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Michigan Sheriffs Association urges more training, jail reimbursements and mental‑health capacity
Summary
The Michigan Sheriffs Association told the House Judiciary Committee it needs help with recruitment, higher jail reimbursements, more state mental‑health beds and updated training standards; deputies and sheriffs detailed programs that reduce recidivism and help victims.
The House Judiciary Committee heard an informational presentation from the Michigan Sheriffs Association on funding, staffing and policy priorities intended to strengthen county law‑enforcement operations.
Matt Saxton, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, told the committee the association represents Michigan’s 83 elected sheriffs and “approximately 10,000 public safety professionals” who deliver services ranging from patrol and jails to court security and dispatch. Saxton described MSA as a 501(c)(3) organization that provides specialized training, victim‑services volunteer support funded in part by a DHHS grant and technical assistance to sheriffs.
Saxton said MSA’s victim‑services unit is largely volunteer based and receives an $85,000 annual grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to support volunteer training. “We are such a strong believer of that program; with or without the grant, we will continue to provide needed training,” Saxton said.
Sheriff Michael Poulan of Muskegon County, identified in the transcript as MSA president, described recruitment and retention as the association’s top operational challenge and…
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