'Recipe for Disaster': Commissioners Spar Over Downtown Development, Police Cuts

Which came first: the rowdiness or short-staffed police force? 

The Royal Oak City Commission debated the topic at length at its meeting Monday night at . In doing so, commissioners largely drew more attention to the development philosophy of downtown over the years than to the passage of the nearly $35 million 2011-12 general operating budget that made no room to replace five retiring offices or bring back any laid-off officers.

At the center of it all was a relatively simple request from , a popular downtown restaurant that sought approval Monday night to add about 80 seats to its outdoor dining scheme in the back of its building on Washington Avenue.

To Commissioners Charles Semchena and Michael Andrzejak, the request wasn’t about more room for al fresco dining.

“Thousands of drinking seats have been added to downtown” over the years, Semchena said, adding that the problem has nothing to do with a lack of police force. “It’s made (Royal Oak) a destination for people who wanna drink and cause trouble.”

Bolstering his views were public comments by several residents about the “trash” and multiple disturbances in downtown recently that some think is a direct result of the many bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. A May 22 incident on West Fifth Street outside , Fifth Avenue and across from  during which about 200 people gathered and a fight broke out in the wee morning hours also has helped boosted the view that the scene downtown is out of control.   

That scenario was created “by actions of this committee in setting bad policies of adding more drinkers to downtown,” Semchena said.

Andrzejak agreed with Semchena, calling attention to the “unruly '90s” when there were “less bar stools” in downtown Royal Oak but about 45 more police officers on the force.

Continuing to expand the entertainment district now while cutting police is a “recipe for disaster that will take this city in a direction that will be regretted in the future,” Andrzejak said.

Semchena and Andrzejak as a result voted no on the Pronto! proposal, but the owners received a majority vote of yes by other commission members who saw the situation much differently.

“This issue is about entrepreneurism,” Commissioner Jim Rasor told his colleagues. “It’s an incredible no-brainer.”

Commissioner Terry Drinkwine pointed out that Pronto! is a respected business that is simply trying to expand to accommodate people who want to eat outside.

“Common sense ought to prevail,” Drinkwine said. “The problem is, we don’t have enough people to patrol Royal Oak. Royal Oak is what it is. It’s an entertainment destination. It takes people to manage it.”

Police officers agreed with Drinkwine on Monday night. Royal Oak Police Association President Jim Staehlin told the commission again that 70 officers is the “bottom limit” for adequately patrolling the city. Yet the force is down to 65 officers with five recent retirements and the previous layoffs.

“There’s gonna be days when we operate with just four cars on the road,” Staehlin warned.

Staehlin asked commissioners to re-evaluate the situation. The commission passed the 2011-12 budget, promising not to cut more police, but declining to call laid-off officers back to work.

Rasor said that despite such publicity in recent weeks about downtown disturbances and a lack of officers, the Royal Oak police force remains incredibly competent.

“They’re doing an awesome job with the resources they have,” Rasor said.