Lansing Activists Want To Defund Police

Some political activists in Lansing who say they want to defund the police also want Mayor Andy Schor to resign.

The cost of municipal public safety departments includes much more than just salaries. For example, Lansing has promised retired police and fire department retirees $764 million in pension and post-retirement health insurance benefits.

Under the state constitution, pension promises made to employees by municipalities may not be broken. (Post-retirement health benefits do not have the same guarantee.)