Letter to the Honorable Merrick Garland, Attorney General of the United States - Gov. Whitmer Announces Michigan Police Departments Awarded $1 Million to Support Officers and Public Safety Across the State

Letter

Dear Mr. Attorney General:

This letter is to indicate my support for the Michigan State Police's (MSP) application for federal grant funding through the United States Department of Justice's (USDOJ) FY 2021 Community Policing Development (CPD) De-Escalation Training Program. Crime rates are rising nationally, and Michigan communities are no exception to this trend. This grant would be an important investment in our police officers who are at the forefront of the crucial work to keep our communities safe.

Our law enforcement officers face difficult challenges every day and are often required to make split-second, life-and-death decisions. This is why our officers need the best training on topics like de-escalation to help them secure the safety of everyone involved. Last year, I called on Michigan law enforcement agencies to enhance their training and policies to foster an environment where all Michiganders are treated with dignity and respect under the law. I
applaud that by seeking this de-escalation grant, MSP is continuing its effort to strengthen its training to keep our communities safe.

I am confident that this grant is necessary to support our officers, prevent crime, and advance community policing. Please give this application your full review.

Thank you for your consideration. If you have any additional questions, please contact either me or Nancy Becker Bennett at (517) 898-9496 or by email at beckern@michigan.gov.

Sincerely,

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