Michigan House approves $368 million public safety plan
(The Center Square) – The Michigan House approved a $368 million public safety plan on a vote of 97-3.
House Bill 5522 aims to spend $368 million funded by one-time federal COVID-19 relief and surplus state resources. The revised plan supports firefighters, EMS personnel, and school resource officers while focusing on public safety recruitment and retention, community outreach, and equipment upgrades. The package focuses on recruiting law enforcement officers working outside of Michigan.
State Rep. Mike Mueller, R- Linden, sponsored the bill.
“The men and women in uniform who serve our communities need our support now more than ever before,” Mueller said in a statement. “The work they do is important, and we’re making them a priority.”
After the school shooting in Oxford, lawmakers boosted school resource officers’ funding to about $50 million, Mueller’s office said.
“Having resource officers working in schools builds relationships between police officers and students that wouldn’t otherwise occur,” Mueller said. “Officers become mentors and are seen as more relatable and approachable.”
Plan details include:
Recruitment and retention:
$57.5 million for a “Move to Michigan” recruitment plan to help local departments recruit officers from other states, as well as allow them to keep retirement benefits already earned in other states.Tuition assistance and grants to help offset expenses will make attending a police academy a more practical, affordable option for local law enforcement and corrections officer candidates. Local departments could receive grants to offer job shadowing and signing bonuses to new hires. Local law enforcement, fire departments, EMS agencies, and corrections departments would get recruitment marketing support.$10 million for public safety personnel who miss work because of COVID-19 could be reimbursed for lost wages and leave time.$7.5 million to support mental health assistance for local law enforcement, firefighters, EMS personnel, and other public safety officers.
Strengthening bonds in neighborhoods and schools:
$50 million for school resource officers to work with students and families$10 million in grants for community policing initiatives. The community policing and mentorship mix that makes the Police Athletic League successful in Detroit would be expanded to other communities with a $15 million investment.
Supplying essential equipment:
$11 million for State Police body camera$10 million for riot gear and body armor grants$30 million for communication towersMore resources would be available for body-worn cameras, narcotics team gear, communications equipment upgrades, and other essentials.
The bill introduced in November targeted $250 million in spending but was revised. Now, $37 million added would support firefighter and EMS personnel. Additional resources added include:
support tracking of absconders and to assist extradition efforts ($1 million)address a backlog of gun cases in Wayne County ($2 million),A jail mental health pilot project in Macomb County to evaluate incoming detainees and determine best corrections options ($25 million).
The plan moves to the Senate.
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