Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law an expansion of the House and Senate’s police forces.

The bill signed Tuesday, Nov. 18, by Whitmer will allow sergeants at arms from both chambers to operate anywhere in the state to protect lawmakers and investigate threats or crimes against legislators.

The new law, which will likely take effect in March, gives the House speaker and the Senate majority leader the final say on whether a lawmaker or their family gets protection from the sergeants and whether the sergeants investigate a threat against a lawmaker.

Some have raised concerns the new law isn’t needed to protect lawmakers, that it gives leadership too much power and that the sergeants could be used for political means.

Whitmer’s office declined to comment on the concerns. In a pres

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