Milliken, State Police Head Feuding Over Drug Squad

LANSING - A feud between the governor's office and new state Pólice Director John R. P 1 a n t s echoed in legislative debate Wednesday. Gov. William G. Milliken, a Republican, agpointed Plants - who has strong Democratie ties - as director only seven months a go. Democratie State Rep. Dominic J. Jacobetti of Negaunee threatened to hold up the State Pólice budget all year if the House does not accept a $1.2 million appropriation to créate a special new narcotics squad within the State Pólice. The governor's staff is lobbying against the appropriation for several reasons: the governor did not ask for the special $1.2 million appropriation for a new state pólice program against drugs; there is a special bill with an appropriation of $4,178,700 for an alcoholism and drugs program recommended by the governor u n d e r a special commission; and, Plants lobbied for the $1.2 million in the Legislature against the governor's wishes. Occasion for the House hassle was refusal of the House to accept a House-Senate conference committee report on the overall safety and defense budget of $49,513,684, including State Pólice and National Guard. It contains the $1.2 million for narcotics policing that Col. Plants wants. The House gave the conference report only 52 votes, with 56 necessary for passage, and sent it back to a second conference committee. When Milliken considered Plants for promotion from captain to director over the heads of several superiors, he was warned by some aids that Plants, former bodyguard for Democratie governors, had strong ties with the Democratie party. Milliken said, perhaps prophetically, he is a tough and progressive professional who has gained distinction as an administrator and an innovator. The drug squad innovation is one that Millikea doesn't want but he appears to be losing the first showdown with his new State Pólice Chief.