MID MICHIGAN (WJRT) - (03/15/07)--For the first time in nearly 30 years, Michigan State Police officials say they are forced to make job cuts.

Budget constraints are forcing the cuts which involve layoffs, demotions and other employees being reassigned.

The layoffs will take effect in just a few weeks. In all it will be 29 troopers statewide, along with two civilian employees that will be laid off. Those layoffs take effect April 8.

Now there are 11 posts in the Third District. Six of them will lose troopers off the road.

Flint will lose two and five other posts will lose one trooper -- those being Lapeer, Caro, Bad Axe, Bridgeport and Mount Pleasant, who as part of this reorganization will now move to the Third District.

They were previously in the Sixth District. The five others -- Bay City, Gladwin, Sandusky, Tawas and West Branch -- will not lose troopers.

We mentioned that there will be other employees reassigned or demoted.

Locally that will affect the Bridgeport Post, where their assistant post commander has been reassigned to Homeland Security in Lansing.

The Sandusky Post will also lose their post commander, who has been reassigned. Their post will now be run by Lapeer's post commander, who will handle both posts.

This all comes in light of a $13.million deficit in their 2007 budget.




This is bad news as far as I'm concerned. I have much more faith in our State Police than the Flint Police Dept.. Losing any state troopers is not good especially in the Flint area.

Snow4

I feel the same way about losing any of our state troopers, but I have a bad feeling about how all this went down. It feels to me like a ploy by our governor (sorry, I can't repeat her name) to draw attention to her red ink and pave the way for more taxes. There are very many other areas that could have been cut, but none so 'high profile' as this.

no kidding that is not good....I hope they find they find the money to keep them....

Rick

Not a good situation whatsoever when you lay off police. I'm sure the people of Michigan would have elected another canidate had they known just what their Govenor was up do after she was relected. Her efforts have been dismal at best in rebounding the great State of Michigan. Anytime you allow a company to leave your state and move to Mexico, something is wrong. Stop buying Jap products. Not an easy task but you have to start somewhere. At least GM made money once again.
Richard

What MSP really needs to do is stop putting two Troops in one car after dark and use their personnel resources more efficiently. This is a big waste of money to pay two Troops to do the job of one.

What MSP really needs to do is stop putting two Troops in one car after dark and use their personnel resources more efficiently. This is a big waste of money to pay two Troops to do the job of one.[/b]

Unless you're the one in the vehicle w/o backup.

Everyone else is a single man car and we all make out pretty good . . .

Everyone else is a single man car and we all make out pretty good . . .[/b]

You've never been to flint.

You've never been to flint.[/b]

Good points on both accounts. Flint is not generally patrolled by Michigan State Troopers so I can see needing only one trooper per vehicle, depending on areas. If I'm not mistaken, Flint just implemented a task force of single police officers working certain hours and days to help cut down on the crime. I don't think the military itself could do that task.

Flint is Bad!

Richard

What MSP really needs to do is stop putting two Troops in one car after dark and use their personnel resources more efficiently. This is a big waste of money to pay two Troops to do the job of one.[/b]


Hmmm I know in my area alot of our troops are alone at night, I work closely with them and when I request assistance I usually always get 1 trooper per car, and the county sends additional county cars if needed.

Its a very sad situation all around decreasing troop levels will slow response times and may in the end lead to not getting to a serious situation in time and may lead in the end to someone loosing life.

Everyone should seriously consider a CCW class and carry when ever they can you never know when you may be able to save someones live or even your own.

Just my 2 cents !!

Never good losing any authority these days, sometimes up here I wonder 'where the heck are the patrol officers?'

I my humble opinion the Troops have to many Chiefs for the number of indians. THey run very top heavy in administration. It is sad that some will lose their jobs. Maybe some of the local depts. will be able to absorb some of these guys/gals..G

The only good thing about this is there are now less troopers looking out for my boxers..... :wink:

This is hard to believe as in the past the Indiana State Police has been so far behind the times. We are FINALLY going in the right direction. Our new Superintendant eliminated some of the top ranking jobs and is putting all brass and commanders in marked cars so they can be seen. We are currently running a recruit school with 150 new people and have another group that size that is about ready to start. But we make about 12k less a year per guy then MI so that might explain some of it. ISP is the lowest paid in all of the surronding states. Effective later this spring the Illinois State Police will max out at almot $95,000 a year, that is the road guys not the brass and commanders.
No matter what your opinion of police are it is not a good thing to have less police around.

No matter what your opinion of police are it is not a good thing to have less police around.[/b]

I think most of us agree with you.

Good points on both accounts. Flint is not generally patrolled by Michigan State Troopers so I can see needing only one trooper per vehicle, depending on areas. If I'm not mistaken, Flint just implemented a task force of single police officers working certain hours and days to help cut down on the crime. I don't think the military itself could do that task.

Flint is Bad!

Richard[/b]


illinois uses only one trooper all day and night. and we have parts worse than flint

Hmmm I know in my area alot of our troops are alone at night, I work closely with them and when I request assistance I usually always get 1 trooper per car, and the county sends additional county cars if needed.

Its a very sad situation all around decreasing troop levels will slow response times and may in the end lead to not getting to a serious situation in time and may lead in the end to someone loosing life.

Everyone should seriously consider a CCW class and carry when ever they can you never know when you may be able to save someones live or even your own.

Just my 2 cents !![/b]
The CCW classes in my area are booked a month in advance. My local gun shop has been overwhelmed. And, like has been mentioned, cutting police and fire jobs before admin jobs is really sickening.

I wouldn't mind a few less troopers on highway patrol here in Ontario. I've got bad luck with speeding tickets.