Sheriff's Office wins multiple grants for training, DNA capacity and equipment as commissioners press for clarity on contract rate increases

Oakland County commissioners approved a package of Sheriff’s Office grant applications and acceptances and conducted an extended discussion about policing contract rates and transparency around the sheriff’s drone program.

Deah Pierce, introduced as the sheriff’s fiscal officer, asked the board to approve a three‑year Department of Justice application totaling $678,000 to expand crisis‑response and de‑escalation training to corrections staff and fund a dedicated crisis training coordinator. Pierce said the request would fund training materials, overtime and a full‑time coordinator to raise the percentage of correctional staff trained.

Pierce also described a one‑time Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLS) equipment award (about $43,592) for narcotics task force equipment, a DOJ DNA capacity enhancement and backlog reduction grant for $420,000 (through Sept. 30, 2027) that continues funding for forensic lab analyst positions, and an amendment adding $100,000 to support recruits in the January academy. The sheriff’s office also accepted a $55,000 equipment donation for the county Search and Rescue Team and finalized an interlocal agreement with the City of Rochester Fire Department for participation on the team.

Pierce said the DNA grant and other awards have helped reduce backlog pressures but that the lab’s capacity is an ongoing, resource‑dependent issue.

During Q&A a staff member reported that the DNA lab currently has roughly 140 cases in process and an average turnaround of approximately 60–70 days for results; commissioners asked the sheriff’s office to follow up with exact backlog metrics. Commissioners also asked for current backlog details and whether grant funding has measurably reduced turnaround times; Pierce said staff would provide additional data.

Separately, several commissioners pressed county leadership and the sheriff’s administration to convene a meeting to resolve disputes over the methodology for policing contract rates charged to local communities. Commissioners said earlier estimated increases of 8–10% have in some cases grown to 10–15% and could compound over multiple years; one commissioner warned such multiyear increases could lead communities to seek alternatives. County executive staff and the sheriff were asked to sit down with township officials to review rate calculations, health‑care and retirement allocations, depreciation assignments, and other methodology changes.

Public comment at the meeting highlighted concerns about drone transparency and record access. Phil Lombard, a member of the public, said he used FOIA to obtain drone usage spreadsheets and urged third‑party audits and easier public access to drone statistics. Other speakers raised privacy concerns about vendor‑provided camera systems and urged the board to consider data security before expanding camera programs.

Why it matters: The grants fund training, forensic capacity and equipment that affect public safety operations. At the same time, contested contract‑rate calculations could materially affect township budgets and the availability of county policing services for communities that contract with the sheriff.

Next steps: The board approved the grants and asked sheriff’s staff to provide detailed backlog metrics; commissioners expect the county executive to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve contract‑rate methodology and to report back.