LANSING, Mich. (WWJ) -- The Detroit Police Department and Michigan State Police are among a dozen police agencies across the state of Michigan set to receive additional funding, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday.
The governor announced DPD and MSP, along with 10 other agencies across the state will be receiving more than $1 million in additional funding to boost public safety initiatives, building on her MI Safe Communities Plan, with the goal being to improve public safety.
MSP was awarded a $182,328 grant to support de-escalation training through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Policing Development De-Escalation Training Program, which Whitmer advocated for earlier this year.
Col. Joe Gasper, director of MSP, says communication is at the core of de-escalation and he says the extra funds will benefit both troopers and the communities they serve as they “improve how we approach and treat each other.”
“We’re grateful for the grant that will allow us to build upon the training we currently provide to our recruits and move it into the field by implementing a consistent program for all of our nearly 2,100 enforcement members,” Gasper said, per a press release.
The Detroit Police Department will receive a $241,768 grant to help with the implementation of its Crisis Intervention Team, which is a community partnership that relies on a “first-responder model of police-based crisis intervention training to help persons with mental disorders and/or addictions access medical treatment rather than place them in the criminal justice system due to illness-related behaviors,” according to the CIT website.
Whitmer applauded the DOJ for investing $1,025,0138 in Michigan’s law enforcement agencies.
"Michigan's brave troopers and law enforcement officers are at the forefront of the crucial work needed to reduce crime and keep our communities safe,” Whitmer said in a press release. “Thanks to this grant, MSP is able to continue its efforts to strengthen de-escalation training to ensure police and community members alike can make it home safe at the end of each day."
In a letter of support to the DOJ prior to the announcement of the grants, Whitmer said “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,” she said in the letter.
Other law enforcement agencies in the metro Detroit area receiving grants include Oakland County, Brownstown Township, Dundee and Marysville.
Oakland County will receive a little more than $30,000 in Microgrants for the Community Trust Project. Brownstown ($74,335), Dundee ($61,120) and Marysville ($75,000) all receive grants for “Supporting Law Enforcement Agencies in Seeking Accreditation,” according to the State’s press release.
The Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police will get just under $100,000 for “Enhancing Existing Law Enforcement Accreditation Entities.”
The remaining $260,400 will be spread out between the cities of Big Rapids, Houghton, Ironwood, Charter Township of Kalamazoo and the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians.
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