Joseph Harris To Hold Public Hearings On Police Proposal

Benton Harbor emergency financial manager Joseph Harris will be holding public hearings over the next several weeks to get input from city residents on which way to proceed regarding whether or not to get rid of the police department. The action could be taken as a result of the vote on November 6 in which residents rejected a pair of millage renewal requests that represented 50% of the city's tax revenue and 20% of the budget. Harris says he would not be doing his job if he didn't let residents have their say on either keeping the police department or turning all police work over to the Berrien County Sheriff's Department. The dates for the hearings have not been set.