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Tudor Dixon Lays Out Public Safety Agenda

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Less than two months from Election Day and the Republican nominee for governor, Tudor Dixon, is laying out her plan for public safety, if elected.

Dixon has been a regular on cable news and right wing outlets since becoming the party nominee. She’s focused her segments on the shortcomings of Governor Gretchen Whitmer over the past four years.

Little has been done with outlets in Michigan and details of her platform have been missing. Tuesday, in Grand Rapids, she began rolling out some of that plan.

“Enough is enough. Let me be clear, we will never defund the police,” said Dixon.

The announcement of her public safety agenda is noteworthy because this was the first press conference held by Dixon since before the party convention, more than two weeks ago.

It also comes a day after her opponent, Governor Whitmer, held an event, also in Grand Rapids. Whitmer announced ‘Republicans for Whitmer,’ a coalition of prominent GOP figures turning from their party toward the incumbent.

Dixon’s campaign responded saying, “Today’s Republican Party is one that believes parents should be in charge, police should be supported and empowered to protect our communities, and regulations and taxes should be cut for economic growth. We’ll take their support over the Lansing’s big government cocktail crowd any day of the week.”

Reaching those people is her biggest hurdle, as she is falling far behind Whitmer in campaign funds, making advertising limited.

“She’s a major party nominee. She could have free media every day of the week if she wanted to, you just have to show up,” said Adrian Hemond of Grassroots Midwest, a political consultant, “Show up in Traverse City, show up in Alpena, show up in Marquette, show up in Macomb County and people will cover it because you’re a major party nominee.”

In Grand Rapids she showed up, alongside her running mate Shane Hernandez, to lay out her crime plan, a $1 billion plan.

Inside the plan, $700 million to recruit and retain officers, $250 million to equip and train departments and $50 million to find and detain criminals. But most importantly, according to Dixon, a change in culture.

“This is more than just putting money in. This is also public support,” said Dixon, “We think it’s so important that you have the backing of the chief executive officer of the state. One that’s coming out and saying the police are our priority.”

With just about two weeks before absentee ballots can be cast, the expectation is for more of these events soon. Dixon needs to lay out a vision for her potential voters. However she was very clear why this agenda was first.

“This is our job it should be our top priority,” said Dixon, “That’s why we’re coming out and talking about this first.”

Here is the more detailed description of the public safety plan, per the Dixon campaign:

(A)    Recruit and Retain – $700 Million

Tudor Dixon’s plan will recruit and retain the public safety personnel needed to keep Michigan families and communities safe from violent offenders. 

  1.   Instruction Supports – Make it easier for those wanting to serve to afford the cost of instruction, including tuition, and provide a stipend to cover personal expenses during training plus retention and signing bonuses.
  2.   Youth Engagement – Provide work-study programs to help potential police and fire recruits job shadow experienced officers, giving them an authentic feel for the job before they enter an academy, and expand explorer programs geared towards high school students to build interest in the professions.  
  3.   ‘Move to Michigan’ Incentives – Offer incentives for public safety professionals to move to Michigan. Make it easy to relocate to Michigan by ensuring retirement benefits are preserved and providing additional perks like free hunting and fishing licenses, recreation passports, and more. 
  4.   Recruitment Marketing – Grants will be made available to help police, fire, and other public safety programs market the profession and attract a larger pool of applicants. 

(B)    Equip and Train – $250 Million 

Tudor Dixon’s plan provides public safety personnel with the tools they need to do their jobs and keep people safe, including the equipment they need, mental health support, and additional training to better engage the communities they serve. 

  1.   Equipment – Offer resources to help buy body-worn cameras, riot gear, narcotics task force equipment, first responder bags, second sets of fire gear, CO monitors, automatic chest compression devices, and whatever else may be needed to serve the public.
  2.   Training – Provide additional training, including in de-escalation techniques. 
  3.   Mental Health Support – Provide resources local first responders need and deserve – supporting police, corrections officers, firefighters, and other first responders battling post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health challenges. 

(C)    Find and Detain – $50 Million

Tudor Dixon’s plan helps eliminate backlogs and bring justice to victims of violent crime by providing additional resources to locate and lock up the violent offenders and rapists that threaten our communities.

  1.   Backlog Elimination – Provide for new lab facilities to process forensic evidence quicker, including funding for rape kit processing and gun case backlogs in our court system.
  2.   Tracking Down Offenders – Fund reimbursements for tracking down offenders who have run away or to extradite from other jurisdictions to face justice. 

(D)    Public Safety Working Group

Tudor Dixon will invite several distinguished leaders in our state to assist me and work with the legislative leaders and the appropriate legislative committees to expedite the final design and legislative passage of our agenda. It is time we put public safety back on the agenda and give it the priority our families deserve.

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