Michigan police agencies face continued Hiring and retention shortages

Michigan law enforcement agencies are struggling to recruit and retain officers, with statewide staffing down to about 19,000 from roughly 22,000 in 2006, said Ron Wiles, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. He said vacancies can strain smaller departments, many of which have fewer than 15 officers.

Delta College’s police academy graduated 29 recruits in 2024, while 15 are scheduled to graduate in its current class. Coordinator Michael Goodall said enrollment has fallen almost 50% in two years and cited reduced training funding as a possible factor. Michigan State Police’s recruit school graduated 61 of the 83 people who began this year.

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