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A
SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
4
June 27, 2013
B
ELLEVILLE
- C
ANTON
- I
NKSTER
Van Buren plans ‘Coffee with a Cop’ Program
Mob figure claims Hoffa was killed in Inkster
Canton will no longer subsidize bus program
It always helps to have a friend in
law enforcement. Somebody who can
answer questions, give a few safety
tips to ask questions and who can be
called on in an emergency situation.
That's the goal of a new program
in Van Buren Township where the
police department is hosting the first
Coffeewith aCop gathering from8-10
a.m. July 13 at Leo's Coney Island.
The public is invited to attend, sit
down and discuss community issues
and concerns, get to know the officers
personally and have a cup of coffee
while building a relationship.
“Coffee with a Cop provides a
unique opportunity for community
members to ask questions and learn
more about the department's work in
Van Buren Township neighbor-
hoods,” noted Captain Gregory M.
Laurain.
The majority of contacts law
enforcement has with the public hap-
pen during emergencies, or emotion-
al situations, Laurain noted, and
those situations are not always the
most effective times for relationship
building.
“Some community members may
feel that officers are unapproachable
on the street. Coffee with a Cop
breaks down barriers and allows for
a relaxed, one-on-one interaction,”
he said.
“We hope that community mem-
bers will feel comfortable to ask
questions, bring concerns, or simply
get to know our officers,” said
Laurain. “These interactions are the
foundation of community partner-
ships.”
Coffee with a Cop is a national ini-
tiative supported by The United
States Department of Justice, Office
of Community Oriented Policing
Services. Similar events are taking
place across the county, as local
police departments strive to make
lasting connections with the commu-
nities they serve.
The program aims to advance the
practice of community policing
through improving relationships
between police officers and commu-
nity members one cup of coffee at a
time.
Contact Laurain with questions at
(734) 699-8912 or glaurain@vanbu-
ren-mi.org.
The remains of Teamsters'
Union boss Jimmy Hoffa, missing
since 1975, will never be found,
according to a law enforcement
source "close to the investigation."
The law enforcement official is
quoted as repeating information
he received during interrogations
of gangland crime figures whose
names have surrounded the inves-
tigation into Hoffa's disappear-
ance.
Published reports of his account
state that Hoffa, who was kid-
napped from the Red Fox restau-
rant in Bloomfield Hills, was
brought into Inkster where he was
"garroted" by a famous New York
City mobster. His body was then
put through a wood chipper in the
city, the official said.
The latest account follows
another failed attempt to locate
Hoff'a body by the FBI which has
been following up on leads and
tips from various gangland figures
since Hoffa went missing 38 years
ago.
The law enforcement source
claimed that Hoffa was killed in
retaliation for his planned attempt
to regain control of the union from
a mob boss. There has been no
other confirmation of the claims.
"We did not uncover any evi-
dence relevant to the investigation
on James Hoffa," Robert Foley,
head of the FBI in Detroit, said of
the dig in an Oakland County field
last week. "I am very confident of
our result here after two-days-plus
of diligent effort. As of this point,
we'll be closing down the excava-
tion operation."
The FBI began its search after a
tip from alleged Mafia captain
Tony Zerilli.
"Right now the case remains
open," Foley said after the third
day of the most recent search. "At
this point, if we do get logical leads
and enough probable cause that
warrant the resources to do an
investigation, thenwe'll continue to
do so."
There has been no word of any
planned follow up or investigation
into the latest account of Hoffa's
demise in Inkster and the disposal
of his remains at that time.
If a commuter bus service con-
tinues between Canton Township
and Ann Arbor, it will do so with-
out a subsidy fromthe township.
Canton officials voted last week
to reject a request for $15,000 in
funding from the Ann Arbor
Transit Authority (AATA), which
operates a shuttle service between
Ann Arbor and two Canton loca-
tions-the Canton Meijer and
CherryHill Village.
About 35 people use the service
every day, and Supervisor Phil
LaJoy said the township couldn't
justify the expense. It has existed
for about three years now without
requiring any money from the
township.
“It has been a great service,”
LaJoy said. “We're disappointed
that itmight not continue.”
Due to funding cuts, the AATA
has requested additional revenue
from the University of Michigan,
Canton and Chelsea. U of M and
Chelsea have already agreed to
subsidize the service. Riders also
pay amonthly fee.
LaJoy said, however that the
$15,000 request would amount to
nearly $400 per resident and
pointed out that residents routine-
ly work outside the community
without getting taxpayer assis-
tance to get to their jobs.
“To subsidize all of them would
be impossible,” he said. “We can't
do it for everyone-it just doesn't
seemfair.”
Eilene Sinclair, a Canton resi-
dent who takes the bus to her job
at the University of Michigan,
urged Canton officials to provide
another year of funding to allow
the program to attract additional
riders.
“There's still some room to
grow,” she said. “Three years is not
thatmight time to grow.
If you can offer mass transit to
the community, it will help grow
the community.”
Sandra Meyers, another resi-
dent, said there may be additional
funding available next year
through a regional transit authori-
ty.
“If you can provide funding for
one year, you'll be helping a lot of
people,” she told the township
board of trustees.
LaJoy said that any potential
future funding was not something
the township could control. He
said he hoped the AATA could
comeupwith some alternatives.
“I'd like to see this service con-
tinue without any help from
Canton,” he said.
Fireworks display set in Van Buren
The celebration of Independence Day in
Van Buren Township will include a tradi-
tional fireworks display this year, thanks to
the generosity of several local sponsors.
The fireworks display is planned to begin
at dusk at theBeckFields July 29.
The Township Parks and Recreation
Department has organized the event and
has issued a special thanks to several busi-
nesses who have offset the cost of the cele-
bration.
Sponsors of the fireworks display include
Waste Management, Belleville Square
Shopping Center, Sovereign Partners (Grace
Lake), Environmental Quality Company,
Ashley Capital, Excel Supply Chain, Rose
Moving andStorage andWadeTrim.
There will be a disc jockey providing
entertainment at the display and glow prod-
ucts and concessions will be available for
purchase.
Beck Fields are located on Beck Road
north of I-94 and south of TylerRoad.
Formore information, call (734) 699-8921.