LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – State Rep. Mike Harris announced the creation of the Michigan House Law Enforcement Caucus on March 18, describing it as a direct response to growing risks and hostility facing officers across the state.

“Law enforcement in this country is being villainized for political profit,” said Harris, who will serve as chair and was with the Waterford Township Police Department for 25 years. “Because of the attacks on law enforcement, people who wear the badge are being asked to do more with less, stand in more danger, and tolerate attacks that would never be accepted in any other profession. That ends now.”

Focus on safety and support.

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The caucus aims to push legislation centered on officer safety, recruitment and retention, and mental health resources, while advocating for policies that “uphold the rule of law, protect victims, and reduce repeat offenses.”

Lawmakers say the move comes amid reports of fewer recruits, rising resignations, and increasing public hostility toward police.

Protecting the people who protect us.

Rep. Brian BeGole, the caucus’s vice-chair and former Shiawassee County sheriff from 2016 to 2022, emphasized the public’s expectation for safety. “Michigan families want safe neighborhoods,” BeGole said. “They want crimes investigated, violent offenders held accountable, and officers supported, not second-guessed into paralysis. It is time for this Legislature to stop catering to political narratives and start protecting the people who protect us.”

The caucus includes several lawmakers with backgrounds in law enforcement and public safety and will focus on delivering resources to local departments statewide.