Michigan may see 1,000 police officer increase in the future
Michigan may see 1,000 more cops on and off the streets.
Attorney General Bill Schuette proposed an increase of 1,000 officers on Michigan streets last Wednesday.
This increase was paired with a proposal that would put people who have committed three felony crimes behind bars for 25 years.
“As a police chief being in law enforcement for 30-plus years, I am a firm supporter of having more officers available in our community,” Central Michigan University Police Chief Bill Yeagley said.
Yeagley and Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski both said they were unsure as to where the proposed officers would end up.
“There is no question that there are certain places that would benefit from more officers,” Mioduszewski said.
Figures and losses
Jeff Browne, Mount Pleasant Police Department public information officer, said the department currently has 19 officers on the road, 14 assigned to special assignment and one officer in the narcotics department.
Browne, Yeagley and Mioduszewski all said other areas having faced more budget cuts would be more likely to receive more officers.
“Particularly (in) Michigan we are all in a world of hurt,” Yeagley said. “There are no easy choices."
Yeagley said Central Michigan University administration has done a great job balancing and making as few cuts related to police officers as possible.
With 22 sworn CMU officers, Yeagley said this number includes officers who reside in residence halls, those who patrol in marked cars and detectives.
CMU Police recently lost one vacant position because of budget cuts that could not be filled.
ICSD has lost two youth services officers in recent years, Mioduszewski said.
He said 2-percent funding from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe has been dwindling in recent years, because the economy affects the casino revenues.
This amount was previously agreed to fund future public services, and the tribe can choose where the funding ends up.
MPPD lost one officer to budget constraints last year and may lose one to two over the course of this year.
Law enforcement mentalities
“Law enforcement today is a lot more than just fighting crime,” Yeagley said.
He said officers who reside in residence halls can provide insight into law enforcement actions.
These officers spend more than 95 percent of their time in that residence hall.
“I can’t tell you how many times I drive by and people put their seatbelt on,” Browne said.
Yeagley said the primary focus of CMU police is to make people feel safer.
“The only people that should be intimidated by us are those who are trying to harm others,” Yeagley said.
