Public safety committee advances SRO application, training grant, radio surcharge and emergency plans

The Eaton County Public Safety Committee on Feb. 6 approved a set of agreements and grant actions including a memorandum of agreement to pursue a state-funded school resource officer at Olivet University, an application for a Bureau of Justice Assistance fiscal year 2025 training grant to buy a virtual-reality training system for the sheriff’s office, a recommendation to keep the county’s radio surcharge at $1.65 per month, and adoption of a set of emergency management plan documents and a separate memorandum of agreement for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

The matters were presented by Eaton County law-enforcement and emergency management staff and moved through the committee with brief discussion and recorded motions. Committee members voted to advance each item; the transcript records motions as carried but does not include a full roll-call tally for each vote.

Olivet University SRO grant: The sheriff’s office said Olivet University has asked the county to provide a school resource officer under a state grant that would begin, if awarded and accepted, in August. The sheriff’s office described the grant as intended to cover wages and related costs; a figure of about $400,000 for a broader campus security package was mentioned and the presentation said the university hopes to pay for wages “100% or as close to as they can.” A motion to approve pursuing the agreement and associated grant application was moved and carried.

BJA FY25 virtual-reality training grant: Administrative Captain Chris Coleman presented a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant the sheriff’s office is applying for to buy a site-based virtual-reality training system for use by patrol and corrections staff. Coleman said the equipment would be purchased up front and reimbursed under the grant, that the system could be used for active-shooter and de‑escalation training and to help meet Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards training hours, and that the office would offer training to surrounding agencies. The committee approved submission of the application; Coleman noted the grant application deadline is in March and that award does not obligate the county to accept funding or purchase equipment until later decisions are made.

Radio surcharge recommendation: Kelly Cunningham, Eaton County 9‑1‑1 director, reviewed the county’s radio-surcharge fund and projections and recommended keeping the monthly surcharge at the current $1.65. Cunningham told the committee the surcharge proceeds are restricted to radio infrastructure and maintenance, that the 2017 voter-approved surcharge had been $1.75 and was reduced in 2019 to $1.65, and that the county must reassess the surcharge by May. The committee moved to maintain the $1.65 level and recorded the motion as carried.

Emergency management plan synchronization and FEMA MOA: The county’s emergency management office presented a “plan synchronization” package — a set of documents to put the county’s hazard identification and risk assessment, emergency operations plan, recovery plan, continuity-of-government plans, training and exercise plans, and prevention overview on a single maintenance schedule. The committee voted to adopt the slate and also approved a separate renewal of the memorandum of agreement allowing county use of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (the wireless emergency alert/WEA capability administered through FEMA) for mass-cellphone notifications.

Child and Parent Legal Representation grant: Eaton County Juvenile Court Director and Attorney Referee Catherine Price presented a Child and Parent Legal Representation (CPLR) grant application, described as a federal pass-through grant administered by the state that helps ensure parents in child protective proceedings have trained legal counsel. Price said the grant provides partial reimbursement for attorney fees (the packet notes a 25% reimbursement for attorney fees), that the intent-to-apply deadline was early February and that the grant year would run Oct. 1–Sept. 30 if awarded. The committee approved applying for the grant.

What the committee did not record: The committee motions were recorded in the meeting transcript as moved and carried; the transcript does not include detailed roll-call vote tallies for each motion. Where further approvals are required (for example, full-board approval for changes to the 9‑1‑1 surcharge if the amount were to change), staff noted the next steps. Several presenters emphasized that grant awards and purchases would be handled only after award notifications and required administrative processes (bid requirements for federal grants, grant acceptance steps) are completed.

The committee heard additional informational reports during the meeting, including a monthly sheriff’s report summarizing January incidents and central-dispatch and prosecutor reports. The meeting closed after a limited public-comment period.