DNR law enforcement details staffing, budgets and near‑complete body camera rollout

Chief Jason Haines, chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Division, told the House Appropriations Subcommittee that the division’s work centers on personnel and equipment costs and that conservation officers serve as both resource enforcement officers and rural emergency responders across Michigan’s 83 counties and Great Lakes shoreline.

Haines said the law enforcement division’s appropriation is about 10% of the overall DNR budget and described department and division funding sources and constraints. "The mission of the law enforcement division is to protect Michigan's natural resources, the environment, and the health and safety of the public through effective law enforcement and education," Haines said.

The nut graf: Haines presented staffing and budget data, described specialized units that handle commercial and tribal fishing enforcement and organized poaching investigations, and said a statewide rollout of body‑worn cameras is nearly complete, with two Upper Peninsula districts remaining.

Budget and staffing Haines said the DNR’s total appropriation is roughly $534.6 million and the law enforcement division accounts for about $54.9 million (roughly 10%). He told the committee the division’s budget is dominated by payroll (about 74%) and that fleet and equipment replacement (about 10% of the division budget) are significant and growing cost pressures; he noted a per‑vehicle purchase price rise from roughly $32,000 in 2014 to about $52,000 in 2023.

On staffing, Haines said the division had 236 sworn conservation officers on staff and 16 recruits currently in academy training; graduation in July would raise ranks toward 252 but retirements may offset that increase. He said the division employs about 35 support staff (dispatch, finance, FOIA) and described regional structure: nine field districts grouped into two regions, each led by captains and supported by lieutenants, sergeants and district officers.

Operations, performance and partnerships Haines said conservation officers recorded about 453,000 public contacts in 2024 and that fewer than 2% of contacts resulted in formal enforcement (citation or custodial arrest), noting that education and voluntary compliance are primary tools. He described core responsibilities: game and fish enforcement (the division’s mission since 1887), marine and ORV/snowmobile safety, aquatic invasive species enforcement, hunter and boating education programs and search-and-rescue responses. He highlighted partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Coast Guard, tribal enforcement agencies, Michigan State Police, county sheriffs and local police.

Specialized units Haines described the Great Lakes Enforcement Unit (14 specialists) that focuses on commercial and tribal fisheries and aquatic invasive species and a Special Investigations Unit (12 investigators) that pursues organized poaching and commercialization of protected species and conducts technical investigations. He cited cases where investigators recovered illegally killed elk and seized illegally harvested fish.

Body cameras and data handling Responding to committee questions, Haines said the body‑worn camera program is in the final stages of rollout: all cameras are purchased, and only two districts (Districts 1 and 2 in the Upper Peninsula) remained to receive equipment and training, scheduled for early April. He said the rollout paused during high‑use periods; by policy officers are to wear cameras in the field and the agency’s usage statistics show high compliance. Haines explained several FTEs were added to handle anticipated FOIA and redaction workload created by camera footage; the exact funding amounts for prior-year appropriations were not specified in the transcript.

Recruiting, retention and equipment choices Haines said the department’s recruiting investments produced a strong applicant pool—nearly 900 applicants for a recent posting—and the current academy class reflects that. He told members that equipment lifecycle and overtime are the first areas the division would manage if budgets were reduced, and that personnel reductions would be a last resort because conservation officers provide critical rural emergency response and law enforcement backfill where other agencies are short‑staffed.

Ending: Haines offered to return for follow‑up on topics the committee requested to explore further, including equipment lifecycle costs and FOIA handling for body‑worn camera footage.