EAST LANSING, Mich. — In response to several media inquiries, East Lansing Police Chief Kim Johnson is issuing the following statement regarding Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon’s announcement this week that the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office will no longer pursue certain criminal charges resulting from non-public safety traffic stops.
“The recently released policy of the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office is within Prosecutor Siemon’s purview. Prior to the release of this policy and in response to feedback from City of East Lansing leadership, community feedback on policing reforms and the local and national dialogue centered on policing, East Lansing Police Department leadership had already begun discussing the department’s traffic enforcement efforts and refocusing away from non-public safety traffic violations.
The East Lansing Police Department has embarked on a robust effort to fully integrate community- and problem-oriented policing strategies into how it serves the community. These strategies will also encompass input from community stakeholders to ensure fair and equitable policing practices for the East Lansing community.”