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John R. Chamberlin

Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, Gerald R Ford School of Public Policy, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

John R. Chamberlin is a professor emeritus of political science and public policy. His research interests include ethics and public policy, professional ethics, and methods of election and representation. He taught the core course "Values, Ethics, an...

CLOSUP Updates

Michigan Leaders Back Police Misconduct Database, Not Access

Jul 9, 2025 Mirage News

Michigan's local leaders strongly support a law enforcement database for keeping track of officer misconduct, though far fewer are in favor of that database being accessible to the public. That's a key finding from the latest installment of the Michi...

CLOSUP Updates

Report: more localities implementing policies to improve relationships between communities and police

Jun 2, 2025 State Affairs

Michigan communities have increasingly adopted techniques to improve relations between their residents and local police, a study from the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State and Urban Policy found, but have seen less movement on making t...

CLOSUP Updates

Navigating the Complexities of Trust in US Policing: A Holistic Approach to Community Engagement, De-escalation, and Independent Oversight

May 23, 2025 Forward Pathway

Your sharp-tongued editor is here to tackle the thorny issue of public trust in U.S. law enforcement, or, as it’s increasingly known, the public distrust in U.S. law enforcement. Because, oh, brilliant, it seems that after years of national conversat...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: More Michigan communities using policies to improve police-community relations

May 20, 2025

A new MPPS policy brief presents the views of local government leaders from around the state, who were asked about policies and practices associated with police-community relations on both the Fall 2015 and Spring 2024 waves of the Michigan Public Po...

CLOSUP Updates

Michigan Public Policy Survey suggests uncertainty among local officials on AI police surveillance technology

May 12, 2025 The Michigan Daily

Since 2009, the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy has conducted the Michigan Public Policy Survey, a biannual survey of local government leaders across the state. This year’s report, “Mich...

CLOSUP Updates

Michigan Law Enforcement Expands Tech Use, but AI Adoption Remains Uncertain

May 1, 2025 Babl

Michigan’s law enforcement agencies have significantly expanded their use of surveillance technology over the past decade, though uncertainty remains high around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, according to a new report from the Univer...

CLOSUP Updates

Energy Experts Highlight Broader Implications

May 1, 2025 Thumbwind.com

Industry analysts note that the repeal could have significant ripple effects. Sarah Mills, senior research specialist at the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, pointed out in a recent report that Michigan’s clean ener...

MPPS in the news

Survey: Law enforcement surveillance technology is rapidly progressing, but AI raises concerns

Apr 29, 2025 Yahoo News

Usage of surveillance technology by law enforcement agencies in Michigan has exploded in the last decade, but a recent survey conducted by the University of Michigan found that as artificial intelligence tools are developed, law enforcement and local...

CLOSUP Updates

Survey: Law enforcement surveillance technology is rapidly progressing, but AI raises concerns

Apr 29, 2025 Michigan Advance

CLOSUP Updates

U-M Survey: Michigan Officials Warry Of AI Or Other Predictive Policing Tools

Apr 26, 2025 MITechNews.com

While law enforcement surveillance technology use has boomed, some Michigan officials are wary of adopting newer AI-driven policing tools, according to a University of Michigan survey. The Michigan Public Policy Survey, conducted last spring by U-M’s...

CLOSUP Updates

Police apprehensive about AI as surveillance tech grows, Michigan study shows

Apr 24, 2025 StateScoop

While the use of surveillance technology by local law enforcement agencies across Michigan has increased over the last nine years, many agencies said they were wary of using artificial intelligence tools in policing, according to a survey released We...

CLOSUP Updates

The AI Wave in US Law Enforcement and Legal Systems: Potential, Challenges, and Regulatory Uncertainty

Apr 24, 2025 Forward Pathway

Ah, Michigan. Always a bit of a puzzle, isn’t it? Especially when it comes to embracing the shiny new toys of technology. Your low-key editor is here to tell you that according to a recent survey out of the University of Michigan, local officials in ...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Michigan local government leaders report significant increases in police surveillance technology, uncertainty about AI introduction

Apr 23, 2025

A new MPPS report presents the assessments of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, and county sheriffs on the use and value of a range of law enforcement equipment and technology such as body and dashboard cameras, drones, aut...

CLOSUP Updates

Eviction in the U.P. Deserves a Closer Look

Apr 9, 2025 Iron County Reporter

MARQUETTE — As of March 2023, The Eviction Lab reports that Michigan’s eviction filing rate jumped from historic pandemic-era lows to become the fifth worst in the nation, at 16.7%. Read more

CLOSUP Updates

Amplifying local voices: Michigan Public Policy Survey shares insights, experiences of Michigan’s township officials

Mar 21, 2025 Township Focus

For more than 15 years, a statewide survey of local government officials has helped to garner the opinions, experiences and insights of thousands of public leaders. These efforts, in which MTA is a partner, glean important information to help inform ...

CLOSUP Updates

Law enforcement leaders want specialized response programs, new survey says

Feb 27, 2025 Michigan Public

About eight out of every 10 Michigan county sheriffs and local police chiefs support having some type of specialized emergency response that would include professionals in fields like mental health and social work for some 911 calls, according to Mic...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Michigan local leaders’ views on policing co-response and alternative response teams

Feb 26, 2025

A new MPPS report presents presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, and county sheriffs on alternative approaches to traditional policing that might involve other professionals, such as mental health profe...

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CLOSUP Updates

Report: Public Safety Survey Shows Half Of MI Law Enforcement Agencies Feel They Are Underfunded

Feb 7, 2025 Gongwer

A new report from the University of Michigan's Center for Local, State and Urban Policy shows that 59 percent of county sheriffs and 45 percent of local police chiefs feel they are not provided appropriate or sufficient funding. The report released l...

CLOSUP Updates

CLOSUP: Michigan law enforcement agencies discuss financial issues

Feb 6, 2025 Cadillac News

These days, many people are feeling financially strained, and a recent University of Michigan report suggests that municipal officials and law enforcement agencies are experiencing similar challenges. While some might say, “Thanks, Captain Obvious,” ...

CLOSUP Updates

Survey asks police chiefs, sheriffs about funding levels

Feb 2, 2025 Moody on the Market

A new survey has found many law enforcement officials around the state view their funding levels as inadequate. The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan says its latest Michigan Public Policy Survey sought the input...

CLOSUP Updates

Statewide survey finds many law enforcement officials believes they’re underfunded

Jan 31, 2025 WSJM News

CLOSUP Updates

Nearly half of Michigan law enforcement officials concerned about funding, according to U-M survey

Jan 23, 2025 Publicnow.com

Survey: Half of Michigan local law enforcement agencies say they are underfunded, while most local governments are satisfied with their appropriations Among Michigan law enforcement agency leaders, concerns about funding levels are widespread, with a...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Half of Michigan local law enforcement agencies say they are underfunded, while most local governments are satisfied with their appropriations

Jan 23, 2025

A new MPPS report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, county sheriffs, and county prosecutors regarding funding for law enforcement agencies, including assessments of whether sheriff’s offices and police...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: Pretrial diversion programs work, according to Michigan local law enforcement

Nov 20, 2024

A new MPPS policy brief presents the views of Michigan’s local chiefs of police, county sheriffs, and county prosecutors from around the state on the impacts of pretrial diversion programs and whether they would support diversion programs in their ju...

CLOSUP Updates

Law enforcement leaders view pretrial diversion programs as a source for positive change

Nov 20, 2024 My Science

A majority of Michigan sheriffs, police chiefs and county prosecutors support programs that allow certain offenders to participate in alternative paths to standard criminal prosecution, according to a new University of Michigan study. The broad suppo...

In the Media

A guide to Washtenaw County proposals

Nov 4, 2024 Read more

This election cycle, Washtenaw County voters will decide whether to approve ballot proposals regarding tax funding of emergency communications systems, veterans relief, senior services and mental health services. The Michigan Daily interviewed Stepha...

In the Media

Worried issuers weigh in on FDTA

Oct 23, 2024 Read more

Municipal market participants this week laid out their doubts about a data standards law in a blizzard of comments to the Securities and Exchange Commission. A similar refrain came from issuers big and small: the Financial Data Transparency Act of 20...

MPPS in the news

Challenges in Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention in Michigan

Sep 19, 2024 Forward Pathway

Local leaders in Michigan are increasingly alarmed about the challenges of hiring and retaining law enforcement officers, as highlighted in the latest Michigan Public Policy Survey conducted by the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, an...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Michigan local governments report increased challenges with law enforcement recruitment and retention

Sep 17, 2024

A new MPPS report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders, county sheriffs, local chiefs of police, and county prosecutors regarding recruitment and retention of law enforcement personnel, including police officers, sheriffs’ deputi...