Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Deputies are increasingly being asked to attend meetings across Livingston County due to safety concerns.

According to the Livingston Daily, recent meetings in Tyrone Township, the Cromaine District Library Board and Howell Township have all had agenda items that caused tensions to run high, prompting calls for law enforcement to be on hand. Tyrone Township and Cromaine District Library Board meetings were recently canceled.

Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy told WHMI that assigning deputies depends on the meeting. If a board reaches out ahead of time, like Tyrone Township, the deputy is assigned that job, which doesn’t affect patrols. The municipalities pay $70 per hour to have the deputy at the meeting.

If a board calls during a meeting, saying that they have an unexpected number of people or the situation seems like it could get out of hand, a deputy will be dispatched for a “low priority” call. They will remain on scene until the meeting ends, or a high priority call comes in.

Murphy said the issue is bigger than whether or not a meeting has deputies. Threats that historically would’ve been seen as someone just venting are increasingly viewed as valid due to increases in violence.

The chance of a mass shooting or other violent event tends to be low when people make those kinds of comments, he added.

Murphy said there are a couple ways to increase safety at meetings or other public spaces. Putting away phones and being aware of your surroundings can reduce the chances of being a victim of anything from a purse snatching to something more serious. Knowing potential exits also helps. Being able to get out of a potentially dangerous situation through multiple exits increases survival rates.

Social media has made it easier for people to share more than they otherwise would. Most people use social media to some extent, and talking about frustrations online can lead others to view a threat made online as credible.

A return to civility would cut the threats and decrease the stress and concern others have, he said. People post things on social media they would never say to someone in person.

“Before you hit the send button on social media, ask yourself: ‘is this something that I would want on the front page of the paper or making WHMI News? Is this something my mom would be proud of? Is this something I would say to this person if they were standing in this room,’” Murphy said. “If the answer to all those questions is yes, hit the send button. If the answer is no, maybe you need to reword that.”

The original story in the Livingston Daily is linked below.