Waterford Today

Rep. Mike Harris testified on April 17 before the House Government Operations Committee about his bipartisan plan aiming to enhance public safety and violence prevention in Michigan. The committee approved Harris's initiative to establish a Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund, which seeks to allocate more resources for local law enforcement and community violence intervention.

As the majority vice chair of the committee and a retired police sergeant, Harris emphasized the importance of the fund, especially in light of increasing violent crime rates within the state. "Widespread violence in Michigan communities harms us all — it hurts victims and makes every resident less safe," said Harris. "When I served as a police officer, I saw firsthand the tragic consequences of crime on people’s lives."

According to FBI data, four of the most violent cities in the nation are located in Michigan, with statewide violent crime up by 7% from 2019 to 2023 and homicides increasing by 17%.

House Bills 4260 and 4261, which are part of this plan, propose using $115 million of annual sales tax revenues to create the trust fund. This would entail distributing $72 million to cities, villages, and townships based on their share of violent crime statewide, requiring these governments to bolster support for public safety and violence intervention.

The plan also allocates $40 million for county sheriff’s offices, dependent on each county’s police force size. Plus, $1.5 million would be directed to the Crime Victim’s Rights Fund and the same amount offered as grants for community violence intervention initiatives.

HBs 4260-4261 will move to the House floor for a vote by the House Speaker Matt Hall in the coming days.

Harris discussed the details of the bipartisan bills at a press conference on April 17, emphasizing their intention to provide resources to enhance public safety and address community violence effectively.