Michigan Lawmakers Aim to Boost Funding, Recruitment of Law Enforcement

Michigan lawmakers are launching bipartisan efforts to increase police recruitment and benefits as the number of law enforcement officers trends downward in the state. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., introduced legislation Friday that would provide $50 million annually to state and local law enforcement agencies to create “Pathways to Policing” programs aimed at boosting recruitment in the field. The programs would specifically target candidates from underrepresented communities or with non-traditional educational and career backgrounds. The number of law enforcement officers in Michigan has decreased by more than 4,000 since 2001, according to statistics from the state’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.