Before the investigation is even done, Governor Whitmer and her radical liberal allies are seeking to further inflame and divide our communities. They’ve asked Joe Biden’s Department of Justice to intervene pushing for an investigation of potential civil rights violations in the officer-involved shooting of Patrick Lyoya.

It’s a baseless request with zero evidence. It will do nothing more than further inflame an already difficult situation.

This should come as no surprise. Whitmer and Attorney General Nessel stand against law enforcement. They would rather put a target on the backs of our police officers than address the real problem — a dramatic increase in violent crime in Grand Rapids and other communities in Michigan.

In just the last year, violent crimes including shootings, attempted murder, assault with firearms, and assault with firearms with injuries are all up in Grand Rapids.  The number of illegal guns seized is also up more than 17% over the previous year.

Law enforcement officers, in Michigan and throughout the nation, have an increasingly difficult job. As radical politicians like Whitmer and Nessel point fingers and side with the “defund the police” crowd, they encourage the public to be antagonistic to the police.

We see more and more individuals openly defy lawful orders from police officers who are simply trying to do their jobs in the safest manner possible. 

Quite frankly, our officers risk their lives every day to protect the citizens of Michigan. During a routine traffic stop, domestic violence call, or store burglary, police arrive on the scene without foreknowledge of the potential threats that may await them.

Oftentimes this requires officers to make split-second decisions. That’s where their training comes into play.

During my 34 year career in law enforcement, I have been a strong advocate for effective training, as well as for the use of body cams to protect both our officers and the public during all interactions. The goal is to keep the public safe, and to return officers safely to their homes.

Whitmer, Nessel and their radical allies need to stop demonizing the police. Let the investigation by the Kent County Prosecutor and Michigan State Police continue without interference so that justice may be done.