Updated on August 11, 5:27 p.m. ET
For the second time in two weeks, Ingham County law enforcement officials are criticizing Prosecutor Carol Siemon for policies they say will make the public less safe.
On July 28, leaders of law enforcement agencies in Ingham County said they would continue to conduct business as usual despite the prosecutor’s decision to not pursue charges against people for some offenses discovered after unrelated traffic stops.
On Wednesday, they criticized another new policy limiting the use of a mandatory minimum gun possession charge.
Calling the policy “garbage,” Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth said Siemon’s focus is again on the offender rather than the victim.
“The prosecutor’s policy basically says to those victims ‘too bad, so what,' or 'who cares.' Well, we care,” Wriggelsworth said.
Wriggelsworth believes the policy will lead to increased gun violence.
“There are two very important questions that are yet to be answered,” the Sheriff stated. “One, who will be the first victim, and two, how many are there going to be?”
Lansing City Councilmember Carol Wood’s mother was murdered 14 years ago. She issued a statement saying that if Siemon won’t do her job, she should resign. That sentiment was echoed at a news conference by Sheriff Wriggelsworth and Stockbridge Chief of Police Johnnie Torres.
Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon issued a statement Wednesday evening in response to the criticism over her felony firearm policy. She described the statements made by law enforcement as “emotional and inaccurate.”
Siemon says her motivation was to address a significant racial disparity in how the law has been utilized since its inception in 1976, adding “this is a race issue, not a gun violence issue.”
