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Putting our money where our mouth is
RELEASE|December 2, 2021

By: State Rep. Pauline Wendzel

Several weeks ago, my colleagues and I unveiled a comprehensive plan to support public safety personnel and better protect the people they serve – including an innovative out-of-state recruitment plan to address an officer shortage at local law enforcement agencies.

The supplemental budget plan – focused on recruitment and retention, community outreach, and equipment upgrades builds upon an $80 million preliminary plan approved by my colleagues and I back in May of this year.

Strong communities start with safe neighborhoods, and that foundation is protected and preserved by our police officers, who risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe.  At every opportunity, I always have and always will stand up for our men and women who keep us safe, and this plan the House is passing is an excellent step to ensure our officers have the tools they need.  In an era when far too many people are attacking law enforcement and looking for ways to defund the police, my colleagues and I are standing with law enforcement and giving them the tools they need to do their jobs and better serve our communities.

The initiative includes funding for a ‘Move to Michigan’ recruitment plan to help local departments hire officers now working in other states. The plan ensures officers moving to Michigan will keep retirement benefits they’ve already earned in other states. Other incentives include covering the cost of hunting and fishing licenses and recreation passports for one year.

Other aspects of our plan will help with the cost of attending a training academy, support job shadowing initiatives, provide signing bonuses to new hires, improve community policing programs, increase the number of body cameras, improve communications gear, support local police K-9 units, and much more.

I’m proud to vote yes on this commonsense plan that provides our law enforcement community with these much-needed resources. I’m confident the Senate will support this proposal, and I’m hopeful the governor will sign it into law. 

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