Police to Increase Visibility in Shelby Township Schools, Neighborhoods

Shelby Township schools and neighborhoods can expect to see a greater police presence in the months ahead as the department works to increase its visibility and involvement in the community.

Township police Chief Roland Woelkers said he plans to encourage “community policing,” a policy that would increase the personal contact officers have with the community, according to Shelby This Week.

“Two of the most vulnerable people in a community are children and senior citizens,” Woelkers told Shelby This Week. Bearing that in mind, Woelkers said the department will emphasize its officers' relationships with these two groups.

One of the ways he plans to implement this "community policing" is to assign officers to a specific patrol area – one they will patrol 90 percent of the time – and require officers to make direct contact with the schools, businesses and senior centers in that area.

Read more: Increased Security at Utica Schools May be New Normal

This will include assigning a second liaison officer to work in elementary school buildings specifically. Woelkers told Shelby This Week that this will allow the officer to familiarize him or herself with the building layout and staff, which would be vital knowledge in an active shooter situation.

Woelkers added that his department has been working for months to enhance its role in school security, even issuing patrol rifles to all officers.