House Dems eye dedicated fund for public safety in high-crime areas

Lansing — House Democrats announced legislation Wednesday that would create a fund to stabilize and supplement public safety efforts in high-crime areas — a solution they say responds to a rise in crime in Michigan's larger cities.

The Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund would be meted out based on crime data collected by the Michigan State Police, with communities receiving cash based on their share of statewide violent crimes with a cap of 25% of the fund for any one community.

The legislation would require a small share of sales tax revenue be diverted each month to the public safety fund and distributed to communities — for the current fiscal year, the percentage would come to an about $100 million deposit into the fund. The fund also could accept donations.

"We know our local partners are stretching available dollars to help keep neighborhoods safe and prevent escalation of violence, but they need more support from our state," House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, said at a Lansing press conference with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit Police Chief James E. White, Grand Rapids Deputy Police Chief Joe Trigg and the bills' sponsors.

The bills, introduced by Reps. Alabas Farhat, D-Dearborn, and Nate Shannon, D-Sterling Heights, prohibit the use of any public safety fund dollars to replace or supplant existing resources, unless the community the agency serves experiences a decrease in its general fund revenue and other reoccurring resources from the prior fiscal year.

The funds could be used for general public safety, community violence intervention and neighborhood programs or mental health training for officers, said Farhat.

"We want municipalities to be able to meet their obligations to keep residents safe, and we acknowledge that public safety presents unique obstacles in every committee," Farhat said.

Duggan said Detroit and other communities are seeing spikes in violence in part because of an influx of mental health issues and the prolonged period during the pandemic when jury trials were put on hold. The solution, he said, has to be a proactive and well-funded effort that addresses neighborhoods, investigative efforts and mental health training.

"We know what the answers are," Duggan said. "Up until now, we haven't had the resources."

When asked why lawmakers were looking at a special fund instead of a general increase in revenue sharing with communities, Duggan said having an earmark expressly for law enforcement ensures the money can't be used on other priorities within a community.

"This will be for new law enforcement in the cities that need it the most," Duggan said.

eleblanc@detroitnews.com