreement.
“I am excited by the prospect of
being able to provide additional
police assistance to the men and
women of the Westland Police
Department and to the citizens of
the city. Whether the police are
wearing blue uniforms or brown is
irrelevant. People want to feel the
sense of safety that is provided by
police visibility,” said Napoleon.
“The City of Westland and the sher-
iff's office have a long standing
practice of working together on law
enforcement issues; it only makes
sense that we pursued this joint
venture as well. I am also very
pleased the city council approved
the intergovernmental agreement.
This allows us to keep local
enforcement dollars at the local
level, in Westland. This is where
they aremost needed,”Wild said.
The sheriff's office has tradition-
ally maintained a police presence
in the city. It operates the Road
Patrol Station at Henry Ruff and
Michigan Avenue, and it is the pri-
mary provider of police services to
the County Park System that falls
withinWestlandborders.
The next step in the process
involves action by the Wayne
County Board of Commissioners.
Both the resolution and the inter-
governmental agreement have
been forwarded to the commission
for reviewand approval.
The effort to create a revitalized down-
town in Wayne has created some wide rip-
ples.
More than a year ago, city residents and
business owners attended a standing room
only meeting to learn about The Michigan
Main Street Program, which was the begin-
ning of a volunteer movement to improve
downtownWayne.
Shortly thereafter, the Wayne Ripple
Effect was formed and volunteers spent hun-
dred of hours in preparing the application
submitted to the Michigan Main Street
Program in December last year. Last
February, they learned that Wayne has been
selected as an associate level community in
the program.
The Michigan Main Street program is
part of Gov. Rick Snyder's placemaking
efforts to create vibrant communities across
Michigan. These efforts are based on numer-
ous studies showing that investing in place-
making creates vibrant centers and down-
towns, making the state economically
stronger, according to the website of the
Michigan State Housing Development
Authoritywhichadministers the program.
Michigan Main Street Associate services
are available to communities by application
and include a series of trainings intended to
give local residents, businesses and property
owners the tools necessary to develop fully-
functioning grassroots community develop-
ment organizations locally. Currently, 18
communities participate in the program
fromacross the state.
The Wayne Chamber of Commerce and
the Wayne Ripple Effect are celebrating the
acceptance of the city into the program with
a reception planned for 7-11 p.m. April 27 at
the chamber office. Tickets for the event
which include an evening of appetizers, a
cash bar and live music are $20 and are
available at the Wayne Chamber of
Commerce office, (734) 721-0100, by email at
sherrie@waynechamber.net or from any
Ripple Effect or chamber boardmember. All
proceeds will be used toward the revitaliza-
tion efforts indowntownWayne.
The chamber is still seeking raffle and
auction prizes for the evening and baked
goods for the sweets table.
Information about donating items is also
available at the chamber office .
The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc,
Inkster Alumnae Chapter has planned
several community events forMay.
The group will wear red and white to
the Spiritual Fellowship service at Smith
Chapel AME Church at 11 a.m. May 6.
The church is located at 3505 Walnut St
in Inkster.
The Inkster Alumnae Chapter mem-
bers will attend the Inkster City Council
Meeting at 6:45 p.m. May 7. The chapter
president will speak and members are
asked to wear red to the meeting, which
begins at 7 p.m. City Hall is located at
26215TrowbridgeSt. in Inkster.
The membership committee of the
sorority is organizing the DEARS Tea at
the Simmons Center from 6-8 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 8. Dr. Nora Wite Martin
will be the guest speaker and light
refreshments will be served. The event is
formembers only.
On Wednesday, the physical and men-
tal health committee of the sorority will
sponsor Zumba Nigh for the teaching
staff of Inkster Public Schools from 4-6
p.m. at Blanchette Middle School, 1771
HenryRuff Road in Inkster.
The economic development commit-
tee has planned Support a Black
Business Day at Sophia's Giftique at 1033
Mason inDearborn.
The international awareness commit-
tee has planned an international taste
fest from 6-10 p.m. at the Knights of
Columbus Hall, 7080 Garling in
Dearborn Heights. The donation is $12
for adults and $4 for children 6-12.
Children 5 and younger are admitted at
no cost.
Sorority plans week of events
And these patrols will be provided
at no cost to city taxpayers.
Mayor William Wild
”
County Sheriff to patrol Westland streets