Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, a Republican who is widely expected to run for governor in 2022, announced today that he’s formed a Law Enforcement Action Team (LEAT) to help write laws to solve what he describes as a “public safety crisis.”
The LEAT group includes five sheriffs from around the state, including Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy. While Murphy is a Republican, two of the other sheriffs on Craig’s team are Democrats – Gladwin County Sheriff Mike Shea and Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham.
Others on the LEAT group include House Speaker Jason Wentworth, State Sen. Tom Barrett, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker.
“Liberal politicians at the national, state, and local level are part of the problem rather than part of the solution,” Craig said in his announcement today. “Washington politicians encourage rioting in our cities. (U.S. Rep.) Maxine Waters calls for increased confrontation. The Governor and Attorney General are focused on settling political scores rather than keeping our communities safe. They investigate their political opponents time and time again, but refuse to investigate the nursing home policies that cost thousands of lives.”
Craig said that Murphy and the other members of the LEAT group will write new laws that strengthen law enforcement across the state while working together with local community leaders. The group will begin meeting with local law-enforcement officials on Aug. 23.
If Craig runs for governor, as expected, he’ll have to make it through a Republican primary that will likely include a number of lesser-known candidates for the right to face incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022.
