 
Genesyxx
Member
Username: Genesyxx
Post Number: 649
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 8:49 am: |    |
Police skip patrols for party
State Police tells other agencies to cover road duty during holiday gala; the director will investigate.
Mike Martindale and Joe Menard / The Detroit News
A Michigan State Police commander advised other police agencies by e-mail that state patrols would be canceled the following day so troopers could attend a post-Christmas party, despite a pending snowstorm.
State Police Director Col. Peter Munoz said he was bothered by the late notice given to local police and is investigating the matter, adding that the department does at times work out deals with other agencies to occasionally cover each other.
"It's troubling to me as the director that something like this would occur," he said. "The other agencies were put in a bind and not able to plan accordingly," Munoz said. "It certainly was something that was not sanctioned by the department."
A copy of the Nov. 30 e-mail obtained by The Detroit News shows Lansing Post Commander Lt. Eric Johnson alerted police agencies in Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties, where his 23 sworn troopers patrol the roads.
"I was worried about a predicted snowstorm but several troopers, including myself, were prepared to leave the party if needed," Johnson said. "Fortunately that didn't happen."
Johnson's e-mail, sent out to sheriffs and others, said:
"Att: Our post Christmas party is scheduled for tomorrow evening; sorry for the late notice! I simply forgot to get this to you sooner. …
"I will not have any cars on tomorrow afternoon nor on the midnight shift. I am hopeful the winter storm heading this way takes a turn or a delay. …
"Please be sure to let me know when you have your get-together's scheduled so I can try to adjust our schedule accordingly. Again, sorry for the short notice!"
Johnson said it was "tradition" for state police posts to shut down for a one-night party when patrols are picked up by neighboring police.
"And we cover their areas when they do the same," Johnson said. "I had two sheriffs call me and say 'Have a good time. We've got you covered.' "
Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth, an ex-state police lieutenant, had "never heard of anything like that before" but stressed it didn't impact deputies.
"I remember an e-mail, but the troopers only patrol a couple districts in our county and we likely picked those up," Wriggelsworth said. "It stormed but I don't recall any problems."
Johnson stressed any troopers working on Dec. 1 took approved vacation time to attend the party, held at an area township hall.
"Citizens were never without protection and no costs were passed on," he said.
Republican leaders on the state House Appropriations Committee recently criticized three state department heads -- including Munoz -- for failing to inform lawmakers they overspent their respective budgets for the year.
Munoz told committee members he thought the budget office had relayed news of the state police's $3 million shortfall. |