Pontiac Police Department Closes

PONTIAC, Mich. – After 150 years, the Pontiac Police Department is closing and the Oakland County Sheriff's Department is taking over.

The feeling is described as bittersweet as the 50-member Pontiac police force is being bolstered to 74 deputies.

Job loss is minimal as most of the new deputies are members of the former Pontiac Police Department, and are simply changing from blue uniforms to brown.

"It gives us more manpower," said Deputy Dwight Green, a former Pontiac police officer. "It gives us more specialized units to work on the city's specialized problems."

The city has already paid for three years of sheriff's service and the former officers will receive slightly better pay and benefits as deputies.