State Rep. Mike Mueller, who chairs the Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Police, issued the following response to a statement that was recently circulated by Col. James F. Grady II regarding the House’s State Police budget plan:

“This budget would not have any impact on troopers unless MSP leadership makes that decision. No troopers would be taken off the road with our plan and it fully funds their positions. As a retired sheriff’s deputy, I want to see troopers out keeping our roads and the public safe. The reductions address hundreds of phantom full-time employee positions that have gone unfilled but still receive funding and target wasteful spending. The colonel went $40,000 over budget on a conference and spent $400,000 on a public relations firm to help cover for leadership failures. Public relations is not public safety. MSP needs to start there – not with post operations.

“Our budget plan focuses on supporting post operations and giving troopers the resources that they need to help protect the public. It also ensures promises made are promises kept by dedicating over $46 million so troopers get pay raises that were recently negotiated by the trooper’s union.

“I will continue communications with MSP to fight for our troopers and sergeants as they do their jobs, evaluate costs, and identify wasteful spending to respect taxpayers. It’s time for the colonel to put animosity aside, be a colonel, and come to the table for the sake of the entire MSP family.”