Whitmer Supports Defunding Police 'In Spirit'; Her Last State Police Budget Added $522 Million

In June of 2020, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told an anti-police website that she supported the “spirit” of defunding the police.

However, the state budget Whitmer approved for that fiscal year authorized a 67% increase in total funding for the Michigan State Police according to the Senate Fiscal Agency,  thanks to a huge increase in federal money.

Total Michigan State Police revenue and spending rose from $780.0 million in 2018-19 to $1.30 billion in 2019-20, an increase of $522 million.

Federal dollars for the Michigan State Police rose from $100.6 million in 2018-19 to $753.3 million in 2019-20.

In the 2020-21 fiscal year that began October 1 total State Police budget will fall back into its previous range, with $738.1 million in spending approved by the governor and legislature.