Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A local lawmaker is again calling on Michigan State Police leadership to resign.

Republican State Representative Mike Mueller of Linden called for the resignation of Colonel James Grady and Lieutenant Colonel Aimee Brimacombe after an overwhelming vote of no confidence from the Michigan State Police Troopers Association.

The Association voted 98.48% that they did not have confidence in the current leadership, with 1.52% of respondents voting in favor of Grady and Brimacombe.

Mueller said “An overwhelming majority of our troopers have made their voices loud and clear. They have no confidence in the current leadership. It is corrupt, dishonest, and doesn’t keep the best interest of its own troopers in mind. If they have any shame, Grady and Brimacombe should resign right now.”

A release states that on Monday, Governor Whitmer’s office stated that she has “full confidence” in Grady’s leadership. The governor appointed Grady in 2023, and Grady promoted Brimacombe as his second in command three months later.

Mueller said since then, the leadership has been plagued with controversy, including self-awarded bonuses in pay, discoveries of Brimacombe’s disciplinary record, and mistreatment of employees.

Mueller, a former Livingston County Sheriff’s Deputy, called on the governor to reverse her stance. He said “if the governor supports our police, then she should admit her mistake here and ask for resignations. It’s a slap in the face to every man and woman proudly serving in the Michigan State Police when her administration neglects their needs and openly supports the leadership that persecutes them.”

Rep. Mueller’s office has spent the past year investigating the matter, collecting statements from troopers, going over survey results, and meeting with Colonel Grady. Mueller also met with the governor’s office to express his concerns.

Mueller said “We spent months behind the scenes collecting evidence and hoping to get this resolved in private. I didn’t want anyone to feel I was casting public doubt upon the state police or our law enforcement officers. But the situation has gotten so dire, and morale has sunk to such an all-time low, there really are no other options.”

In May, Mueller testified before the Michigan House Oversight Committee regarding the leadership issue with the Michigan State Police. Mueller said his testimony came after months of trying to get cooperation from Grady. Information requested by Mueller was often heavily redacted.

Mueller said “As chair of the Appropriations Michigan State Police Subcommittee, I’m charged with setting the State’s Police’s fiscal year budget. It’s important that we are fiscally responsible with our state’s tax dollars and make funding decisions wisely. How am I supposed to set an appropriate budget and make line-by-line decisions when the leadership of the institution I’m overseeing refuses to work with me or address my concerns of how they are treating their troopers? I didn’t want to go to Oversight, but I wasn’t able to get the necessary documents or cooperation I needed until I did.”

After analyzing all evidence presented to him and what has been released in the public sphere, Mueller said he believes the only way to return morale and integrity to the State Police is new leadership. “These troopers, who put their lives on the line each and every day, feel neglected and abused by the very leadership there to support them. The only way to fix this is for the colonel and lieutenant colonel to resign. If they won’t resign, the governor needs to prioritize our police over politics and remove them. Enough is enough.”


Stacey LaRouche, Press Secretary to Governor Whitmer, provided the following to WHMI:

“Colonel Grady has demonstrated strong and steady leadership at the helm of the Michigan State Police. He has worked his way up through the ranks over 25 years, putting public safety first and keeping our communities safe. Thanks to the work of Colonel Grady and troopers across the state, in partnership with local law enforcement, Michigan has seen major drops in violent crime recently. He’s also had troopers’ backs by fighting for pay raises for the men and women who risk their life every day to keep our state safe. We have full confidence in Colonel Grady to continue getting the job done.”


State Police previously provided the following statement; saying it is committed to service with excellence, integrity, and courtesy:

“Michigan State Police (MSP) Director Col. James F. Grady II and his leadership team are proud of the work our department members accomplish every day across the state of Michigan. That’s why leadership provides unwavering support to the dedicated, hardworking men and women of the MSP, who deliver top-tier public safety services to the public and our law enforcement partners and are committed to maintaining the department’s proud tradition of service through excellence, integrity and courtesy. The department’s most recent employee satisfaction survey shows positive improvements when compared to previous years, due to leadership’s investment in better training and professional development opportunities, updated equipment and improved technology. The harsh reality is that law enforcement agencies across the nation have experienced steady declines in morale and retention. The MSP welcomes the support of the Legislature as the department continues its critical work to strengthen morale, recruitment, retention and more to provide exceptional public safety services to residents and law enforcement partners in every corner of the state”.