Riverview Police Chief Clifford Rosebohm, shown at an Oct. 9 Riverview City Council study session, now will focus on police duties after Ronald Lammers, former Ecorse Fire Chief, became the city’s new fire chief Oct. 15.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
RIVERVIEW – Ronald Lammers become the city’s new fire chief Oct. 15 in the city’s effort to address serious staffing concerns that have forced it to rely excessively on mutual aid.
Lammers, former Ecorse fire chief, will address staffing concerns in the department of part-time firefighters, which has forced the city to rely on neighboring Trenton and Wyandotte when shifts were understaffed, beyond the expected scope of mutual aid.
Police Chief Clifford Rosebohm will continue to oversee the city’s police department.
Rosebohm may focus on hiring more police officers. His department has the budget for 26 police officers, but is currently down to 22, and a command officer has filed for retirement, which will reduce the ranks one more.
An April 2018 city council budget session, at which police department staffing was discussed, insured a budget for 26 officers, and indicated a willingness to hire additional officers as needed.
City Manager Doug Drysdale said Oct. 8 that the city has been looking at the staffing concerns with the fire department for some time.
“We have been having personnel issues there,” Drysdale said. “The chief’s duties are split between two of our largest departments, so we thought it was a good idea to separate that back out again.”
Drysdale said the city budget will be amended to address the salary needs for a separate fire chief. He said Rosebohm is fine with the decision.
“We sat down and we talked, and he agreed with the decision,” Drysdale said.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected].)