Gas Prices Tore Through Sheriff Dept. Budget – Now It’s Cutting Back On In-Person Response to 9-1-1 Calls

You may have heard of telemedicine, but have you heard of tele-police?

In one county in Michigan, that’s what some residents will be experiencing thanks to sky-high ⛽Gas Prices that have ripped through the fuel budget of the Isabella County Sheriff’s Office.

According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in the county is $5.19, slightly below the state average of $5.21.

The department shared this week that it is “feeling the pain at the pump,” and with “several months” before its budget resets, it has “exhausted what funds were budgeted” for gas, according to the Detriot Free Press.

Nicole Frost, the county administrator, said the department has burned through 96% of its fuel budget, and there are still three and a half months left in the fiscal year.

As a result of the budgetary situation, Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main says he told deputies to address whatever 9-1-1 calls they can over the phone instead of in person.

He specified such calls include “non-in-progress calls, non-life-threatening calls, and calls that do not require evidence collection or documentation.”

Main stressed that the department “will continue to provide patrols to all areas of the county” and “will respond to those calls that need to be managed in person.”

“Any call that is in progress with active suspects will involve a response by the deputies,” he said, adding, “I want to assure the community that safety is our primary goal, and we will continue to respond to those types of calls.”