RELEASE: Gov. Whitmer Highlights Record $1 Billion Investment to Fund Police, Fire, First Responders, and Courts Across Michigan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 21, 2022

Gov. Whitmer Highlights Record $1 Billion Investment to Fund Police, Fire, First Responders, and Courts Across Michigan

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer highlighted more than $1 billion in total funding to support local law enforcement officers, firefighters, and public safety initiatives in communities across the state since taking office. In the balanced, bipartisan budget Governor Whitmer signed in July, she made the largest one-year investment in public safety in Michigan history.

"We all want to keep our families safe. As a former prosecutor, I am committed to ensuring state and local law enforcement agencies have the resources and funding they need to protect public safety,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office, I have I worked across the aisle with the legislature and closely with local leaders, law enforcement, and community organizations to make public safety funding a priority. Together, we have invested over $1 billion in public safety. These investments will continue to bring down crime and help us build stronger, safer communities. Every Michigander deserves to feel safe in their communities, and I will work with anyone to build a safer, more just Michigan where anyone can thrive.”

"Our members appreciate Governor Whitmer's continued support for public safety. She shares our commitment to resources over rhetoric,” said Bob Figurski, President of the Michigan Association of Police Organizations. “We look forward to working with the Governor to secure ongoing investment in law enforcement to help make Michigan a safer place."

“We are grateful to Governor Whitmer for her continued support of public safety professionals,” said Matt Sahr, President of Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union. “These investments mean that first responders have access to more resources to better serve every Michigander.”

Governor Whitmer’s Public Safety Investments

As a former prosecutor, public safety is a core issue for Governor Whitmer. She has worked closely with local leaders, law enforcement officers, and community organizations to ensure people feel safe in their neighborhoods. Since taking office, she has signed four balanced, bipartisan budgets, each making record investments to help communities fund local law enforcement departments and hire more first responders. Public safety investments include:

$100 million to ensure retirement benefits for state police
$58,071,300 for secondary road patrol
$55,086,900 for corrections staff bonuses during COVID-19
$53,300,000 to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for ambulance services
$34,470,400 for additional troopers to attend Trooper Recruit School
$33,464,600 for Secure Cities Partnership
$30 million for EMS scholarships
$30 million for Public Safety Academy Assistance Programs
$20.9 million to construct corrections training academy
$15 million for mental health services for public safety frontline workers
$15 million to enhance electronic communications for corrections staff
$12 million for fire gear equipment grants
$10,438,600 for Michigan State Police bonuses during COVID-19
$9.2 million for firefighter training grants
$8.8 million for communications radios and towers
$7,373,700 to support additional officers through Corrections Officer Recruit School
$6 million deposit into the Michigan State Police Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund
$6 million in ongoing law enforcement training grants
$5 million for local first responder recruitment and training grants
$5 million for Michigan Public Safety Communications System towers and equipment
$4.5 million for corrections officer body scanners
$4.5 million for the Michigan State Police Professional Development Bureau
$3.5 million to support the Organized Retail Crime Unit within the Department of the Attorney General
$3 million for Michigan State Police training and professional development
$3 million for training and equipment for narcotics teams and task forces
$2.7 million for MCOLES certification fees
$2.5 million for corrections staff facility improvements
$2 million for the first responder communication network
$1.8 million for Marine Patrol grants
$1,427,000 for frontline natural resources staff bonuses during COVID-19
$1,321,000 for a Michigan State Police sexual assault prevention and education initiative
$1,309,400 for employee wellness programming for corrections staff
$1,130,900 to increase capacity to investigate cybercrimes
$1 million for equipment to extinguish forest fires
$766,600 for Michigan State Police in-car camera streaming network
$500,000 for corrections officer uniforms

School Safety

$188 million in School Safety Grants
$25 million for school resource officers
$15 million for the Cross-System Intervention Michigan Model
$500,000 for the Michigan State Police Office of School Safety

Military and Veterans Affairs

$55 million for National Guard Armory upgrades
$18,905,000 for Grayling Training Center
$10 million for National Guard special maintenance
$6.1 million for the expansion of the Selfridge Air Base
$1,247,200 for veterans' relief grants
$1.2 million for veterans' suicide prevention program

Governor Whitmer’s Criminal Justice Investments

Governor Whitmer has also worked across the aisle to enact historic criminal justice reform. She signed bipartisan "Clean Slate" legislation to help hundreds of thousands of Michiganders emerge from the criminal justice system with enhanced opportunities for jobs and housing, empowering them to pursue their full potential. She also launched task forces to address pretrial incarceration and juvenile justice and pursued reforms to improve relationships between law enforcement and the people they serve.  

This summer, Governor Whitmer signed her fourth balanced, bipartisan budget that included funding for Jobs Court, a program that offers non-violent, low-level offenders gainful employment with local partnering small businesses. Criminal justice investments include:

$150 million for statewide judicial case management system
$11 million in community policing competitive grants
$5.8 million for body cameras for state troopers
$5 million for Jobs Court
$4.5 million in community policing grants
$4.2 million for the Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration – Law Enforcement Training
$1 million for body cameras for conservation officers
$923,000 for Problem Solving Courts
$518,400 for victim advocacy
$500,000 for Michigan State Police de-escalation training
$500,000 for address confidentiality within the Department of the Attorney General
$500,000 for Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust
$387,500 for the Elder Abuse Task Force
$275,600 for conviction integrity within the Department of the Attorney General
$150,000 to combat clergy abuse

Total Public Safety Funding

In the balanced, bipartisan budget Governor Whitmer signed in July, she made the largest investment in public safety since taking office: $670,315,000. This investment brings the total funding for first responders and public safety initiatives under the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration to $1,056,267,100.

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