Questions About MSP's Leadership Brought To Oversight

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 05/13/2025) Much of the rank-and-file at the Michigan State Police (MSP) has lost confidence in their top leadership due to a series of questionable and well-publicized incidents involving its colonel and his deputy director, the chair of the House's MSP budget committee told fellow lawmakers on Tuesday.

As he is crafting next year's spending plan for MSP, former county deputy and current Rep. Mike Mueller (R-Linden) is digging into how MSP Director Col. James F. Grady II promoted Deputy Director Aimee Brimacombe two days after she was disciplined and subsequently given a substantial bonus.

He laid out his findings to the clearly disturbed Republicans and Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. Minority Vice Chair Reggie Miller (D-Belleville) acknowledged there are “issues here of deep concern," and only asked that MSP's top leaders be given an opportunity to talk at a future committee hearing.

She was assured that leadership would be given a chance to testify at a future hearing.

Mueller noted that Brimacombe put more than 9,000 miles on her patrol car for personal use during the COVID pandemic and for not having training records for being able to carry a firearm. Brimacombe was promoted five levels to chief deputy director only days after her discipline, when MSP rules require two years before such a promotion, Mueller said.

Additionally, Mueller mentioned an $810,000 legislative transfer request that was used to fund executive positions.

Mueller said one thing he requested was emails between top management and human resources about disciplinary actions taken against her. He learned that she was put on five days of leave that were taken out of her paid time off.

Mueller said he wasn’t raising these concerns because he had it out for the MSP. His motivation came from a desire to see the department do better for Michiganders. He was a sheriff’s deputy for more than 15 years and said there were multiple dire occasions in which MSP was the first to respond to his call for help.

Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay) told Mueller that he'll issue a records request to the department as a follow up to what Mueller requested.

A statement from MSP says the director and leadership team are proud of the department, and they have unwavering support to the dedicated, hardworking men and women of the MSP.

“The harsh reality is that law enforcement agencies across the nation have experienced steady declines in morale and retention. The MSP welcomes the support of the Legislature as the department continues its critical work to strengthen morale, recruitment, retention and more to provide exceptional public safety services to residents and law enforcement partners in every corner of the state,” the statement read.

Mueller noted the shaky morale among MSP's rank and file. A state employee survey of the department from 2024 found that only 18 percent of respondents from the department thought department leadership is interested in “the well-being of its employees," down from 47%

In 2017, 78% of MSP employees said they were proud to work for the state of Michigan. That's down to 44%.