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The total number of police positions decreased locally and across the state since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and law enforcement officials are blaming Michigan’s poor economy and a shortage of federal grant money.

Michigan’s law enforcement agencies have about 1,800 fewer law enforcement officers than they did in 2001, according to the Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards. Local law enforcement agencies combined have lost a total of 17 positions during the same time.
“That puts a heavier burden on the officers that work, and affects the amount of self- initiated activity an officer can do,” Holland Police Chief John Kruithoff said.

The repercussions are starting to show. Overall reported crime in Michigan dropped nearly 6 percent from 2000 to 2006, according to Michigan Uniform Crime Report totals and estimates. But the falloff in arrests is steeper, down nearly 13 percent in 2006 from 2000 levels.

Click the "Read More" link for the rest of the article or read it from it's source at the Holland Sentinel's website  

The recently approved Holland city budget shows another police department position being cut, said Holland City Manager Soren Wolff.

Kruithoff has yet to determine which position will be eliminated. The police department employs 62 officers and 15 civilian support staff.

“It’s not an easy task,” Wolff said. “We’re down to (cutting) staff, and we understand that this has an impact on service.”

The cuts are due to a decrease in the amount of revenue-sharing money Holland receives from the state.

The Michigan State Police’s Wayland post lost six positions and its Grand Haven post lost 11 positions since 2001, said Michigan State Police spokeswoman Shanon Akans.
“Really, that’s pretty consistent with what most of our posts across the state have,” she said.

Akans said the state hasn’t held a recruitment school to replace retiring officers since 2001. A recruitment school costing $7.3 million may take place in August if the governor’s proposed budget is approved, she said. 

Lt. Frank Baker of the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office said that since 2001 there has been less federal grant money for local police enforcement, with more spending on national security.

The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office has 59 officers — three less than it had in 2001. All three positions were lost due to a decrease in contracts that the sheriff’s office holds with municipalities for extra patrols.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office gained at least four officers since 2001 due to new contracts with cities and townships, and currently has 118 officers.

At the same time, federal grants for community policing have become harder to obtain, said Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Greg Steigenga.

 “We haven’t been able to grow to any extent, but we’ve been able to at least maintain the levels of service that the public has been accustomed to,” he said. “That we’ve been doing that up until today, doesn’t mean we will be able to.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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