To enhance the quality of life on Grosse Ile by providing prompt, professional community oriented police services, while enforcing state statutes and local ordinances for a safe and secure community.
The Grosse Ile Police Department consists of twenty-four employees; the Chief of Police, two Lieutenants, two Detective Sergeants, Detective, two Sergeants, nine Police Officers, one Ordinance/Animal Control Officer, five Clerk Dispatchers and an Administrative Secretary. Reverend Edward Aller of St. Thomas Lutheran Church serves as Police Chaplain for the department.
The Reserve Police Department consists of ten volunteers; the Reserve Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant and six Reserve Officers.
Five residents serve on the Grosse Ile Police Commission. Chairperson Carl Bloetscher III, Commissioners James Jurecki, Paul Anderson, George Gorno and Trustee Kurt Kobiljak as Liaison.
Commissioner Gilbert J. Roth served on the Grosse Ile Township Police Commission for twenty-five years. He was appointed on September 23, 1974. Commissioner Roth passed away on June 7, 1999. Commissioner George Gorno was appointed as a Member of the Grosse Ile Police Commission in July of 1999.
Ms. Monica DeVall was hired with Grosse Ile Township Police Department as a part-time Clerk Dispatcher in March of 1999. Ms. DeVall became a full time employee in July of 1999.
Last year members of the Police Department answered 19,391 calls for service. 1,096 written reports were filed by officers, of which 175 were crash reports. Patrol officers issued 1,356 traffic citations. The Detective Bureau had 153 complaints assigned to investigate. The bureau submitted 96 warrant requests to the prosecutor’s office (combined county and local). Patrol officers issued 494 Notices to Appear for minor traffic violations and gave 2,719 verbal warnings to motorists. There were 490 total arrests, of which 57 were for drivers operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Patrol officers answered 129 fire alarm calls. Department vehicles were driven 171,750 miles.
Our department participated in various Mutual Aid Organizations. Officer Alan Valiquette, a ten-year veteran of the police department, attended Downriver Mutual Aid SWAT School at the Phelps-Collin ANGB in Alpena, Michigan. He is a three-year veteran of the DRMA SWAT team.
Officer Brent Hardin, a three-year veteran of the police department is a Member of the Downriver Mutual Aid Dive Team. He has been a Member of the Downriver Mutual Aid Dive Team for two years.
Training remains a priority in this department. Officers attended Criminal Law Update; Search and Seizure Update; Barricaded Hostage, Initial Response and Tactical Alternatives; Hate Crime; Child Passenger Safety Workshop; GHB and other Dangerous Drugs; Alcohol Enforcement Legal Update; Infrared Data Master, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing; Michigan Breath Test Operator Program; Instruction by Agents of the FBI and MLCC on Proper Responses to Bank Robbery Alarms and Methods to Conduct Liquor Inspections; Emergency Vehicle Operations; Precision Driving Training; Stress Awareness and Burnout; Repeat Offender Training and Bloodborne Pathogen Procedures. Animal Control Officer Lora Schaller attended training on Animal Rabies.
Members of the department completed computer based Shooting Liability Incident Management (SLIM) training and testing, covering fatal force legal issues and 25 shoot/don’t shoot decision scenarios.
Officers were Recertified in CPR; Use of the Automatic External Defibrillator; PPCT Collapsible Batons; and Quarterly Firearms Qualification with department issued Sig Sauer sidearms.
Sergeant Charles Coman was recertified as a PPCT Defensive Tactics Instructor and Officer McLaughlin is now a certified Class II Data Master Operator.
The Detective Bureau personnel attended training in Background Investigations for Police Applicant and Scientific Content Analysis Scan.
Community Policing Officer Kenneth Pelland attended training in Child Abuse Forensic Interviewing Protocol; Public and Private Funding for Criminal Justice Agencies; Children at High Risk for Violent Behavior; D.A.R.E. In-service and 80-hour Basic Crime Prevention. Officer Pelland also attended the Crime Prevention Association of Michigan Training Conference in Traverse City, Michigan.
Clerk Dispatchers attended Powerphone Law Enforcement Dispatch; Hands-on LEIN Computer; New World Computer Aided Dispatch; Word 97 for Windows and Intermediate Word 97 for Windows.
Administration attended training on OSHA; Family Medical Leave Act; Firearms Policy; Legal Update Seminar on New OUIL/DWLS Laws; Intermediate Word 97 for Windows; Microsoft Excel; Advanced Excel; New World Database Computer Training for the Shared Information Network Consortium.
Lieutenant Joseph Porcarelli attended Staff and Command School over a period of ten months through Eastern Michigan University, graduating in November 1999.
Chief Barron attended the Michigan Emergency Management and Hazmat Training Conference in Thompsonville, Michigan and the Michigan Association Chiefs of Police Conference in Shanty Creek, Michigan.
Animal Control answered 969 calls for service. Trapping of raccoons and opossums continues to decline, with the population visibly decreasing. Coyotes are occasionally sighted in residential neighborhoods, but have not posed any type of threat.
The animal shelter continues to operate smoothly with 84 dogs and 158 cats being housed. The dedication of shelter volunteers assists in a high number of adoptions. A total of 168 homeless animals were placed during 1999.
A change in the ordinance, now requiring cats and ferrets to be licensed along with dogs, was adopted and took effect December 31, 1999. The new Animal Control vehicle, a 1999 Dodge 4 x 4 pick up went in service in April, providing the Animal Control Officer with a dependable and efficient means of patrol.
The Community Policing Program continued to thrive in 1999 with the continuation and development of several crime prevention programs. Among those continued, Safety Town, “Operation Chill”, “ABC Mobilization” and the bicycle rodeo focused on traffic safety. Several crime prevention presentations were made to various organizations, such as the Rotary, Senior Citizens and Condominium Associations.
The Grosse Ile School District continued to play a vital role in reaching the Youth of the Island. They assisted in graduating over 150 students from the D.A.R.E. program, government and civic class presentation, stranger danger and Halloween safety talks. They also presented the police department with an Award for Recognition in keeping the schools safe in light of the Columbine High School shooting. Presentations were also made to the 7th grade health classes.
Community Policing Officer Kenneth Pelland attended a D.A.R.E. in service and Crime Prevention Association of Michigan conferences. He also attended the 80-hour Basic Crime Prevention School in Detroit, becoming the second officer so certified in the department.
Three grants were obtained during 1999 through the Community Policing Program. Two separate grants through The Office of Highway Safety Planning totaled nearly $50,000.00 for the alcohol enforcement detailed dubbed “Operation Nightcap”. An additional grant for approximately $4000.00 was obtained from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for the reimbursement of bulletproof vests.
One “Kustom In-car Video System” was obtained from the Office of Highway Safety Planning, due to participation in the alcohol enforcement detail “Operation Nightcap”.
On January 25, 1999 the Grosse Ile Township Police Department entered into a Shared Information Network Consortium (SINC), along with five other Downriver Community Police Departments to exchange Law Enforcement Information.
On July 6, 1999, Governor John Engler signed into law the 1999 PA 102 Statewide School Information Policy. This legislation adds Section 1308 to the Revised School Code and directs the Department of Education, Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Michigan State Police to adopt, publish and distribute to school boards, prosecutors and local law enforcement agencies a Statewide School Safety Information Policy. On December 20, 1999 an Agreement was signed by the Grosse Ile Township School Superintendent, High School Principal, School Board Trustee, Police Chief, Chief Assistant Prosecutor, Police Lieutenant and Fire Chief to implement an information sharing policy consistent with State Law.
The Members of the Grosse Ile Police Department wish to thank our residents for their support. Working together we can provide a quality environment for our citizens.
1999-2000 Annual Report
Printed from Grosse Ile Online
http://www.grosseile.com