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Kentwood Police Department meets with residents to discuss safety concerns

Officers heard directly from community members regarding their safety concerns on Wednesday, amid the backdrop of a staffing shortage within the department.

KENTWOOD, Mich. — Kentwood Police Department held one of its first city-wide neighborhood meetings on Wednesday to talk directly with residents regarding safety concerns around the city and how best to prevent them.

"It was, 'Let's make sure that we're reaching out to everybody, because not every neighborhood has an association, not every association wants someone to come in and talk,'" Kentwood Sergeant Tim Wierenga said.

Officers also took questions from the crowd to help get an idea of what concerns residents were facing.

Despite the stormy weather, residents like John Zbikowski came out to ask questions and get their answers.

"I think it was just a good overview of what the police department does, the zoning department does," Zbikowski said.

Zbikowski came to meeting to voice his own concerns about dangerous speeding around his neighborhood.

He said he was worried, however, over what he sees as a police force dedicated to the community, but stretched thin.

"There is a concern," Zbikowski said. "There's a concern that there aren't enough officers, of course, to cover all of the city."

It's a concern to which multiple residents brought attention during the meeting.

Chief Bryan Litwin, who spoke with 13 ON YOUR SIDE earlier this week about similar concerns received from the community, outlined for residents what the department is doing in an effort to solve the shortage.

"We actually started sponsoring," Litwin said. "So, we pay now. The city, we pay for people to go to the police academies, we pay their tuition and we pay wages while they're there."

"But then you have people retiring," Litwin went on to say. "You have people that are like, 'Oh, the grass is greener somewhere else and there's other opportunities.' We're kind of in that battle almost, because we're all competing for the same people."

While the department is 13 officers down, according to Litwin, three more are weeks away from graduating from their academy, with four more starting in the fall.

Despite shortages, a sense of appreciation from residents to the department for hearing their concerns directly on Wednesday was clear.

"I think these guys did a heck of a job of putting on this program," Zbikowski said. "So, I wish there were more people here to hear what these people do and their concerns also, as well as listening to the community. So that, again, as they say, we have to work together to get things done."

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