LANSING - The Rochester City Council will meet Monday to discuss the future of its police department.

The city would save about $700,000 a year by contracting police service to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department. The department already has contracts with Rochester Hills, Oakland Township and other neighboring municipalities.

The talk comes after the sheriff's department made a presentation at the request of the city council on contracting its services.

Contracting for police service will save money, Rep. John Garfield, R-Rochester Hills, said.

Costs for things like health care are hurting local governments, he said. With communities losing revenue, many are looking for ways to get a handle on costs, Garfield added.

Tom Hendrickson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, also sees financial situations as a main reason cities have contracted for law enforcement services.

"I saw it 20 years ago, and I see it now. It's the ebb and flow of funding and services at the local level," he said. "Local municipalities feel they can save money by contracting out."

The Rochester Police Department has 29 officers and civilian employees.

Keith Harper, union president of the Rochester Police Officers Association, insisted that Rochester isn't facing a financial crunch.

"The idea of contracting the police services out came as a shock to many as there is no financial situation, which is generally the reason for such action," Harper said.

In Auburn Hills and Clawson, two cities that weren't facing financial difficulty, proposals to contract police services were rejected.

Oxford, facing financial trouble, approved a contract with the sheriff's department.

"Oxford originally challenged the proposal, but because of a dire financial situation, the absorption was mutually agreed and accepted," Harper said.

Harper and Garfield agreed that local officers should be given jobs with the sheriff's department if a municipality decides to enter into a contract.

But there are many uncertainties, Harper said.

"Employees potentially risk major changes in their current retirement, loss of seniority, and most important, there is no guarantee that all employees will be absorbed," he said.

Advocates of contracted services say such a change might improve community police coverage as well as save money.

A department covering multiple cities would be an asset, Garfield said, citing shared resources.

Dale Cunningham, business manager for the sheriff's department, said contracting to do a city's policing wouldn't affect the sheriff's coverage in other areas.

The sheriff's department would have a substation in the building currently housing the Rochester police, City Manager Ken Johnson said.

State Police coverage of Rochester wouldn't be affected either. It currently assists Rochester police at their request. If the city contracts with the sheriff's department, it would do the same, said Inspector Beth Moranty of the State Police.    

Oakland County is one of the largest contractors of law enforcement services in the state, Hendrickson said.

Contracting also is done in other counties in Michigan, including neighboring Genesee, Macomb and Washtenaw.