The House Appropriations Committee approved a resolution Wednesday introduced by state Rep. Aaron Miller enabling county sheriff’s deputies to continue patrolling roads in cities and villages that have lost municipal police officers because of economic challenges.

Miller, of Sturgis, said his resolution ensures cities and villages will have sufficient law enforcement presence in light of economic challenges that forced the municipalities to cut their police forces.

“The purpose of my resolution is very simple in that it enables county sheriffs’ patrols to receive funding to maintain a law enforcement presence in cities and villages that have cut their own police departments within the past three years,” Miller said. “Municipalities have had economic challenges maintaining a local law enforcement presence, and this problem is solved by enabling county patrols to help keep the peace. This is of particular importance to our neighbors in Branch County, where municipalities depend heavily on the sheriff’s patrols.”

Miller introduced a similar resolution that was passed during the last legislative session to prevent cuts in secondary road patrol funding in Wayne, Branch, Iosco and Otsego counties.

The measure is House Concurrent Resolution 13.