CLOSUP publications

This 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,...

This report 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 professionals or...

This 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...

In spring 2024, the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) asked local chiefs of police, county sheriffs, and county prosecutors from around the state about their views on the impacts of pretrial diversion programs and whether they would support...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan residents in communities across the state of Michigan from Spring 2023 regarding a variety of issues related to recycling programs and policies. It also, where possible, compares them to the views of...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders, county sheriffs, local chiefs of police, and county prosecutors regarding Michigan’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law, including confidence in training on proper ERPO...

The Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) has released a new resource that summarizes Michigan local government leaders’ views on democracy and democratic governance. The findings come from the Michigan Public Policy...

This 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’ deputies,...

Since 2020, the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) has asked local government leaders across the state for their assessments of American democracy as a system of government, based on factors like free and fair elections, rule of law, an unbiased...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on a variety of energy issues, including whether energy issues are relevant to their local government, whether their jurisdiction has energy policies or renewable energy goals,...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on the amount of energy infrastructure currently hosted in their jurisdiction, as well as their support for or opposition to building new energy infrastructure locally. These...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on electric vehicle (EV) policies in their communities, including the relevance of EV infrastructure planning for their government, whether they currently have or are considering...

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the division of authority between state and local governments on planning and zoning for renewable energy projects. These findings are based on statewide surveys...

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of their jurisdictions’ fiscal conditions and the actions they plan to take in the coming year given their financial situations. The findings are based on responses from 15...

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions, across the State of Michigan, and across the United States as a whole. These findings are based on statewide...

This policy brief presents local government officials’ assessments of the relationship between their jurisdiction and Michigan’s state government. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2023 wave of...

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders’ views on their jurisdiction’s capacity for pursuing external grant funding from the state and federal governments. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on local housing issues, including housing capacity and condition in their community, and awareness of various state-level housing programs available to local communities. These...

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan local government leaders on a range of issues regarding public employee unions in their jurisdictions, including their governments’ relationships with their employee unions, whether their unions are...

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders’ views on the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), including plans for spending the funds, problems the jurisdiction is facing, and expectations for benefits from the funding. These...

This policy brief presents Michigan local leaders’ views on the composition of their local government’s workforce compared to their community’s population.  These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2022...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature. These...

This report—the third in a series on recycling issues in Michigan communities—presents Michigan’s local government leaders’ assessments of support for recycling programs among various groups within their jurisdictions. In addition, it looks at local...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders on a range of issues regarding their jurisdictions’ workforce, including recruitment, retention, and retirement turnover. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local...

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' assessments regarding their governments’ employee pay and fringe benefit rates. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2022 wave of the...