The Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) -- The state’s most populated counties are not getting their fair share of federal dollars designated to protect local communities from terrorism and natural disasters, according to emergency management directors in southeast Michigan.
The directors contend a disproportionate amount is being spent on state police troopers and programs while local police officers and firefighters are shortchanged.
The Michigan State Police has been designated by Gov. Jennifer Granholm as the agency to manage and distribute the money statewide.
“State troopers have been funded at about $1,107 per officer, while firefighters or police in local counties have received a fraction of that,” Michael Sturn, vice president of the Emergency Management Directors Association of Michigan, told The Detroit News for a Monday story.
During each of the past three budget years, Wayne County divided up $1.2 million in federal emergency management funds, or about $134 for each officer and firefighter. That does not include Detroit, which receives its own federal allotment.
State police spokesman Mark Wesley said complaints about how funds are distributed will be addressed by a State Planning Team appointed by State Police Capt. John Ort, director of emergency management. The team has 11 members from state agencies and four current or former state troopers.
“The urban areas think that because of population or physical infrastructure, they are the most like to be targeted by terrorists,” Wesley said. “But we can’t ignore the rest of the state.
“Everyone wants a bigger piece of the pie, but there is only so much pie to go around.”
Michigan is slated to receive $62 million in 2004. Allocations will be made in March.
The state police is authorized to take 20 percent, or about $13 million. More than 100 requests totaling nearly $400 million already have been submitted for the remaining $49 million.
Wesley said the state police has distributed more than required of $31.2 million in federal funds it has received since 1999, keeping as little as 8 percent in some years.
Counties request their share of the remaining money based on the requests of each city and township. Population, need, and risks to defensive capabilities in the area are weighed to determine how much each county receives.
The emergency management directors association has sent a letter expressing their concerns to Granholm, saying the state’s high population areas do pose the highest risk for a terrorist attack.
They also note that the State Planning Team does not have representatives of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, which collectively have 60 percent of the state’s population.
Some police chiefs have sent a separate letter seeking explanations of how next year’s money will be distributed.