December 2023
 The Michigan State Police (MSP) wishes you and your family a very happy holiday season.
The MSP wants to ensure your celebrations are not only merry and bright, but also safe and secure. While preparing to enjoy any holiday festivities, keep the following safety tips in mind:
- Be aware of your surroundings when holiday shopping. If you have packages or valuables in your vehicle, keep them out of sight.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links in emails or messages, especially those related to holiday deals.
- For packages arriving in the mail, keep an eye on your tracking information and try to schedule deliveries when you're home.
- If you?re going out of town for the holidays, don?t announce your plans on social media. Doing so can alert individuals with malicious intent that your home will be vacant.
- Plan ahead for a designated driver or arrange for a ride-sharing service if you plan to drink alcohol.
For more holiday safety tips, follow us on social media.
 With the holiday season upon us, the MSP is asking Michiganders to be extra vigilant by looking out for any suspicious behavior or activity and notifying law enforcement immediately if they see something suspicious.?
While there are no known threats to Michigan at this time, the continuing Israel-Hamas conflict provides reason for residents and law enforcement to be prepared and remain alert.
In testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Dec. 5, 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher A. Wray spoke to the work his department and others are doing to protect our homeland in a time of heightened threats. In this remarks, Director Wray stated, ??given the steady drumbeat of calls for attacks by foreign terrorist organizations since October 7, we?re working around the clock to identify and disrupt potential attacks by those inspired by Hamas?s horrific terrorist attacks in Israel.?
Earlier on October 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a public statement acknowledging the need for continued vigilance, which in part read: The U.S. remains in a heightened threat environment and recent events reinforce that. As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, we have seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions. Lone offenders, motivated by a range of violent ideologies, pose the most likely threat. We urge the public to stay vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
Being vigilant can be as simple as paying more attention to where you are, knowing how to react if something happens and recognizing potential indicators of suspicious activity or behavior.? For instance, when entering buildings and moving around a facility, remember where you are located, what floor you are on and determine the nearest emergency exits and stairwells.
Some indicators of suspicious activity to look out for include:
- An unattended object or one that appears out of place, especially in crowded or public areas.
- Individuals exhibiting strange or abnormal behavior.
- Someone entering or exiting blocked or unauthorized areas.
- Individuals who quickly leave when seen or approached.
- A strong odor coming from a building or vehicle.
- Someone tampering or interfering with surveillance cameras.
- A vehicle that seems out of place.
- Someone taking photos, videos or drawings of high-profile or highly populated buildings or structures.
- Exposed wiring or other abnormalities.
If you see something suspicious, immediately call 9-1-1 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, suspicious activity can be reported to the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center by phone at 1-855-MICH-TIP (855-642-4847), online at michigan.gov/MichTip, or through the MSP Mobile app. ?
For more information about spotting suspicious activity, go to michigan.gov/MiReady.?
As snow begins to fall across the state, we?re encouraging drivers to check out the winter driving safety website for reminders to slow down and use caution when traveling on slick and snow-covered roads.
Remember: the weather doesn?t cause crashes; most winter driving crashes are caused by drivers going too fast for the roadway conditions.
For information on a wide range of cold-weather challenges, such as planning a safe route, how to control your vehicle on slick roads, what to do in an emergency, passenger safety information, tire tips and more, visit Michigan.gov/WinterDriving.
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Checking the safety record of school buses operating in Michigan has never been easier. With just a scan of a QR code, you can instantly access information about each school district?s annual inspection results.
By state statute, all public, private, denominational, parochial, charter school and public-school academy vehicles taking children to or from school, or school-related events, must be inspected annually by a member of the MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED). Once a bus is inspected, a bright green sticker showing the MSP shield and school calendar year is placed on the windshield. Inspection results are then available to anyone by scanning the QR code displayed on the bus door.
More information about school bus inspections, including all inspection reports, can be found here.
Have a happier, healthier 2024 by making a resolution to renew your Medicaid benefits. Update your information, report any income changes, and complete the mailed renewal form. Learn more at Michigan.gov/MIBridges. |
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 MSP posts statewide are participating in the Shop With a Cop program, which pairs children with police officers to take them shopping for presents for their families. In addition to crossing items off their lists, troopers help the students wrap each present. This Shop With a Cop event in Lansing included a visit with Santa!
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