It may be time to retire. I cannot continue to run all day and work large cases and work to hold those accountable, and then be told they will not serve any jail time or be held accountable for their actions. The system is broken. Legislators continue to implement laws that are only beneficial to those who continue to break the law. Back in March of this year, two suspects involved in the murder of sheriff deputy Reckling were arrested in March of this year. They were charged with numerous felonies and were driving a vehicle that was stolen in a carjacking. Four guns were recovered, and two of those guns were identified as being involved in numerous shootings. Both suspects were also involved in several other carjackings. One suspect had a lengthy criminal record for stolen vehicles, assault with dangerous weapons, domestic violence, larceny, malicious destruction of property. Both suspects were arraigned and given bonds. One suspect was given a $111,000 cash surety bond with no 10 percent possibility due to his prior criminal record and threat to the public. Then a Troy district judge reduced his bond down to a personal bond and he was released. The same suspect was then apprehended a short time after the Oakland County sheriff’s deputy was murdered several days ago. The deputy who was murdered was one of the best, hardest working people I know. A family man, he was truly dedicated to his profession. A senseless murder that should not have happened. The judge should not have released him. We continue to hear that stolen vehicles are property crimes. We cannot allow criminals to be released early because it was only a property crime. Law enforcement has repeatedly said for years that auto theft suspects use stolen cars to commit other and more egregious crimes, but no one seems to want to believe us in law enforcement. This is evident due to criminals repeatedly being released without posting any bond, charges dismissed without cause, politicians refusing to vote on appropriate bills due to politics. I have been doing this job for 25 years and it just continues to get worse. We have little support from judges, prosecutors, politicians. Criminals are being let out of jail at an alarming rate. In 2023, several suspects were indicted for transporting stolen vehicles across state lines. Two of those suspects continue to violate their bond conditions. However, a warrant was never approved for either of them. One of the suspects violated his conditions on two separate occasions where he allegedly choked his girlfriend, he was recently arrested for the fourth time for aggravated felonious assault and a warrant has been finally authorized. Another suspect posted a rap video where nearly all the subjects were carrying high-powered weapons. His bond was not revoked. He was arrested several days later and charged with numerous felonies including stolen vehicle, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, causing injury to and assaulting an officer, and failing to stop after a collision. Maybe you can send out an anonymous survey to probation and parole agents to get the true answers on recently released data regarding repeat offenders. Probation and parole officers’ hands are tied. They continue to submit violation after violation paperwork and the judges refuse to sign their violation paperwork and the warrants are denied. Lets hold those accountable who are charged with felony possession of a firearm felony cases. We need to make them serve their mandatory jail sentence for the safety of the public. These cases are repeatedly not charged and pled down to misdemeanor. Bonds are two-fold and ensure the safety of the public and to ensure suspects are returned to court. The judges continue to lower suspects’ bonds which allows them to repeat the same criminal activity. Tethers and home confinement don’t work. Law enforcement officers continue to show that those on tether or assigned to home confinement continue to violate their laws and there are not repercussions for their actions.
By unanimous consent the Senate returned to the order of
Third Reading of Bills
Senator Singh moved that the Senate proceed to consideration of the following bills:
Senate Bill No. 663
Senate Bill No. 868
The motion prevailed.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 663, entitled
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” by amending section 3103 (MCL 324.3103), as amended by 2005 PA 33.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: