Fabus only anticipated hire for Nessel’s new Criminal Investigation Division
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel
(The Center Square) – There’s a new sheriff in Lansing, but his face and name are pretty familiar.
Attorney General Dana Nessel last week named former Lansing Police Department Captain Tom Fabus to lead the AG department’s new Criminal Investigation Division (CID). Fabus was hired by the AG’s office as chief of investigations last April after he retired from the LPD in March after 25 years of service.
According to a news release, Fabus will head up the AG’s special agents and investigative efforts on a wide array of cases, including clergy abuse, officer-involved shootings, hate crimes, cold-case homicides, child support issues, and consumer protection concerns.
Ryan Jarvi, Attorney General spokesperson, said in an email to The Center Square that Fabus also will conduct investigations into domestic terrorism, unemployment insurance fraud, robocalls, elder abuse, and the Flint water crisis.
Jarvi told The Center Square Fabus’ salary is $112,905. He also noted there are no plans to hire new AG investigators.
“Chief Fabus was the only hire for this reorganization,” Jarvi said. “While he formally began his work with the Attorney General’s office in April, he was technically hired in January before the onset of COVID-19 and prior to any of the state’s budgeting concerns. His salary is the only financial impact of this new division, which again was a realignment of existing staff to maximize their flexibility and ensure a nimble investigative team that is available at every opportunity.”
In response to a question posed by The Center Square whether the new CID was redundant with other law enforcement and regulatory agency investigative units in the state, Jarvi responded: “The Attorney General’s office has had special agents for many years. This realignment of staff simply provides an improved organizational structure for our operations. Similar to how multiple agencies may work together to police one county, for example – sheriff’s deputies, Michigan State Police troopers and city police departments – the Criminal Investigations Division offers that support at a statewide level.”
