▁Re cond os ▁to ▁interven e ▁in ▁arr ests ▁and ▁gave ▁them ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁take ▁black ▁law ▁break ers ▁into ▁their ▁cust ody ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁police . ▁This ▁caused ▁the ▁second ▁strike ▁of ▁a ▁police ▁force ▁in ▁U . S . ▁history . ▁The ▁officers ▁were ▁fired ▁and ▁the ▁strike ▁was ▁ended . ▁ ▁Geography ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁the ▁city ▁has ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁, ▁of ▁which ▁ ▁is ▁land ▁and ▁ ▁is ▁water , ▁making ▁Battle ▁Creek ▁the ▁third ▁largest ▁city ▁in ▁Michigan ▁by ▁area , ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁three ▁incorpor ated ▁municipal ities ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁over ▁ ▁in ▁size . ▁ ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 6 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁land ▁is ▁developed . ▁Of ▁the ▁und e velop ed ▁land , ▁ 3 8 % ▁is ▁z oned ▁agricult ural , ▁ 2 6 % ▁is ▁z oned ▁general ▁industrial , ▁ 1 7 . 5 % ▁is ▁z oned ▁resident ial , ▁ 1 6 % ▁is ▁the ▁Fort ▁C uster ▁Army ▁National ▁Guard ▁Base / Ind ust rial ▁Park , ▁and ▁ 2 . 5 % ▁is ▁zone ▁commercial . ▁After ▁Battle ▁Creek ▁Township ▁merged ▁into ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Battle ▁Creek ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁city ' s ▁decl ining ▁population ▁rose ▁by ▁nearly ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁new ▁residents , ▁but ▁the ▁city ▁continues ▁to ▁decl ine ▁in ▁population . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁merge , ▁the