ROCCA: KEEP STERLING HEIGHTS CRIME LAB OPEN

State Rep. Tory Rocca today announced legislation that will keep open the Sterling Heights crime lab, which is being shut down due to lack of funds in the Michigan State Police budget.

"The State Police crime laboratory provides critical services to Macomb County's law enforcement agencies," said Rocca, of Sterling Heights. "There is absolutely no question that we can find items in the state budget that this lab should take priority over."

Rocca has located $2.8 million in the Department of Corrections budget, which is currently being used to pay thirty-six salaried prison chaplains to minister to prisoners who are incarcerated in Michigan's penal system. He is seeking to have this money reallocated to fund the crime lab.

"It is certainly not my intent to disparage the work of these chaplains, but other states are doing just fine with chaplains who volunteer their services in prisons, and Michigan's current budget situation dictates that we make tough decisions to fund services that are essential to the citizens of this state," Rocca said.

The $2.8 million that would be saved by the elimination of the taxpayer-funded prison chaplains would more than cover the $2 million cost of operating the crime lab.

"Our local law enforcement agencies have made it very clear that the closure of this lab will result in increased costs and delayed justice for crime victims," said Rocca. "Justice and the wise use of taxpayer resources demand that we reallocate these millions of dollars to our crime lab."

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