LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – About half of Michigan local law enforcement agencies say they don’t get enough money and are unfunded, according to a recent report released by the University of Michigan.
Record revenues reported.
The findings raise eyebrows since the last four years municipalities have been reporting record revenues, in part due to the windfall of federal pandemic money, much of which was funneled to police agencies. Just five years ago after the George Floyd murder, many liberal advocates promoted a “Defund the Police” movement that has failed based on budgetary data.
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The report was part of statewide surveys of local government and law enforcement leaders in the spring 2024 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey, which is conducted by The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.
“Statewide, 59% of county sheriffs and 45% of local chiefs of police say that the local governments they serve (counties, townships, cities and villages) do not appropriate sufficient funding for their agencies,” the report stated.
Michigan’s largest police departments.
Consider the funding of the largest police agencies in the state – the city of Detroit, the Michigan State Police and the four largest county agencies in the state – Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Kent counties.
The Michigan State Police total funding has increased from $252.9 million in 2021-22 to $291.8 million in 2024-25, a nearly $39 million increase, or 15%.
The funding breakdown.
Funding for the city of Detroit police department has increased from $341 million in fiscal year 2022 to $441.9 million in FY 2025. That’s a $100.9 million increase, or 30%.
The Macomb County Sheriff’s office expenses increased from $83.2 million in FY 2020 to $107.4 million in FY 2025, a $24.2 million increase or 29%.
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The Wayne County Sheriff’s budget increased by $42 million or 28% from FY 2022 to FY 2025. It increased from $152.4 million to $194.4 million over those three years.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s budget jumped from $175.8 million in FY 2022 to $201.5 million, a $25.7 million or 15% increase.
The Kent County Sheriff’s budget went up from $69.9 million in FY 2021 to $92.6 million in FY 2025, a $22.7 million increase, or 32%.
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