Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on February 27, 2007

Click here to view bill details.

It is difficult to believe that we have an officer that performs the comprehensive law enforcement function that these officers perform and yet they are not certified or classified as law enforcement officers. In both appearance and function these officers act as police officers. They are armed identical to our Troopers. They function as a police officer while focusing on commercial vehicles of all sizes. In fact, they have more authority over commercial vehicles than any other officer. They enforce all laws from the most minor violations to life term felonies. They have the training and authority to arrest/cite an operator of a commercial vehicle for something like reckless driving or excessive speed, yet because of authority issues they must ignore the same or more serious violations when the violator is operating a non commercial vehicle. That seems a very inefficient use of our resources. It seems a contradiction that we require certification of many single focus specialists in other professions, but not in the case of Motor Carrier Officers. We require certification of teachers even though they specialize in a single subject. We require a license/certification of a medical field professional even though they only perform limited/specialist functions. We require certification of a mechanic even if only performing repairs on engines. We also require licensing of specialist contractors. Yet, Motor Carrier Officers, who are faced with and have used fatal force, act as specialist police officers in a law enforcement capacity with significant impact on public safety are not certified as law enforcement officers. It seems an inefficient use of resources that the officers that are frequently in position or available do not have the authority to enhance public safety through prudent enforcement action on all violators. With passage of this bill, it would not constitute conversion to State Police Trooper, instead it converts these officers to MCOLES certified peace officers and enhances public safety and better serves the people of the State of Michigan. It would not affect any existing retirement or seniority programs and would immediately place approximately 150 highly trained police officers on the streets with virtually no cost to the taxpayers of Michigan. The focus is on the value to the state and the citizens. Motor Carrier Officers (MCO's) are underutilized because of a lack of full peace/police officer authority. Response efforts are frequently duplicated when a mco must turn over an accident/incident to a trooper, i.e. car deer. At times service is not provided in a timely fashion because a certified officer is not available even though a mco may be present/available. Motor Carrier Officers are underutilized when they cannot address serious traffic violations they witness occurring in non-commercial motor vehicles (cmvs). Motor Carrier Officers already have the training and perform this enforcement regularly when a cmv is the violator. But Motor Carrier Officers have to ignore the non cmvs even though statistics tell us non cmvs are frequently (70% of the time) the reason for accidents between cmvs and non cmvs. Motor Carrier Officers are the only Michigan State Police personnel assigned to monitor traffic at international border crossings yet they lack the full authority necessary to address all incidents with potential homeland security consequences. Currently Motor Carrier Officers either operate as part of a team (less efficient requires more personnel) or only focus on cmvs and overlook other potential threats due to lack of authority. With the loss of federal funding and looming state budget limitations the number of certified police officers has dropped in the state (1,600 less than 9-11-2001). Based on this, running another State Trooper school seems unlikely. The certification of approximately 150 current motor carrier officers would result in the addition of these 150 officers to the ranks of fully empowered officers at a fraction of the cost of running a trooper recruit school that graduated even 25% that number of officers. It would also be cheaper than recruiting police officers from other agencies and then sending them through an abbreviated recruit school. Police officers from other agencies would still require recruiting efforts, background investigations, an abbreviated recruit school and indoctrination to the MSP way of operating. Motor Carrier Officers have been through all those steps. The length of additional training for Motor Carrier Officers has been estimated at three to four weeks, far less than a recruit school. I urge you to support this legislation.

This is excellant legislation. Some will try to scare you with talk of high costs. Check out Part 350 of the Commercial Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, that being section 350.311, Items eligible for reimbursement under MCSAP. There should be no opposition to this bill unless driven by bias and selfishness.

Regarding HB4321, this bill has much merit. This bill seeks to add 150 officers to the declining number of certified officers by the most efficient way possible. I see these officers policing our highways as often as I see deputies or troopers. It is my understanding that their scope is currently limited to trucks. It seems an inefficient use of resources to limit their scope to just part of the traffic safety problem.

get rid of 'motor carrier officers' and just let the state police do their job too. how wasteful is it to have TWO police forces to police ONE highway? of course, if you do this, the state police MIGHT have to stop being a revenue collecting agency for the state.

I totally agree with aam147. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Motor Carriers already complain that they have to much to do. Now they want to add more responsibilty to there jobs? What next a pay increase? They get paid to enforce commercial vehicles, so thats what they should do. If they want full police powers then they need to totally convert motor carriers into Troopers and do away with them. This would cost to much. If this happens I will bet that the trucking violations go up and the number of fatal accidents increase. I hope they give the public a chance to voice there opinion. I will make sure to be there and voice my concern on truck safety. They do a GREAT job and need to leave it as is. I myself am putting together a petition to have this house bill removed and will forward it to the gov office if this makes it to the floor.

The scales are never open as it is. Gives these people authority over cars and the trucks will be heavier than they are. This will take the focus off of trucks and these trucks will never be inspected. Call your rep and voice your concern. I have a friend who is a MCO and he says he only has time to stop 6 trucks a day. This would be cut in half if they can stop cars and get dispatched to barking dogs. Send your reps an email and let them know. Commercial vehicles are highly regulated and it needs to stay that way. We dont need 150 more cops running around with there NEW FOUND AUTHORITY thinking they are god. Also send emails to the Commander of the State Police and let him know you do not suport this. Mines in the mail!!!!!!!

I agree.

let me know when you have it ready. Ill send you my fax number and get signatures for this cause.

They are just trucker cops and need to stay that way. We dont need a highway patrol.

Boy it sure sounds like some people are afraid of the motor carrier officers abitiy to do a capable job of enforcing the laws of this state. There are many times they are asked to do some of these things already. Traffic enforcement in and around large trucks is what we do. Statistics show 75% of the time it is the car drivers fault in serious and fatal accidents. If we are seeing these types of violations and can not act upon them how are we able to help reduce these types of violations and accidents. Our job is not to investigate barking dogs and broken mailboxes. We do not see Motorcarrier officers doing that type of police work. Our job is traffic safety and that is what we are trying to improve. HB4321 will do that for this state.

Get rid of Motor Carrier Officers and let the Troopers do it? That has been tried already and you know what those Troopers did.. NOTHING! If we allow Troopers to take over this role, I guarantee that the Troopers will scream SPECIALIST PAY! Much like the K-9, bomb squad and their swat team get. How much more do you think this will cost the tax payers? Troopers already get paid alot more money than the other officers. Not to mention the benefits and retirement that they get. There is no way a Trooper is going to crawl underneath a truck to inspect it.

besides - you dont see a whole lot of barking dogs and broken mailboxes out on the freeway - thats where the Motor Carrier guys are - I dont see those guys doing 911 dispatch stuff. I think its just a good idea to have them available and authorized to handle things like for instance Minors in possesion of alcohol if they come across it on something like a citizens flat tire on the freeway. I dont know about you but I wouldnt want my underage kid running around with other kids when they have beer in the car and knowing a Motor carrier Offcier could stop that if they had the authority to.

I say convert MCO's to the county sheriff. Let the Sheriff deputize them. Get rid of the State Police all together they should be converted to the highway patrol anyway.

This is what happen in North Caroline when a merging of the Highway Patrol and the Motor carrier took Place . Accidents WENT DOWN WE NEED THIS BILL PASSED FOR SAFER EXPRESSWAYS Reprinted from the Starnewsonline.com - the voice of Southeastern North Carolina. Published February 27. 2007 6:44AM Commercial vehicle fatalities decline The total number of fatal and nonfatal collisions involving carrier vehicles went down about 12 percent from 2004 to 2006, officials said. Patrol troopers investigated 8,039 collisions in 2004, 7,602 in 2005 and 7,077 in 2006. The data comes only from crashes the Highway Patrol investigated, but Clendenin said the agency investigates most of the state's collisions involving commercial vehicles. Officials attributed the decline in crashes to increased enforcement efforts and merging the Highway Patrol and motor carrier enforcement division.

I would be willing to bet you are one of these officers trying to push this bill. In fact I am sure all the semi cops will get on here and try to make this look good. The only thing this will hurt is truck safety and thats what you get paid to do. You do not have the authority to do the stuff you speak about for a reason. The reason is you get paid to stop trucks NOT cars. Again assuming your one of these officers have you contacted your rep and asked for support? Your probably using state computers at work to do this as well.

So what Michigan needs is a highway patrol?

Michigan Highway Patrol. Interesting. Would you have to me MCOLES certified or could they just make a HB to change the motor carriers to have authority over all traffic on the freeways. That would be a better idea.

This note certainly sounds like it came from an uneducated individual who spites the idea of maintaining enforcement along our roadways. The bill merely allows MCO's to be certified as police officers so that thay CAN respond to certain situations that DO happen while they are on patrol. It does NOT make them Troopers or start a "Highway Patrol" Organization. The bill simply allows the Dept of State Police to best use it reducing number of resources, Not replacing them. Take care, Jim

This note certainly sounds like it came from an uneducated individual who spites the idea of maintaining enforcement along our roadways. The bill merely allows MCO's to be certified as police officers so that thay CAN respond to certain situations that DO happen while they are on patrol. It does NOT make them Troopers or start a "Highway Patrol" Organization. The bill simply allows the Dept of State Police to best use it reducing number of resources, Not replacing them. Take care, Jim

Regardless of how anyone feels about the State Police this is a good piece of legislation. This bill would place 150+ certified police officers on the streets witout any additional cost to taxpayers. It would reduce costs to troopers and other police departments because motor carrier officers would be able to handle minor incidents such as reckless drivers in passenger cars, pedestrians on the freeway, and writing accident reports. Currently when a MCO encounters these situations, they are required to hold down a scene until a certified officer arrives, tying up two officers, when only one is needed. I would argue the certification of MCOs would not hinder the trucking industry. In contrast, it would help. Currently MCOs must ignore serious traffic violations committed by non-commercial vehicles and essentially "harass" trucks. It is common for an MCO to witness a car traveling recklessly at 100+ MPH, but because of the current limited arrest authority, they must stop the truck that the car just passed for traveling 65/60. If this doesn't impede commerce and decrease public safety what does? This piece of legislation comes down to simple common sense. The state gets 150+ additional police officers for essential no additional cost. If this bill placed 150 additional firefighters, school teachers, paramedics, or social workers in service at NO ADDITIONAL COST to the state would there be all this controversy?

http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-6263-22600--,00.html Direct link to MSP. Let them know how you feel. Good or Bad. They should be the ones responding to this.

According to my sister in law who works for the state, to certify a MCO would cost money. They would have to be reclassified as law enforcement in civil service and that would require them to be paid more per civil service rules. Not She works in the HR department.

We are trained in commerical vehicles. There is no different between a car doing 20 to 30 over the speed limit or a truck doing 5 over. Except the points and fines. While we are told to right all trucks going 5 over the limit we also see cars going by doing 90 to 100 mph. Who is the worst violator here? AS with the Fire Marshall Div of the State Police. They are a specialized unit and are certified police officers. Why do they need to be certified to dig fires? The local fire department could do that. We are also a specialized unit who deals with traffic. We have counter parts in the City of Dearborn and other counties that are Motor Carrier Officer and certified police for the city. Why should they be any different then us? We are not asking to take on more work, just to handle the violation we see on the road every day. There is nothing worst then to be sitting at a traffic light and watch some one run the red light and not be able to take action. The other motorist look at you like you are a lazy bum for not doing anything. Good way to represent the State Police.

If there union then there job disription would change and your telling me they will do more work for the same pay? I would not. What do the Troopers make compared to a Motor Carrier? Per hour? Do you know?

Do State Fire Marshalls pull people over when they run a red light then?

Your sister is possibly correct on this. Civil service at some point, possibly the next contract, would have to classify these people as "law enforcemt" and pay them, most probably, comparable to a Conservation Officer. In the area of $1.50 an hour difference. No huge amount. The bill as presented excludes the MCO's from the State Police Retirement so the big money will not be spent. MCO's and Conservation Officers already share the same retirement system therefore saving millions of dollars over converting them to Troopers. Take care, Jim

Sounds like lots of the officers trying to get this bill passed are on here.

So when these other OFFICERS are telling the general public that it will be of NO COST they are wrong?

Are you a member of the MSP pushing this?

No they don't. Because they don't work traffic. So why do they need to be certified??

Initially it will be at no virtual cost. There may be a form of pay raise down the road but none at first. So to answer you question, no. They are correct in that there will be no initial cost other than that of training. No enhanced retirement, no initial pay raise. Also, so that you know, all training of these officers is completely reimbursable via the MCSAP funding of the feds see sec 350.311. In fact, any pay raises that may occur for these people will be funded through federal MCSAP funding anyway. Not state funds. Take care, Jim

Whats wrong with fighting for what you believe in and have been promised for years?

The fact is simply that is all they do is work traffic. The problem is that their hands are tied to only commercial vehicles. Which equates to about 20 percent of the motoring public. Does that make sense? Take care, Jim

I support the bill, yes. Seems to make sense is all. Take care, Jim

The Troops have enough on their plates now with their own ranks declining in numbers as well as local agencies declining. They do not have enough time as is to work traffic let alone enforce the many laws in relation to commercial motor vehicles. The trucking industru would run wild. Could spell big problems for the general safety of the motoring public. Take care, Jim

Think about it, 10 million dollars to put 100 new troopers through a school and we have to wait almost a year before we see any benefit. Little or no cost for legislation to let the Motor Carrier Officers help out and we benefit from that right away. Hmmm, sounds like a way to save some money and get something in return.

its all about doing the right thing for the right reason - I support this bill

That's all I see on the freeways is motor carrier officers. I read the arguements for and against, and I have to say this bill is a good idea. If you crash on the freeway and are hurt bad, would you rathar the motor carrier officer just drive by because you're not a semi, or help you out?? I think they should continue to keep the trucks in line, but let's not keep them from taking action on something they see happen when there aren't any other cops around. The DNR are all police officers but they don't go out and chase down people on the freeway. They could, but they still specialize in one thing. Why not do the same with motor carrier officers. It would be a great back up plan and they could be used in emergencies.