Police Department

Mission Statement

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-five employees, the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief, Lieutenant, two Detective Sergeants, three Sergeants, one of which is assigned to DRANO (Downriver Area Narcotics Organization), ten Police Officers, one Ordinance/Animal Control Officer, five Clerk Dispatchers and one Administrative Secretary. Reverend Edward Aller of St. Thomas Lutheran Church serves as Police Chaplain for the department.

The Reserve Police Department currently consists of nine volunteers, the Reserve Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, and five Reserve Officers.

Five residents serve on the Grosse Ile Police Commission. Chairperson Carl Bloetscher III, Commissioners James Jurecki, Paul Anderson, George Gorno and Township Treasurer Kurt Kobiljak as Township Board Liaison.

Last year members of the Police Department answered 16,953 calls for service. 935 written reports were filed by officers, of which 129 were accident reports. Patrol officers issued 1,288 traffic citations. The Detective Bureau had 145 complaints assigned to investigate. The bureau submitted 77 warrant requests to the prosecutor’s office (combined county and local). The Detective Bureau also processed 33 Freedom of Information Act requests and numerous Discovery Motions for case material. Patrol officers issued 467 Notices to Appear for minor traffic violations and gave 3,034 verbal warnings to motorists. There were 358 total arrests, of which 35 were for drivers operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Patrol officers answered 19 fire alarm calls. Department vehicles were driven 169,080 miles.

The Grosse Ile Township Detective Bureau duties include but are not limited to investigations in which warrant recommendations are sought through criminal investigations and complaints. The Detective Bureau also reviews each in-custody arrest and is involved in the processing of the defendant(s) through video arraignments or transporting the defendants to the 33rd District Court for the arraignments and completing supplemental reports of their actions and case statuses.

The Detective Bureau processes all court pre-trials and felony exams, providing court notices to the road patrol as to their court cases, completing subpoenas and serving witnesses. All forensic case evidence is processed through the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratories.

The Detective Bureau also reviews all Discovery Responses and FOIA documents prior to release through the newly assigned Records Bureau Personnel.

The Detective Bureau duties also involve the transporting of all citations and bonds to the court, obtaining writs for defendants which are in-custody in other jurisdictions to be brought before the Local 33rd District Court to expedite the Local and State Case process.

The Bureau Personnel have established an “on call” Detective Bureau status, to provide road personnel with current legal and procedural processing of situations which may arise. (This involves a Bureau Member being on call 24/7, through a rotating basis and available to answer any questions, respond to a crime scene or provide recommendations to road personnel).

Computer Systems Administrator, Detective Sergeant Bow maintains and reviews the status of each case and updates the system to keep cases current.

Our department participated in various Mutual Aid Organizations. Officer Alan Valiquette, a twelve-year veteran of the police department is a Member of the Downriver Mutual Aid SWAT Team.

Training remains a priority in this department. Officers attended Criminal Law and Procedures Update; Safe and Legal Stops; Legal Update and Police Procedures; Search and Seizure; Michigan Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence; Basic Narcotics Identification; Interview and Interrogation; Secondary Road Patrol; Michigan Radar Instructor Update; Precision Driving; Terrorism Awareness for Law Enforcement; Accident Investigation I, II, V, VI; Sexual Harassment, Racial Profiling and Cultural Diversity; NRA Tactical Handgun Instructor Development; Train the Trainer Instruction on the 800 Mhz Radio System and 800 Mhz End User.

Officers were recertified in First Aid/CPR and use of the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED); Pepper Spray; PPCT Collapsible Batons and Quarterly Firearms Qualification with department issued Sig Sauer sidearms. Reserves also received Quarterly Firearms Training.

The Detective Bureau personnel attended training in Death and Homicide Investigation; Cyber crime Update; Computer Crimes and Evidence; Supervisor Development; Background Investigation for Police Applicants.

Clerk Dispatchers attended 800 Mhz Dispatcher Console Radio, Cultural Diversity Awareness, and Fingerprinting.

Our Community Policing Officer attended Teaching, Education and Mentoring School (TEAM) Liaison; Guns and Kids and Rave party training. Officer Pelland also attended the Crime Prevention Association of Michigan Annual Conference in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Chief Barron attended Michigan Emergency Management and Hazmat Training Conference in Thompsonville, Michigan and the Michigan Association Chiefs of Police Conference in Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Deputy Chief Skrocki attended the Michigan Association Chiefs of Police Mid-Winter Conference in Lansing, Michigan. Community Policing Officer Kenneth Pelland also attended this conference as a representative of the Office of Highway Safety Planning.

Animal Control continues to be busy with the monitoring and management of wildlife. Although, the raccoon and deer populations appear to have declined, coyote sightings are common. There have been no incidents involving the coyote that have caused concerns for management of their population. Nature will take its course.

The Animal Shelter continues to be very positive and a popular Township facility, with volunteers daily assisting the Animal Control Officer. Through the hard work of T.A.I.L.S. (The Animals’ Island League Shelter) and its fundraising efforts, the care provided to sheltered animals continues to be the envy of other communities. 279 homeless pets were housed. 207 were adopted and 39 returned to their owners, bringing an 88% placement of the animals. This is a percentage unmatched by other shelters. We continue to strive to place all sheltered pets.

The Community Policing Program maintained its course of educating the residents in such areas as traffic safety, crime prevention and child safety while continuing to build upon the community policing philosophy. This was accomplished through articles in the newspaper, presentations and safety programs.

Among the programs continued throughout 2001 were the “Operation Chill” safe bicyclist and motorist campaign, the Click It or Ticket!, and Operation ABC safety belt programs, Safety Town presentations and crime prevention presentations to a variety of island organizations and neighborhood groups.

The Grosse Ile Police Department again teamed up with the Grosse Ile School District in an effort to keep the youth of the Island safe.

Over 150 Fifth Grade students from Meridian and Parke Lane Elementary Schools graduated from the D.A.R.E. Program, while presentations were delivered to government, civics and health classes throughout the district. Talks with elementary school students focused on subjects such as stranger danger, gun and Halloween safety, shoplifting and drug prevention. Each 1st Grade student was fingerprinted as part of the Stranger Danger presentation. A new program entitled Court in Schools was introduced this year. Local district judges conducted lives sentencing hearings in front of middle and high school students. Evacuation drills were conducted with the staff at each of the schools in the spring and fall to prepare for emergency situations.

Grant work also played a role in the Community Policing Program. A new grant from the Office of Highway Safety Planning resulted in $65,000 going towards the “Operation Nightcap” Alcohol Enforcement detail. The Grosse Ile Police Department was the lead agency in the detail that encompasses 10 law enforcement agencies. A $4,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for the reimbursement of bulletproof vests was continued into 2001.

Officer Douglas Carmack began employment with Grosse Ile Township Police Department on January 22, 2001.

Officer Ferguson was nominated to receive the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Award, which was presented to him at the Detroit Athletic Club on Thursday, February 15, 2001.

“Operation Deny Access” was set in motion to prohibit the annual boat burning party held on Sugar Island, during the Labor Day Weekend. This multi-agency operation ran continuously for eighty-four hours with two officers on patrol at all times.

On April 2, 2001, Maria Celeste Alent began employment with Grosse Ile Township as a Clerk Dispatcher. Ms. Alent was hired with funding from the U.S. Department of Justice COPS MORE 2000 grant for civilians.

On October 22, 2001, Officer Todd Brozek began employment with Grosse Ile Township Police Department.

On November 8, 2001, Clerk Dispatcher Alent received an emergency 911 call on a report of an 11-year old child not breathing. The victim’s condition immediately improved as a result of Clerk Dispatcher Alent’s efforts to explain mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR to the child’s mother. Clerk Dispatcher Alent was presented with a Lifesaving Commendation for her professional conduct in the finest tradition of Grosse Ile Township Police Department.

The Grosse Ile Police Commission promoted Detective Bow to the rank of Detective/Sergeant on April 1, 2001.

On July 14, 2001, Grosse Ile Police Department activated an Incident Command Center at the Public Safety Building to respond to a hazardous chemical release in Riverview, Michigan. Police Department personnel worked along with the Grosse Ile Township Board, Grosse Ile Fire Department and Michigan State Police to evacuate portions of the Island affected by a hydrogen chloride plume. As a result of this incident an ad hoc committee was formed to establish detailed emergency response procedures for this and other types of emergency response incidents.

Meritorious service awards and commendation bars were given to all personnel who assisted in the Atofina Evacuation on July 14, 2001.

On July 23, 2001 the Public Safety Building was hit with a direct lightening strike due to an electrical storm which disabled our telephone system, new 800 Mhz radio system and security cameras. Both the telephone and security systems were upgraded with current technology after the equipment failure. Six additional telephones were added to the Public Safety Building Training Room as an Incident Command Center.

The Members of the Grosse Ile Township Police Department wish to thank our residents for their support. Working together we can provide a quality environment for our citizens.

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