Vocal Turn-Out For Royal Oak City Commission Meeting

ROYAL OAK (WWJ) - Citizens and business owners of Royal Oak voiced their concerns Monday night to the Royal Oak City Commission about cutting its police force at a time it's also considering issuance of more liquor licenses.

The Commission approved its new budget by not laying off any officers, but at the same time, they are not adding officers to the city's patrol.

The controversy started on May 22 when 200 people engaged in a fight that some feared was a near riot. Officers from the State Police and nearby Pleasant Ridge were needed to restore order.

"As our department keeps getting cut, I'm very impressed with how our guys have adapted to it, we are doing great police work, but there is a breaking point," Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O'Donohue told Fox 2.
O'Donohue tells Fox 2 that he believes his officers are performing a great service, despite recent cutbacks of 30% to his force. However, the Chief fears any additional clubs and bars in the city would be more than his officers could currently handle.

WWJ spoke with Tiffany Esshaki who works in Royal Oak, she said the recent skirmish downtown has her a bit nervous.

"There is a lot of drinking in downtown Royal Oak, and if something were to happen, who's to come? The last incident I heard of down here, I heard they had to call in people from different departments to come in and help out, what if there is a big brawl that escalates and escalates and they don't have enough people to handle it, that could get out of hand pretty fast," says Esshaki.