2006 intro - City of Grand Rapids

Transcription

Grand Rapids Police
Department
2006 Annual Report
Harry P. Dolan, Chief of Police
Prepared By:
Beverly Dickinson
Grand Rapids Police Department
Knowledge
Courage
FINAL VERSION
1 Monroe Center NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Integrity
Established 1872
Message from the Chief
Memorandum
Date:
May 1, 2007
To:
Kurt Kimball, City Manager
City of Grand Rapids
From:
Harry Dolan, Chief of Police
We are extremely proud to present this Grand Rapids Police Department 2006
Annual Report.
Throughout the past several years, the GRPD has been challenged to maintain a
high level of community police service during a period of historic city budget reductions. The men and women of
the department have responded to this fiscal crisis in an exemplary manner. We can proudly report that the GRPD
continues to set standards of police excellence.
Overall, Part I crime was up less than one percent from 2005, while serious assaults were down significantly during
2006. Similar to many urban areas in the country, we are experiencing an increase in homicides and have witnessed
our record low homicide rate begin to increase. It is important to note that in recent years, the GRPD has
reduced the sworn strength of the department by more than fifty officers and numerous civilian positions have been
eliminated. However, sworn and civilian members have exceeded the department’s most optimistic performance
expectations. Our community regularly comments on the positive impact that we make in the lives of our citizens.
The Grand Rapids Police Department 2007—2009 Strategic Plan places strong emphasis on reactively confronting
problems associated with guns, gangs, and drugs, while staying focused upon proactively supporting youth outreach
crime prevention initiatives. We strongly believe that the entire community must work together to confront a
“gathering storm” of present and future crime problems associated with children living at risk without mentors.
We believe that public safety is defined by the success of our children. A determinant factor in our department’s
success will be observed in our ability to turn around the declining high school graduation rates reported in Grand
Rapids. As a police department, we are committed to stepping outside of our traditional areas of responsibilities to
help our city’s children become successful, so that the future of our great city will remain bright. (A copy of the
strategic plan is available on our website, www.grpolice.com.)
In the following pages, we present highlights on our four service areas, our specialized units, and selected initiatives.
Statistics on offenses and arrests, as well as on Internal Affairs complaints and investigations, are presented.
We hope that you will find this report both interesting and informative. If you have further questions about data or
programs presented here, we will be pleased to provide additional information.
Page ii
Table of Contents
Message from the Chief ............................................................................ ii
Chapter One: Organization Structure and Service Areas.................... 1
Departmental Organization....................................................................... 2
West Service Area .................................................................................... 5
South Service Area ................................................................................... 7
East Service Area...................................................................................... 9
North Service Area ................................................................................. 11
Chapter Two: Specialized Units ............................................................ 13
Investigative Division — Detective Unit................................................ 14
Investigative Division — Forensic Services Unit................................... 16
Investigative Division — Vice Unit ....................................................... 17
Special Response Team .......................................................................... 19
Support Services Division ...................................................................... 21
Support Services Division — Special Events ......................................... 23
Support Services Division — Training Bureau ...................................... 24
Chapter Three: Initiatives in the Spotlight .......................................... 27
Public Affairs Office............................................................................... 28
Operation ALL-OUT .............................................................................. 29
Canine Unit ............................................................................................. 31
Bomb Team ............................................................................................ 32
Leadership Institute................................................................................. 33
Citizen Police Academy.......................................................................... 34
Youth Police Academy & High School Cadet Program ......................... 34
Chapter Four: Awards and Recognition .............................................. 35
Police Officer of the Year ....................................................................... 36
Citizen Employee of the Year................................................................. 36
Employee Awards................................................................................... 37
In Memoriam .......................................................................................... 40
Chapter Five: Offense and Arrest Reports .......................................... 41
Uniform Crime Report Offenses............................................................. 41
Correctional Facility Admissions ........................................................... 43
Chapter Six: Internal Affairs Unit ........................................................ 45
Complaint Information ........................................................................... 47
Corrective Action ................................................................................... 48
Page iii
Chapter One
Organization Structure
and Service Areas
Organization Chart
Chief’s Office
Internal
Affairs Unit
Crime
Prevention
Media
Relations
West
Service
Area
South
Service
Area
East
Service
Area
North
Service
Area
Investigative
Division
Support
Services
Division
Special
Response
Team
Page 1
Departmental Organization
GRAND RAPIDS POLICE PERSONNEL SCHEDULE AS OF 12/30/06
CURRENT
AUTHORIZED
GRANT*
AUTHORIZED
Police Chief
1
0
1
1
0
Police Captain
6
0
6
6
0
Police Lieutenant
15
0
15
14
-1
Police Sergeant
37
1
38
40
2
Police Officer
TOTAL SWORN
269
328
5
6
274
334
270
331
-4
-3
Communications Manager
1
0
1
1
0
Records Manager
1
0
1
1
0
PERMANENT POSITIONS
TOTAL
AUTHORIZED
CURRENTLY
FILLED
NET
TOTAL
Administrative Secretary
1
0
1
1
0
Administrative Analyst I
2
0
2
2
0
Crime Scene Technician
7
0
7
7
0
Latent Print Technician
2
0
2
2
0
Latent Print Examiner
2
0
2
2
0
Forensics Manager
1
0
1
1
0
ECO Supervisor
4
0
4
4
0
ECO I, ECO II and ECO III
35
0
35
34
-1
Radio Technician I
2
0
2
1
-1
Radio Mechanic
1
0
1
1
0
Vehicle Service Worker
1
0
1
1
0
Accountant
1
0
1
1
0
Financial Assistant I
1
0
1
1
0
Financial Assistant II
1
0
1
1
0
Office Assistant I
5
0
5
3
-2
Office Assistant II
1
0
1
0
-1
Office Assistant III
2
0
2
2
0
Office Assistant IV
4
0
4
4
0
OA IV - Special Funded
0
1
1
1
0
Special Events Aide
TOTAL CIVILIAN
1
76
0
1
1
77
1
72
0
-5
TOTAL PERMANENT
404
7
411
403
-8
Police Interns
18
0
18
21
3
Crossing Guards
43
0
43
40
-3
Office Assistant I
1
0
1
1
0
Office Assistant II
1
0
1
1
0
Administrative Analyst I
1
0
1
1
0
Maintenance Assistant C **
4
0
4
1
-3
TOTAL SEAS. / SUPP.
68
0
68
65
-3
GRAND TOTALS
472
7
479
468
-11
SEASONAL POSITIONS / SUPPLEMENTAL (**) POSITIONS
Page 2
* MET Grant - 2 Officers
* ATPA Grant - 3 Officers
* MET (SR 265-266) - 1 Sergeant
* GRPD (SR 265-265) - 1 Office Assistant IV
Departmental Organization
GRPD Sworn Personnel Assignment Breakdown at 12/30/06
SERVICE AREA / UNIT
OFFICERS
SERGEANTS / ACTING
Chief's Office
LIEUTENANTS / ACTING
CAPTAINS / ACTING
1
CHIEF
TOTALS
1
2
North
39
4
1
1
45
South
45
5
1
1
52
Southeast
38
5
1
1
45
West
38
4
1
1
44
SRT
16
2
1
04 Lieutenants
Detective
4
49
Internal Affairs
7
1
3
1
Special Services
10
1
Support Bureau
1
2
19
2
6
1
58
4
11
1
Special Events
4
1
Training
4
Rotating / Recruits
5
Vice
14
Youth Comm.
4
4
Unassigned*
6
6
Totals
269
1
1
1
6
5
2
36
1
1
1
14
1
4
19
6
0
1
331
Page 3
Grand Rapids Service Area Map
Page 4
West Service Area
Captain Rebecca Whitman
Lieutenant William Nowicki
Lieutenant John Keelean
The total number of Part I
offenses for 2006 was 3,409.
This represents a 1.3%
decrease
from 2005,
although a 7.2% increase
from 2002.
Captain Rebecca Whitman
commanded the West Service
Area for her third year during
2006. She attended the FBI
National Academy in
Quantico, Virginia, graduating
from Class 225 in June 2006.
Lieutenant William Nowicki
served as the Administrative
Lieutenant from March
through
September.
Lieutenant John Keelean returned to the West Service Area
in September 2006.
Similarly, for Part II offenses,
the Crime Analysis Unit
reported the 2006 West
Service Area total as 3,649
offenses. This is a 8.1%
decrease from 2005, as well
as a 8.3% decrease from
2002.
Operating while Intoxicated (OWI)
During 2006, 242 OWI arrests were made, an increase of
over 10% from the 217 OWI arrests in 2005. Strict OWI
enforcement continues to be a West Service Area goal.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY
Traffic
The West Service Area had five fatal car crashes in 2006.
Twelve intersections located in the West Service Area were
identified as being in the list of the top 50 personal injury
crash locations. Eleven intersections were identified in the
top 50 total crash intersections in the city of Grand Rapids.
Increased traffic enforcement in the West Service Area is
another strategic goal, as part of the 2007-2009 Strategic Plan
to reduce traffic accidents in the city.
Information Desk
Captain Whitman also supervised the 6 lieutenants who serve
as Watch Commanders.
Child Safety Seat Program
Captain Whitman continued her work with the Greater
Grand Rapids Safe Kids Coalition as the coordinator for the
Child Safety Seat Program. Five additional child passenger
safety technicians were added in the fall of 2006. A total of
14 officers from the GRPD are now certified as child
passenger safety technicians through the National Safety Kids
Coalition and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
With the assistance of the Grand Rapids Fire Department, a
permanent car seat fitting station was established at the
Kalamazoo Fire Station. In 2006, the team was able to
conduct 25 child safety seat events.
Curfew
In 2006, the West Service Area arrested 63 curfew violators,
an increase of over 66% from 2005. Innovative strategies will
be developed in the upcoming year to increase curfew
enforcement in the West Service Area, as part of the Grand
Rapids Police Department 2007-2009 Strategic Plan.
HIGHLIGHTS
CRIME STATISTICS
Weed and Seed
Weed and Seed is a community-based, multi-agency strategy
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice. Weed and
Seed aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug
abuse, and gang activity in designated high-crime
neighborhoods across the country.
The State of Michigan classifies the most serious offenses as
Part 1 offenses. The GRPD Crime Analysis Unit reported
the number of Part 1 offenses which occurred in the West
Service Area in 2006.
West Service Area
4000
4056
3979
3 18 0
3295
3869
2996
3453
3969
3409 3649
3000
P ar t I
2000
P ar t 2
10 0 0
0
2002
2003
2004
Murder
6
Rape
22
Robbery
201
Aggravated Assault 329
Burglary
605
Larceny
2,020
Car Theft
187
Arson
39
Total for Part I
3,409
SELECTED INITIATIVES
West Service Area personnel in 2006 included 4 Sergeants,
35 Patrol Officers, and 3 Community Officers. The West
Service Area consists of 8 police beats, with beats 7 and 8
encompassing the downtown area.
5000
2006 Part I
2005
2006
The strategy involves a two-pronged
approach: law enforcement agencies and
prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out"
violent criminals and drug abusers, while
public agencies and community-based private
organizations collaborate to "seed" muchneeded human services, including prevention,
intervention, treatment, and neighborhood
restoration programs. A community-oriented
policing component bridges the weeding and
Page 5
West Service Area
seeding elements.
Weed and Seed funding continued to be an important
resource for the West Service Area in 2006. These funds
allowed officers, on an overtime basis, to identify and address
specific neighborhood concerns.
The Weed and Seed highlights for 2006 include:
• On August 15, officers conducted a bike larceny sting, to
arrest individuals stealing bikes.
Surveillance was
conducted on a decoy bike until it was stolen. Five
arrests were made and all suspects were charged with
larceny of a bike. Three of the suspects were juveniles;
two of whom had just been released on bond from the
juvenile detention center. Two of the suspects were
adults, one of which was also charged with possession of
marijuana.
• The bike patrol project was established to focus on
disorderly juveniles and other law violations within the
West Service Area parks and continued throughout the
summer. Time was spent in Richmond Park, Lincoln
Park, Stocking School, Douglas Park, Straight Park, and
the John Ball Zoo Park. One arrest was made for
possession of alcohol in a park (adult), with 18 resident
contacts and seven file/warrant checks.
• The West Service Area implemented foot and bicycle
patrols in various locations to increase the presence of
police officers.
The Downtown Bar Project was
implemented near the downtown bars and restaurants.
The Heartside Foot Patrol Project was initiated at the
request of business owners and residents of the
Heartside neighborhood who wanted an increased
police presence in the area due to street level drug
dealing, panhandling, and disorderly activity.
• The final initiative was the Leonard Street Bicycle Patrol.
The patrols were initiated in response to the violent
street level assaults and robberies that were occurring.
The patrols were focused in the areas encompassing
Bridge Street to Leonard Street and Alpine/Stocking
Avenues to Broadway Avenue.
COMMUNITY POLICING
Officer Jason Horrigan is the Community Police Officer
working with the West Grand Neighborhood Organization
(WGNO), the West Leonard Business Association, and many
other neighborhood groups and businesses. He attended
monthly meetings and provided public safety updates and
crime prevention seminars to the residents and business
owners. He maintained consistent bicycle patrols in an effort
to be more visible and accessible to the community.
Officer Horrigan and the staff at the WGNO provided block
captain training twice in 2006. Officer Horrigan developed
the training series to teach block captains the basics of crime
prevention and how to properly report and document crimes
and suspicious conditions within their neighborhoods.
Officer Horrigan also worked closely with the WGNO crime
Page 6
prevention organizer.
He received information and
neighborhood complaints from her and then disseminated
that information to other police officers and agencies.
Officer Horrigan also helped produce and distribute crime
flyers to residents and businesses in his neighborhood,
informing residents about crimes or suspicious activities that
were occurring in their neighborhood.
Officer Adam Host was assigned as the SWAN (South West
Area Neighbors) and the John Ball Park Neighborhood
Association Community Officer.
Officer Host attended, and assisted in planning, many
community events, including National Night Out at West
Town Commons and Lincoln Park, the Community Builders
Conference, SWAN’s ice cream social, the Genesis
Apartments picnic, the Servant’s Church suppers, and drug
watch training at Lincoln Park. Officer Host also provided
monthly public safety updates and crime prevention
education to the West Fulton Business Association. Officer
Host’s police presence and participation at West Service
Area events such as these allowed more accessibility to crime
reporting for residents and provided opportunities for
residents to have direct contact with the police.
He also worked with the SWAN Crime Prevention
Organizer to organize a neighborhood watch program in the
Pulawski Street/Lane Avenue area. Officer Host was very
active in the elementary schools within his beats and has
developed excellent working relationships with all of the
principals.
Officer Amanda Linklater is the Heartside Community
Officer. In 2006, Officer Linklater continued to develop
strategies to reduce or eliminate homeless persons sleeping,
littering, and defecating underneath the freeway overpasses
near the Heartside Park. She continued her efforts to build
strong partnerships with the local business owners and
shelters in the Heartside Neighborhood in order to reduce
the criminal activity. Two main concerns in the Heartside
Neighborhood are street level narcotics sales and
panhandling. In addition, Officer Linklater continued to
patrol the Heartside Neighborhood and attend neighborhood
meetings and business association meetings.
Officer Linklater was instrumental in the Operation ALL
OUT’s emphasis on street level narcotics dealing in the
Heartside Neighborhood, as she identified the suspects,
locations, and methods of the dealing in her beats. During
Operation ALL OUT, there were 51 documented cases of
street level drug trafficking involving multiple suspects and
transactions. There were 38 arrest warrants issued in those
cases.
Dwelling Place Inc. recently continued its partnership with
the police department by providing a building for a Field
Office. The Field Office will be located at 337 S. Division
Avenue and will provide a location in the neighborhood for
Officer Linklater and beat officers to better serve the
community.
South Service Area
Captain James Farris
Lieutenant Eric Payne
In 2006, Captain James Farris
completed his eighth year as
the Commander for the South
Service Area, with Lieutenant
Eric Payne serving as the
Administrative Lieutenant.
The South Service Area
consists of 8 police beats and
is the smallest service area
geographically.
Personnel
assigned to the South Service Area in 2006 included 5
Sergeants, 40 Patrol Officers, and 7 Community Officers.
Captain Farris continued his role as Chairperson of the
Central City Weed and Seed Steering Committee. Captain
Farris was responsible for setting up the Policy and
Procedures required as part of the Weed and Seed grant.
Captain Farris, along with Sergeant Elliott Bargas and six
Community Officers, attended a week long seminar in
Chicago, Illinois, on Gangs and Violence in the Community.
Lieutenant Eric Payne attended a week long Law Enforcement
Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, sponsored by the United
States Department of Justice, Weed and Seed.
The
conference included a wide range of workshops, learning labs,
and informational tools, not only for law enforcement, but for
the community as a whole.
T hi s
tabl e
presents the
number
of
o f f e n s e s
occurring
in
the
South
Service Area
a s
a
percentage of
those offenses
for the entire
city.
2006 Part I
South
City
Murder
10 (43.5%)
23
Rape
22 (30.1%)
73
Robbery
203 (28.2%)
719
Aggravated Assault
377 (32.5%)
1,159
Burglary
841 (32.8%)
2,566
Larceny
1,462 (20.4%)
7,158
200 (27.8%)
720
49 (38.9%)
126
Car Theft
Arson
Ten of the Total for Part I 3,164 (25.2%) 12,544
homicides
(43.5%) which occurred in Grand Rapids in 2006 occurred in
the South Service Area. Approximately one-third of the
city’s Aggravated Assaults, Burglaries, and Arson offenses
occurred within the South Service Area, although only a sixth
of the city’s residents live there.
HIGHLIGHTS
Search Warrants
The illegal sale of narcotics continued to be a major concern
for the citizens of the South Service Area and the GRPD.
Search Warrants are utilized to combat the sales of illegal
narcotics. The information needed for search warrants is
provided by citizens in the community, neighborhood
associations, Community Officers, and Beat Officers. Vice
Unit Detectives and the Special Response Team (SRT) also
Search Warrants Executed in South
150
10 8
93
87
2003
2004
100
118
CRIME STATISTICS
50
Part I offenses. The GRPD Crime Analysis Unit reported the
number of Part I offenses which occurred in the South
Service Area in 2006. The total number of Part I offenses for
2006 was 3,164. This represents a 3.0% decrease from 2005,
although a 11.4% increase from 2002.
Similarly, for Part II offenses, the Crime Analysis Unit
reported the 2006 South Service Area total as 3,659 offenses.
Part II offenses also decreased, by 7.4% from 2005 and by
19.2% since 2002.
South Service Area
5000
4 53 0
4409
3842
4000
3000
2839
2 74 1
2894
3 9 53
3263
0
In 2006, 118 search warrants were executed in the South
Service Area, an increase of 9.3% over 2005 and a 26.9%
increase since 2003. A total of 243 total search warrants
were executed department wide in 2006,
nearly half (48.6%) of which were in the
South Service Area.
Part 1
Part 2
1000
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2006
gather information that is helpful in combating the sale of
illegal narcotics. The search warrants are executed by the
SRT to ensure the safety of the citizens, suspects, and
officers.
3 6 59
3 16 4
2000
2005
Mobile Field Offices
During the summer of 2006, in response to
police and community concerns regarding an
increase in shooting incidents, the GRPD
established two mobile field offices in the
South Service Area, directly within
neighborhoods long plagued by violent
Page 7
South Service Area
crime. The first field office was located at the corner of Hall
and Cass. The second field office was located at 1031 Baxter
Street SE. These field offices were the key factors of the
South Service Area’s response to Operation ALL-OUT.
The field offices were utilized by patrol officers to meet with
residents living in the surrounding area. Officers took
reports from citizens and used the field office as a meeting
place for citizens to express their concerns in the
neighborhood.
The Madison Area Neighborhood
Association sponsored a cook-out at the Hall and Cass field
office during the National Night Out event in August 2006.
The Baxter field office was removed in October 2006.
However, the Hall and Cass field office remained on site due
to citizen response.
Weed and Seed
The South Service Area continued its partnership with
Central City Weed and Seed for a second year. The South
Service Area was able to provide Central City Weed and
Seed with proactive enforcement through a variety of
methods. Drug enforcement, curfew sweeps, and foot/bike
patrols were conducted throughout the summer to help
improve the quality of life of citizens living in the Weed and
Seed area.
In March 2006, South Service Area officers participated in a
Domestic Violence Summit at the First Christian Reformed
Church, sponsored by Central City Weed and Seed. Central
City Weed and Seed also sponsored a Juvenile Summit at the
First Christian Reformed Church in April 2006. South
Service Area officers and approximately 100 teens
participated in the event, which included break out sessions
to discuss a variety of topics that impact teens.
COMMUNITY POLICING
Sergeant Elliott Bargas was assigned to the South Service
Area as the Community Police Officer Supervisor. Sergeant
Bargas is responsible for the supervision of seven Community
Officers and has also been involved with administering the
Weed and Seed grant.
Eastown / Ottawa Hills
Officer Jeremy Huffman is the Community Officer in the
Eastown/Ottawa Hills area. Officer Huffman has worked as
the Community Officer for the last eight years. Officer
Huffman has been described by residents and business
owners as the “The Mayor of Eastown”.
The Eastown area continues to have problems with
panhandlers. Officers have made numerous arrests for
panhandling and are working with the courts to prevent the
subject from returning to the area.
Baxter
The Baxter Neighborhood continues to be the center for the
United States Department of Justice Weed and Seed grant.
Page 8
The sale of illegal narcotics is a major concern of the
residents living in the Baxter Neighborhood. With the ability
to have proactive enforcement in the Baxter Neighborhood,
the numbers of arrests for illegal narcotics doubled from the
2005 arrest figures.
Officer Jim Wojczynski is the
Community Officer assigned to Baxter Neighborhood.
Elves & More conducted a bicycle give-away during
December 2006 in the Baxter Neighborhood. A total of
1,000 bicycles and safety helmets were distributed to children
living in the area.
MANA (Madison Area Neighborhood Association)
Madison Area Neighborhood had a pattern of Home
Invasions during the spring and early summer months of
2006. Officer Adam Baylis is the Community Officer for
MANA. He worked with the neighborhood association and
South Team Detectives to identify and arrest the suspects.
SEENA (South East End Neighborhood Association)
Officer Greg Alcala is the Community Officer for SEENA.
Speeding and curfew enforcement are the major concerns for
residents living in the neighborhood. Officer Alcala has
worked with both SEENA and Fuller Avenue Neighborhood
Association to establish block clubs and neighborhood watch
programs.
SECA (South East Community Association)
In 2006, several factors occurred that improved the quality of
life of citizens living in the SECA area. The mobile field office
was a contributing factor in the reduction of criminal activity
in the Hall and Cass area. Officer David Nowakowski
worked with the neighborhood association and other city
departments to address several problem addresses.
In November 2006, Officer David Nowakowski and the
South Area Community Officers were recognized for their
diligent work in the Hall and Cass neighborhood. Officer
Nowakowski was presented a plaque for his dedication,
bravery, and commitment to the community.
Black Hills Neighborhood Association
Officer Robert Gannon is the Community Officer for the
Black Hills Neighborhood Association. Officer Gannon has
worked with the association board to combat gang violence
and graffiti. The Black Hills has statistically had one of the
lower crime rates in the South Service Area.
In 2006,
officers identified several problem addresses that are dealing
in the illegal sales of narcotics. Officers have made arrests
for drugs and weapons and continue to work with the
neighborhood associations.
East Hills
Speeding, curfew violations, and gangs are the main concerns
with residents in the East Hills neighborhood. Officer Tom
Goojtes is the Community Officer working in this area.
Officer Gootjes has worked with the neighborhood
association to resolve many of the issues that are in East
Hills.
East Service Area
Captain Curtis VanderKooi
Lieutenant David Kiddle
Ea st Ar e a OWI S t a t i st i c s
400
In 2006, Captain Curtis
VanderKooi continued to serve
as the Commander for the East
Service Area.
He has
commanded the East Service
Area for eight years. Lieutenant
David Kiddle served as
Administrative Lieutenant.
2 7 10
205
Aggravated Assault
286
Burglary
584
1.
Larceny
1,891
Madison Avenue & Griggs Street for speeding and drug
trafficking: 20 felony arrests, 84 misdemeanor arrests,
and 593 traffic stops.
2.
Plymouth Avenue from Burton Street to Alger Street for
speeding: 113 traffic stops and 101 hours.
3.
Burton Street from Breton Avenue to East Beltline Avenue for
speeding: 4 felony arrests, 74 misdemeanor arrests, 755
traffic stops, and 748 hours.
4.
Alger Street from Madison Avenue to Kalamazoo Avenue for
speeding: 5 misdemeanor arrests, 143 traffic
stops, and 211 hours.
Car Theft
163
Arson
15
Total for Part I
3,156
3263
2800
2990
3235
3 15 6
5. Breton Avenue from Burton Street to 28th
Street for speeding: 11 misdemeanor arrests,
217 traffic stops, and 206 hours.
2940
Part 1
Part 2
1000
2004
2005
6. Buchanan Avenue in E8 for speeding: 17
felony arrests, 80 misdemeanor arrests, 370
traffic stops, and 553 hours.
7. 36th Street in E5 for speed and
construction violations: 12 misdemeanor
arrests, 164 traffic stops, and 248 hours.
0
2003
2006
Robbery
10
2000
2002
2005
Hot Spots
During 2006, 16 hot spots were identified to the patrol
officers to focus strict enforcement. Most of the referrals
were either traffic related or for drug trafficking.
Rape
3438
2774
2004
HIGHLIGHTS
East Service Area
3000
294
Curfew
Increased curfew enforcement was another 2006 goal for the
East Service Area. In 2006, there were 79 curfew arrests,
compared to 25 curfew arrests in 2005, a 216% increase.
4000
2003
272
Traffic
The East Service Area continues to lead the city of Grand
Rapids in the High Crash Intersection Report. Twelve of the
top 20 high crash intersections are in the East Service Area.
However, the total number of reported crashes for these
intersections declined by 80 crashes, a 16% decline from
2005 to 2006.
number of Part 1 offenses which
occurred in the East Service 2005 Part I
Area in 2006.
Murder
2
3579
2002
235
0
CRIME STATISTICS
Similarly, for Part II offenses, the
Crime Analysis Unit reported
the 2006 East Service Area total
as 2,940 offenses. This is a 9.1%
decrease from 2005, and a
17.9% decrease from 2002.
168
200
The East Service Area consists
of eight police beats. Personnel
assigned to the East Service Area in 2006 included 5
Sergeants, 40 Patrol Officers, and 3 Community Officers.
The total number of Part I
This represents a 5.6% increase
from 2006 and a 16.5% increase
from 2002.
156
2006
Operating while Intoxicated (OWI)
8.
28th Street intersections for red light runners: 1 felony
arrest, 51 misdemeanor arrests, and 759 traffic stops.
One of the East Service Area goals for 2006 was to continue
increasing the OWI enforcement. In 2006, there were 294
OWI arrests, an 8% increase compared to 272 OWI arrests
in 2005. OWI arrests have steadily increased from 235 OWI
arrests in 2004, 168 in 2003, and 156 in 2002.
9.
Eastern Avenue from Burton Street to 28th Street for speed
and truck route violations: 2 felony arrests, 5
misdemeanor arrests, and 82 traffic stops.
10. Traditions Apartments for disorderly and drugs:
misdemeanor arrests, 4 traffic stops, and 150 hours.
7
Page 9
East Service Area
11. Elk’s Club for disorderly and littering: 3 misdemeanor
12. South Division Avenue and Griggs Street for robbery and
drug trafficking: 28 felony arrests, 86 misdemeanor
13. Ken-o-sha School grounds for disorderly and trespassing:
3 felony arrests, 6 misdemeanor arrests, 2 traffic stops,
and 29 hours.
14. Oak Park and Town & Country Shopping District for
disorderly, drug trafficking and property crime: 4 felony
arrests, 6 misdemeanor arrests, 10 traffic stops, and 83
hours.
15. 1700 to 1800 Union Avenue SE for disorderly, drug
trafficking, and gang fighting: 12 felony arrests, 30
misdemeanors, 28 traffic stops, and 307 hours.
16. East Beltline and Burton Street for red lights:
misdemeanor arrests, 44 traffic stops, and 91 hours.
8
Weed and Seed
During 2006, Weed and Seed funds were used to attack drug
trafficking, prostitution, OWI, speeding, and other alcohol
violations. The use of Weed and Seed funding for overtime
in 2006 resulted in:
• 5 search warrants
• 21 felony drug arrests
• 9 misdemeanor drug arrests
• 71 solicitation for prostitution arrests
• 47 arrests and 92 appearance tickets for Frequenting an
Illegal Business (illegally purchasing alcohol)
• 4 felony arrests for Illegal Sale of Alcohol
• 1 arrest for CCW/Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Stinger’s Motorcycle Club
On March 26, 2006, at 0200 hrs, the GRPD executed a
search warrant at 1551 College Avenue SE, the Stinger’s
Motorcycle Club. At the time of the raid, 139 persons were
inside the clubhouse. Appearance tickets were issued to 92
subjects for Frequenting an Illegal Business, while another 47
subjects were arrested and lodged at the Kent County
Correctional Facility for Frequenting an Illegal Business and/
or other charges, including:
• 4 arrests for Sale of Alcohol without a License
• 1 arrest for Carrying a Concealed Weapon (gun)
• 1 arrest for Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine
• 8 arrests for Hindering & Opposing
• 1 arrest for giving False Information.
In addition to the arrests, four semi-automatic handguns
were recovered (all loaded). Drugs and alcohol were also
recovered, including:
• 22 baggies of marijuana
• 1/4 ounce bag of crack
• 1 bag powder cocaine
• 8 folds heroin
Page 10
•
•
•
140 kegs of beer
cans of beer or bottles of liquor
“Jell-o” Shots mixed with alcohol.
The search warrant was generated after a long history of
citizen and business complaints about the violence, sounds of
gunshots, loud noise, illegal sale of alcohol, and the aftermath
of trash and litter left on weekends throughout the
neighborhood. The pattern of problems began in June 2003 at
the advertised grand opening of Stinger’s Motorcycle Club.
Since then, the Stinger’s Motorcycle Club’s activities have
continued to generate acts of violence and nuisance
complaints.
There has been one homicide involving a firearm, five
separate assaults with intent to commit murder involving
firearms, one assault with intent to commit murder with a
knife, five aggravated assaults, and eight simple assaults.
Furthermore, the GRPD has responded to 1551 College
Avenue SE on 39 separate times on complaints of
disturbances, noise, fights, sound of gunshots or traffic
congestion. Almost all of these assaults and nuisance
complaints occurred between 1:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.
This investigation was the result of the area businesses,
neighbors, and the GRPD working together in a collaborative
partnership funded by Project Safe Neighborhoods, an
initiative through the United States Department of Justice.
Within one week of the search warrant, the landlord
permanently evicted the Stinger’s Motorcycle Club.
COMMUNITY POLICING
East Service Area Community Officers continued to work
with the East Team Community Oriented Government
coordinator Harris Alibasic
and other Steering Team
Members (Neighborhood Improvement, Streets and
Sanitation, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Traffic Safety, Zoning,
Code Enforcement) on neighborhood problems.
The East Community Officers spent a considerable amount of
time in 2006 compiling and identifying a list of gang members.
The Community Officers then visited the homes of at least
14 gang members’ parents. They reported to the parents the
type of activity in which their children were involved, hoping
for parental intervention. Furthermore, the East Community
Officers provided assistance to several local clergy to meet
with the parents of the gang members. Numerous high
school and middle school presentations were given to
prevent gang involvement. Finally, the three East Community
Officers made 354 arrests, personally wrote ten search
warrants and assisted in the execution of them.
North Service Area
The total number of Part I 2006 Part 1
This represents a 13.4% Murder
decrease from 2005 and a Rape
Robbery
Captain Pamela Carrier
Lieutenant Carol Price
Lieutenant Theresa Budzilek
Captain Pamela Carrier has
served as the North Service Area
Commander for eight years.
Lieutenant Carol Price was the
Administrative Lieutenant until
March 2006. Lieutenant Theresa
Budzilek served as the
Administrative Lieutenant for the
remaining nine months.
Similarly, for Part II offenses,
the Crime Analysis Unit
reported the 2006 West
Service Area total as 2,478
offenses.
This is a 14.9%
decrease from 2005, and a
The North Service Area consists of 8 police beats and is the
largest service area geographically.
Personnel assigned to the North Service
Area in 2006 included 4 sergeants, 36 patrol
3204
3500
officers, and 3 community officers.
2924
Burglary
Larceny
14
99
184
502
1701
Car Theft
Arson
118
23
Total for Part I
2,645
North Service Area
2835 2983
3000
Aggravated Assault
4
2 7 18 2 8 6 9
3 0 5 5 2 9 13
2645 2478
2500
2000
P ar t 1
1500
Captain Carrier was the commander of the
500
department’s Crisis Negotiation Team. The
0
team responded to numerous critical
2002
situations with the Special Response Team in
2006.
She
also coordinated the
department’s Cop-2-Cop Peer Support Team. This volunteer
team, staffed by trained, sworn personnel, assists other
sworn personnel in times of distress.
P ar t 2
1000
In June of 2006, Captain Carrier and Sergeant Thomas
Lyzenga, in coordination with the Lansing Police
Department’s Special Tactics and Rescue Team and Michigan
Association of Hostage Negotiators (MAHN), co-hosted a
two-day training seminar on the topic of terrorist hostage
negotiations. Captain Carrier and Sergeant Lyzenga continue
to represent the GRPD on the MAHN state board.
Lieutenant Budzilek was the Infection Control Officer for the
police department, and the command supervisor of the K-9
Unit. As Infection Control Officer, Lieutenant Budzilek
handled Blood-Borne Pathogen training and any exposure
incident response for all department personnel.
The North Service Area retained responsibility for calibrating
the speedometers for all of the patrol operation vehicles
within the fleet. Sergeant Thomas Doyle was again in charge
of this project in 2006, as in the past five years. Sergeant
Michael Maycroft is a member of the GRPD’s Bomb Team
and organizes the annual Police Memorial Service. Sergeant
Jonathan Wu is a member of the GRPD Canine Unit.
CRIME STATISTICS
number of Part I offenses which occurred in the North
Service Area in 2006 as shown:
2003
2004
2005
2006
Drug Law Enforcement
The Vice Unit executed 29 drug search warrants in the
North Service Area during 2006. Officers from the North
Service Area continue to work successfully with investigators
from the Vice Unit.
Increased traffic and curfew enforcement in the North
Service Area are strategic goals for 2007, as part of the 20072009 Strategic Plan.
HIGHLIGHTS
504 Leonard NE
Several members of a gang took up residence at 504 Leonard
Street NE. As gang members began to frequent parking lots
of the surrounding businesses, the number of robberies and
assaults skyrocketed, and neighbors began to observe openair drug sales in plain view of the street. Finally, the
neighborhood began hearing the sound of gunshots at night.
North Service Area Community Officer Kristen Gibbons
coordinated the efforts of businesses and neighbors with the
beat officers to establish a concentrated surveillance and
enforcement effort on the address and its gang members.
Intelligence was documented and evidence against these
suspects was gathered, resulting in several arrests for
charges ranging from Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault,
Minor in Possession, and Disturbing the Peace. Officer
Gibbons followed up the enforcement effort by working with
the property owner for the successful eviction of the tenants.
Page 11
North Service Area
2027 Prospect NE
This address was occupied by several young people who like
to party and drive loud, fast cars. Two neighborhood
meetings were held with North Service Area officers. Third
shift officers spent many surveillance hours and many
citations were written to the occupants and their friends,
including Loud Exhaust, Loud Music from a Motor Vehicle,
Speeding, and Reckless Driving. In addition, several arrests
were made for Driving while License Suspended. After
several months of intensive enforcement, the occupants and
their friends vacated the address.
Heritage Hill
During 2006, a homeless person burglarized several Heritage
Hill homes and terrorized the area. This person was
arrested several times for Illegal Entry and Trespassing, would
spend the night in jail, and would be released the next day.
Within days or hours, the person would be rearrested. This
occurred several times. The Neighborhood Association,
working with the North Service Area, was able to get this
person a jail term of 45 days. Once released, the person
now has a probation order that prohibits him from being
near the Heritage Hill Area.
Mentally Unstable Individual
In 2006, the GRPD had many contacts with an individual with
some mental issues, obsessing over police officers and
ambulance attendants that have helped her.
On numerous occasions, she crawled out on the footbridge
by Grand Valley State University and threatened to jump into
the Grand River. On one occasion, a North Service Area
officer talked her out of jumping and pulled her to safety.
She became obsessed with this officer and sent him
inappropriate correspondence. When told to stop, she
climbed out on the footbridge, demanding to see the officer
or she would jump.
The Mental Health Community would evaluate and release
her. She would then be out on the bridge within days, if not
hours, of being released. After many attempts to get her
help, she would be arrested each time she was on the bridge.
The judges would release her to Mental Health, who would
release her back into society. This cycle repeated itself many
times before she finally jumped into the river.
In December of 2006, several third shift officers were in the
area of Clancy and Fairbanks when they heard what sounded
like gun shots coming from the corner. Officers pursued and
apprehended a subject in possession of a handgun that had
just been fired. The subject had been at a party at 805
Clancy NE, had gotten into a verbal argument, pulled out his
gun, and shot it in the air several times. The subject was a
suspected drug dealer and had been the subject of many
complaints. He was charged with Carrying a Concealed
Weapon and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
COMMUNITY POLICING
Officer Daniel Myers has worked with Heritage Hill
Association for two years. In 2006, Officer Myers worked
with the association on 16 addresses where drug activity was
suspected, resulting in 14 arrests and 11 evictions. Officer
Myers also worked with the staff of the Stuyvesant
Apartments, responding to complaints of drug use and sales,
drinking alcohol in public, disturbances and panhandling.
Officer Kristen Gibbons is the Community Officer in the
Creston Neighborhood and identified the problem address of
504 Leonard NE. Officer Gibbons works very closely with
her Crime Prevention Organizer. During the year, they held
25 block meetings and six multi-block meetings on problems
in the neighborhood. During a string of burglaries and
robberies, they held three Robbery Prevention meetings for
businesses and neighbors. Officer Gibbons worked with
property owners and were successful in getting 42 renters
evicted for various problems that they had caused in the
Creston Neighborhood. Officer Gibbons coordinated the
tobacco project to stop businesses from selling cigarettes to
minors. She organized North and Vice officers to conduct
checks on 33 stores, of which 10 were cited for violations.
Clancy Street and Fairbanks Avenue
During 2006, this neighborhood had many complaints of drug
sales and gunshots. Two events occurred that seem to curb
these activities.
Officer Neil Gomez has worked with the Neighbors of
Belknap Lookout association for two years. During 2006,
Officer Gomez attended the Leadership Institute sponsored
by the Grand Rapids Police Department and held a
presentation on leadership for the leaders of the Creston
Plaza Neighborhood. He created a PowerPoint on gang
graffiti awareness. For the last three years, Officer Gomez
has organized a program for the North Service Area to adopt
a family at Christmas. Officer Gomez mentors a child at
Eastern Elementary School. He organized a project to be
implemented in 2007 called Lunch with Officer Gomez. He will
be having lunch once a month with a student from each grade
at East Leonard Elementary School. The children are chosen
by the teachers for good behavior throughout the month.
Two North Service Area Community Officers made contact
with a subject at 601 Clancy NE. This subject was suspected
All three Community Officers are child passenger safety seat
technicians through Safe Kids Worldwide.
The individual was not injured and still not placed in a mental
health facility, even after actually jumping. Countless hours
were spent and many officers, firefighter and ambulance
people put themselves in danger before she was placed in an
in-house residency program.
Page 12
of selling drugs in the neighborhood and was known to carry
a gun. The subject consented to a search of his person and
his residence. Sixteen grams of crack cocaine were on his
person and two handguns, scales, and other cocaine
packaging equipment were taken from his residence.
Chapter Two
Specialized Units
Grand Rapids Police Department 2006 Organizational Chart
Specialized Units
Investigative
Division
Vice Unit
Detective
Unit
Special Response
Team
Forensic
Services Unit
Case Management
General Case
Auto & Financial
Family Service
Major Case I
Major Case II
Serious Habitual
Offender
Special
Events
Support Services
Division
Training
Bureau
Financial Services
Information
Technologies
Special Services
Unit
Records Unit
Communications
Bureau
Motor Equipment
Unit
Grand Rapids
Youth
Commonwealth
Page 13
Investigative Division — Detective Unit
Captain Jeffrey Hertel
Lieutenant Paul Warwick
•
In 2006, Captain Hertel
served as commander of the
Investigative Division for his
third year. Lieutenant Paul
Warwick served as the
Administrative Lieutenant for
the Detective and Forensic
Services Units.
•
The
Detective
Unit
investigated over 17,800
criminal cases in 2006. The Case Management Team
reviewed 99,600 reports generated by officers in the
Department. A central theme for 2006 was cooperative
efforts between the Detective Unit and other area
departments, including organizational changes to assign
personnel to two metropolitan teams.
DETECTIVE UNIT TEAMS
The Detective Unit is
Team
comprised of seven teams of
investigative officers. Each
team is assigned cases based General
on the types of crimes
Auto Theft
involved.
Cases in
2006
5,500
1,416
Family Services
4,493
Each team worked very hard
in 2006 to provide excellent Major Case I & II
3,053
service to the city. Team
7,400
members often helped other Forensic Services
teams out to get the job done. The following highlights are
to illustrate the work done by the detectives and is not
meant to negate the huge contributions of patrol officers and
their work in solving these cases.
GENERAL CASE TEAM
The General Case Team was responsible for investigating
the less serious crimes that occurred in the Service Areas.
Twelve detectives were assigned to the Service Areas,
handling those cases occurring in their area. Detectives begin
their investigative career in General Case and are moved to
other teams as vacancies occur. There were 18 different
General Case detectives in 2006.
The detectives investigated approximately 5,500 crimes, with
an average caseload of approximately 450 cases per detective.
The detectives also assisted with the investigation of financial
crimes and computer related crimes. Some of the pattern
crimes that the General Case team investigated included:
•
In late 2005 and early 2006, the city experienced over
25 church break and enters and an additional five church
burglaries outside of Grand Rapids.
A detective
developed a suspect which lead to a search warrant and
the recovery of property. The suspect was charged with
Page 14
•
many of the burglaries and has subsequently plead guilty.
A detective developed a home invasion suspect through
information from pawn shop records and linked the
suspect to home invasions in Grand Rapids, Walker, and
Wyoming.
A detective worked a
pattern of business
burglaries where the
suspect was stealing
gumball machines. A
suspect was arrested
by patrol and during
a
subsequent
interview with the
detective, confessed
to nine burglaries.
A detective diligently
worked a fraud case where the suspect held a benefit to
raise funds for her cancer treatment, ($20,000-$30,000).
The detective discovered that the suspect did not have
cancer. Through investigative efforts and ability to
obtain a confession, the detective revealed the suspect’s
ploy and obtained a larceny charge.
AUTO THEFT TEAM AND FINANCIAL CRIMES
The Auto Theft Team was responsible for the investigation
and recovery of stolen vehicles in the Grand Rapids
Metropolitan area. The team was staffed by three Grand
Rapids officers, a Kentwood Police Department officer and a
Wyoming Police Department officer and is partially funded
by the Automobile Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA). This
regionally-coordinated team has been a very effective
approach to the problem of automobile theft and is a model
for multi-jurisdictional cooperative operations. The team
recovered $2,259,700 worth of stolen vehicles and property.
The detectives handled 1,416 cases, recovered 252 passenger
vehicles, and handled 346 arrests.
As part of the Kent County Mutual Aid Agreement, a grant
request was made for 2007 that would have enabled the team
to add a Kent County Sheriff’s Department Deputy to
investigate the majority of stolen vehicles occurring in the
county. Unfortunately, that request was denied.
According to the Michigan ATPA Authority 2006 Annual Report
to the Governor and Legislature, auto theft in Kent County
continued to decline, 29% lower than in 1986. Auto theft
rates in Grand Rapids were 31% lower than in 1999.
Members of the team were recognized by the Help Eliminate
Auto Theft Program (HEAT) with the Investigator of the
Year Award, presented at Joe Louis Arena on October 24,
2006. Some of the cases the team worked on included:
•
Detectives recovered a stolen Honda vehicle after
uniform patrol arrested the suspect. The car thief had
used a “plug and play” type electrical harness device to
start the engine, the first case in Western Michigan
involving such a device.
•
Detectives developed information together with
•
Grandville detectives on a series of auto thefts from
dealer lots, involving numerous vehicles being stolen.
Warrants were obtained by Grandville detectives for the
arrest of the thieves.
The pattern of car thefts
from dealerships ended
with those arrests.
The most unusual vehicle
theft investigation and
recovery was that of a
Lamborghini, from the
City of Kentwood.
The Financial Crimes detectives investigated fraud, check
crimes, and embezzlements that involved large amounts of
losses. The two detectives assigned to this team were
relocated to the Wyoming Police Department and were part
of the Metropolitan Fraud and Identity Theft Team. The
General Case Team also continued to investigate an
increased number of credit card frauds, embezzlements, and
identity thefts.
FAMILY SERVICE TEAM
The Family Service Team (FST) investigated criminal sexual
conduct cases, crimes of domestic violence, and child abuse.
It is comprised of six detectives with offices at the GRPD and
three detectives at the Children’s Assessment Center (CAC).
The detectives also assisted domestic abuse victims with
personal alarm installations through a local alarm company.
Family Service detectives investigated 4,493 cases in 2006.
Domestic assaults were the most frequent cases and included
follow-up through the court, working closely with the
Domestic Assault Response Team. The detectives assigned
to the CAC conducted 320 investigations of child sexual
abuse and investigated many of the 954 reported runaways in
the city in 2006. FST cases investigated included:
•
Detectives investigated a public school teacher for
reported molestation of nine students. The case is still
pending trial.
•
Detectives investigated a sexual abuse case of parents
assaulting their daughter. A subsequent search warrant
revealed that the assault had been recorded and stored
on the suspect’s computer.
•
Detectives developed three cases on a suspect who was
a family member of the victim. Through a continued
investigation, ten other victims were identified and
interviewed. The suspect was sentenced to 39-60 years
in prison.
•
A detective developed two sexual assault cases on a
registered sex offender. Subsequent statements and
cooperative victims lead to a 25 years to life prison
sentence.
MAJOR CASE TEAM I AND MAJOR CASE TEAM II
The Major Case Team One and Major Case Team Two
detectives investigated 3,053 incidents, an increase of 14%
over 2005. Incidents included murder, death investigations,
arsons, kidnappings, robberies, and serious assaults. There
were 25 homicides investigated in 2006 with closure on 17
(68%). Team members were on-call 24 hours a day and were
called out 45 times during non-business hours in 2006.
Hom icides Investigated by GRPD
30
20
25
19
17
12
10
8
11
12
2003
2004
0
2000
2001
2002
2005
2006
Two detectives joined the newly formed Kent Metropolitan
Area Cold Case Team, located at the Kent County Sheriff’s
Department (KCSD). This cooperative effort between the
Michigan State Police, KCSD, and GRPD conducted
investigations on cold cases from the Kent County area.
The GRPD was a recipient of a Project Safe Neighborhoods
grant for gun and gang investigations for 2006-2007. An
additional detective was assigned to the ATF (Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) Task Force,
tasked with maintaining gang information and working within
the framework of the task force. Detectives working in the
ATF task force reviewed all firearms cases for possible
prosecution in the federal court system. The average
sentence for a gun charge in the federal system in the most
recent reporting year of 2005 was 82 months (Western
District, Michigan). The majority of suspects charged in the
federal system were indicted on felon in possession of a
firearm violations.
Some of the more notable cases investigated by the
detectives assigned to the Major Case Team included:
•
On July 16, 2006, teenager Amber Koomen was
reported missing by her mother. A day later, Koomen
was found dead in a creek, just inside the city of Walker.
Working with Walker Police Department detectives, a
suspect was developed and interviewed. The suspect
admitted to sexually assaulting Koomen and strangling
her. The suspect plead guilty to murder in February,
2007. The combined efforts of both departments’
investigators and crime scene technicians were excellent
examples of interagency cooperation.
•
In September, 2005, Torrence Hopson was murdered.
Detectives had little information to initially work with
but continued to press witnesses for information.
Several trips out of state were made to investigate leads.
In 2006, the detectives’ efforts were rewarded with the
identification and arrest of two suspects.
•
On March 15, 2006, Adolf Little was fatally stabbed
outside his girlfriend’s vehicle. The ex-boyfriend was a
suspect.
Detectives worked tirelessly to develop
Page 15
•
•
information on the suspect, recover incriminating
evidence, and obtain charges on the suspect.
On November 24, 2006,
Officer
James
Morningstar of the
Kentwood
Police
Department stopped a
suspicious motorist. As
Officer Morningstar
approached the vehicle,
he was shot in the
shoulder by the motorist.
Officer Morningstar
returned fire. The motorist was DOA. Detectives,
along with many other personnel from the GRPD,
worked this complicated case to conclusion. The
medical examiner ruled the shooting a suicide. Excellent
investigative and forensic work resulted in a clear
picture of what transpired.
Detectives continued to investigate a 1971 homicide of
Marion Chase, murdered in a cleaning establishment.
The detectives interviewed a suspect who was serving a
life sentence for an unrelated homicide. The suspect
confessed to participating in the murder.
SERIOUS HABITUAL OFFENDER TEAM
The Serious Habitual Offender Team (SHOT) and the FBI
Violent Fugitive Team were assigned the task of arresting
adults on outstanding warrants and juveniles on pick up
orders. By working with detectives, parole and probation
officers, and Juvenile Court, this team sought out the most
dangerous criminals and removed them from the community.
The two SHOT detectives made 285 arrests in 2006 for a
variety of felonies, misdemeanors, probation and parole
violations, and juvenile pick-up orders. Tasked with the
investigation of missing persons, the detectives also handled
an additional 215 of these cases. Several of the missing
persons were children and vulnerable adults, making the
investigations urgent and high profile cases.
Two detectives assigned to the FBI Violent Fugitive Team
conducted extensive investigations that lead to locating and
arresting five suspects for homicide, 24 suspects wanted for
criminal sexual conduct, and ten suspects wanted for assault
with intent to murder or do great bodily harm. As part of
the task force, the detectives had two occasions to locate
and apprehend fugitives wanted by another state. These
detectives also assisted in case investigations with Grand
Rapids detectives and FBI agents.
Three additional officers were assigned for subpoena delivery,
Housing Code Enforcement, and assisting the City Attorney’s
office in prosecuting offenders for City Ordinance violations.
The Code Enforcement Officer processed 239 search
warrants and follow up letters to residents. The officer
handled 339 housing violation reports from patrol officers,
assisted landlords with 120 eviction processes for suspected
drug dealing tenants, impounded 78 vehicles from private
property, and handled 18 Padlock/Forfeiture cases. The
subpoena officer delivered approximately 20,000 court
subpoenas for Grand Rapids cases and worked closely with
the Victim/Witness Office of the Kent County Prosecutor.
Investigative Division — Forensic Services Unit
Cecile Herald
Forensic Services Unit (FSU) technicians responded to over
7,400 requests for services for a wide variety of investigations
ranging from minor larcenies to complex homicide
investigations. The FSU completed over 3,000 reports while
processing property crimes such as larceny and burglary.
The unit continued to develop personnel and maintained
expertise in shooting reconstruction, crime scene
reconstruction, latent prints, digital imaging, drug
identification, DNA and trace evidence recovery,
photography, bloodstain pattern examinations, impression
analysis, serial number restoration, and computer graphics.
The crime scene technicians recovered latent prints in 541
cases that led to identifications of 1,701 finger and palm
prints. The Latent Print Unit entered 600 entries into the
Automated Fingerprinting Identification System (AFIS) that
resulted in 196 hits, a 33% hit rate. A sample of the forensic
work done and the impact on different cases included:
•
The West Service Area experienced a pattern of
residential home invasions.
A forensic technician
Page 16
•
•
•
recovered a latent print which was entered into AFIS by
latent print examiners. They developed a suspect who
was also linked to three other home invasions by latent
prints. The suspect later admitted to 23 home invasions.
An alcohol bottle, described in an earlier robbery, was
located at a larceny complaint scene later in the same
shift.
The forensic technician developed/recovered
prints at both crime scenes, including the bottle. The
prints were used to identify suspects in both crimes.
A team of forensic technicians and latent print
technicians responded to the scene of a grocery store
robbery involving a homicide.
Through careful
processing of the scene, one of the suspects was later
identified from his latent print found on a package of
noodles and the duct tape used to bind employees.
FSU responded to an officer involved shooting incident
mentioned earlier in this report. Personnel did an
excellent job at documenting the scene with aerial
photographs, scene processing, and extensive timeconsuming shooting reconstruction.
The level of
forensic services provided demonstrated a high level of
expertise and were paramount in successful conclusion
of the case.
Investigative Division — Vice Unit
Lieutenant Richard Nawrocki
Lieutenant Richard Nawrocki has been in command of the
Vice Unit for four years.
The Grand Rapids Police
Department Vice Unit is responsible for the following
investigations, incidents, and activities:
•
Illegal drug and narcotic activity to include the use,
possession, manufacture or sale of illegal drugs or
controlled substances.
•
Prostitution related offenses that include soliciting for
prostitution or illegal acts by female and male prostitutes
and the soliciting for prostitution by male customers.
•
Alcohol establishment licensing, compliance to rules and
regulations, and ensuring establishments are not selling
to underage persons.
•
Gambling and illegal tobacco use, possession or sales
related to underage persons.
•
Recovery of 14 grams of crack
cocaine and a 44
magnum handgun.
The suspect was
charged and indicted
federally.
•
Recovery of 38 grams
of crack cocaine, 151
individual folds of
heroin, and $224 cash.
•
The largest one time seizure of cocaine in the history of
the department. A lengthy investigation resulted in the
seizure of 9000 grams
(nine kilograms) of
cocaine, 121 pounds of
marijuana, $12,074
cash, and five vehicles.
DRUG ENFORCEMENT
In 2006, the 14 person day and night teams of the Vice Unit
executed 262 search warrants related to drug investigations.
These resulted in seizures of illegal drugs and narcotics
totaling in street value over $2.5 million dollars.
The estimated street value
of the cocaine and marijuana
combined is over $2.0
million dollars.
Some of the search warrants of note for 2006 resulted in the
following:
•
Recovery of 73.4 grams of
crack cocaine and nine
guns, including four
handguns.
•
Recovery of 32.7 grams of
crack cocaine and over 50
grams of heroin, a
significant heroin seizure
showing continued
demand and availability of this drug.
•
Recovery of 368 grams of powder cocaine, $8529.00
cash, and one vehicle. The warrant was executed at a
“safe house” (a location established to store and package
illegal drugs which would then be brought back into
Grand Rapids for distribution)
in the city of Wyoming.
•
A more unusual recovery
of two alligators which the
occupant had living in a
livestock tub.
•
Recovery of 63 grams of
cocaine, one ounce of
marijuana, Ruger .44cal
handgun, Taurus 9mm
handgun, Astra .380 handgun,
Star 9mm handgun, a Mossberg
12 gauge shotgun, and $5430. The suspect in this case
was prosecuted at the federal level due to the amount of
cocaine, guns, and the suspect’s prior criminal record.
The Vice Unit puts extra emphasis on street level drug
transactions as they lead to violent crimes that effect
innocent citizens in given neighborhoods. The areas targeted
during these operations are directed by known and
documented drug trafficking areas as well as from input from
the neighborhoods and businesses. The Vice Unit works
closely with the Service Areas, SRT, and community
organizations to address this type of criminal activity.
The Vice Unit was responsible for eleven buy-bust operations
in 2006. These operations resulted in 53 purchases of illegal
drugs on the street and 67 arrests for delivery of drugs or
related offenses.
One of the biggest operations in 2006 was “Operation
Heartside.”
This “delayed case” narcotic enforcement
operation targeting street level drug sales in the Heartside
area was initiated after the businesses and residents became
deluged with street level dealers preying upon them. This
four-month long undercover operation resulted in 51
separate incidents of narcotic trafficking. Ultimately 38
subjects were charged, a majority of whom were repeat
felony offenders. Many had violent felony histories as well.
The following is short list describing some results of the Vice
Unit’s efforts in combating street level drug activity:
•
Surveillance on a street level drug trafficking suspect
resulted in the recovery of 84.3 grams of cocaine and
$2715 cash.
•
Surveillance and traffic stop on a suspect resulted in the
recovery of over 62 grams of cocaine which had been
Page 17
Investigative Division — Vice Unit
converted to crack with an estimated street value of
over $8000.
•
Surveillance on a business where, unbeknownst to the
business owners, the parking lot was identified as having
a high number of street level drug sales. Utilizing the
assistance of the Special Response Team (SRT), six
different stops were made, eight subjects were arrested
and charged with drug related offenses. Over two
pounds of marijuana, 40 grams of cocaine, 4 vehicles,
and $1938 cash were seized.
Vice officers, through
the execution of
search
warrants ,
informant information,
and
personal
observations were
able to conduct
n u m e r o u s
investigations where
multiple
firearms
were recovered. Of
the
262
search
warrants, vice officers recovered 113 firearms, averaging one
firearm recovered per every 2.3 search warrants.
PROSTITUTION
The Vice Unit works to arrest prostitutes who engage in
their activity, as well as the male customers who request
their services. Efforts are concentrated in the area of street
level prostitution as this activity has a direct effect on
assaults, drug crimes, property offenses, pandering, and
mental health issues for the prostitutes. Enforcement efforts
in this area are coordinated with the Social Work and Police
Partnership (SWAPP) program, an innovative program where
social workers provide direct assistance for prostitutes
including assistance with court, jail and elsewhere.
In 2006, the Vice Unit initiated five prostitution/”john” sting
operations resulting in the arrest of 65 male customers and
25 female prostitutes. In addition, 163 prostitution arrests
were made during lesser operations or during the course of
officers’ daily duties.
ALCOHOL ENFORCEMENT
The Vice Unit places special emphasis on preventing the
availability of underage persons to obtain alcohol. Vice
officers participate in awareness and educational
presentations to area businesses, youth groups, schools and
other organizations that have and impact with today’s youth.
Enforcement of the laws concerning furnishing alcohol to
underage persons is an important tool to encourage
compliance with the law and hold offenders accountable for
their actions. In an effort to raise awareness, three large
scale alcohol stings were conducted during the year. Out of
the 189 businesses checked, 26 businesses were cited for
Page 18
furnishing alcohol to a minor, a 14% failure rate. Future
operations will always target past offenders. In addition to
decoy stings, officers complete periodic bar checks or store
searches to verify compliance with liquor laws.
In 2006 the Vice Unit also conducted 66 background
investigations into persons applying for varying levels of liquor
licenses.
INVESTIGATIVE COOPERATION
The Vice Unit continued to work with other units within the
department, addressing multiple types of criminal incidents.
The Vice Unit also worked with other narcotic units and
police agencies.
Officers from the East Service Area were investigating a
home invasion and discovered forced entry to the residence.
Upon clearing the
residence they located
suspected marijuana in
plain view. Vice officers
were contacted and they
conducted a records
search warrant at the
residence. As a result of
the search warrant
officers recovered 48
grams of cocaine, 28 grams of marijuana and a High Point .40
caliber pistol.
Vice officers, with the North Service area, continued to
enforce the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors. This
collaborative effort included the Life Guidance Wellness and
Prevention Service, an organization that recruits youth aged
15-17 as well as adults who are trained to complete vendor
education and tobacco compliance checks. As a result of the
investigations, 33 businesses were checked and ten were
cited for the illegal sale of tobacco to a minor.
The Vice Unit initiated a year long investigation into the theft
and illegal resale of baby formula, liquor, and tobacco
products, involving the US Department of Agriculture, Meijer
Corporation, and Target. Three search warrants were
executed as well as
one consent search.
Items seized during
these
searches
included 442 cans of
baby
formula
totaling
$4961,
$4878 worth of
liquor, $2871 in
tobacco products,
and $15,341 in
cash. Two suspects were arrested and charged with
Receiving & Concealing stolen goods under $20,000 and
Conspiracy. This investigation will be ongoing into 2007.
Special Response Team
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Lieutenant Daniel Savage
Lieutenant Daniel Savage has
served as the commander of
the Special Response Team
(SRT) for nine years. In 2006,
the SRT assisted other
department units, increased
its self-initiated productivity
numbers, continued to
improve its tactical skills,
developed a training program,
supported the department’s
community policing efforts,
assisted with special events,
and continued to serve high-risk warrants and respond to
critical incidents. SRT staffing for 2006 was one lieutenant,
two sergeants, and 16 officers.
GOALS
The SRT was able to achieve its goals in 2006 including:
•
Replacement of the SRT truck with a new SRT tactical
vehicle, due in early 2007
•
Procurement of a rescue armored vehicle, also due in
early 2007
•
Continue to improve our tactical skills during training
•
Develop a training program to increase the GRPD’s
Electronic Control Device program, to begin in early
2007
•
Support the department’s community policing efforts by
working extra bike and foot patrols during the summer
months.
PATROL
During 2006, SRT officers worked a total of 14,670 patrol
hours, making 346 felony arrests and 1,184 misdemeanor
arrests. Those arrests included several for Carrying a
Concealed Weapon, Burglary, Receiving and Concealing,
Armed Robbery, Assault w/ Intent to Murder, and Homicide.
SRT also issued 1,448 traffic citations, and conducted 1,041
Field Interrogations. These numbers only include selfinitiated efforts while on patrol, and not while assisting other
units. The patrol hours increased this year as did the number
of warrants served, yet the SRT still found time to be
extremely productive in their proactive patrols.
SRT Activities
Patrol Hours
Felony Arrests
2006
2005
14,670
13,110
Differ from
2005
+11.9%
346
397
-12.8%
Misdemeanor Arrests
1,184
988
+19.8%
Traffic Citations
1,448
850
+70.4%
Field Interrogations
1,041
718
+45.0%
The SRT continued to represent the GRPD in its involvement
with area programs and groups whenever possible. Team
members provided presentations for various groups
regarding our roles and responsibilities as well as conducted
demonstrations of our equipment. SRT personnel also
provided tours of Police Headquarters to some of these
groups and willingly changed hours or donated their own
time while still representing the GRPD.
Some of the groups included the GRPD Citizen Police
Academy, Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth, Special
Olympics, Boy Scouts of America, the Thin Blue Line of
Michigan, Kent Intermediate School District and the Van
Andel Family.
Several SRT members
donated their time after a
full day’s training to help a
local Boy Scout to attain
the rank of Eagle Scout.
Team members also
participated in the
Michigan State Police
Trooper Kevin Marshall
Memorial 5K Run in
Newaygo again this year.
TRAINING
In September of 2006, the entire team went to Alpena and
conducted a week of intense training without breaking for
operational needs. Team members also attended several
training schools and instructor certification programs during
the year both to enhance the individual officer’s knowledge
and to bring back new ideas to the team to improve its
operational ability and success. The instruction included the
following:
•
Prevention and Response to Suicide Bombing Incidents
•
PPCT GAGE Instructor
•
TASER Use of Force
•
Risk Management and Legal Strategies
•
Clandestine Lab certification class
•
FBI Sniper school
•
Operational Tactics
Sniper Symposium
•
SAGE Instructor
•
Remington Armorer
school
•
Colt
Armorer
school
•
GRPD Leadership
Institute.
The SRT trains at least
four times a month to hone tactical skills as well as
proficiency on the different weapons systems in their arsenal.
The team has certified instructors for handgun, shotgun,
Page 19
submachine gun, tactical
rifle, and long rifle, with
armorers for each
weapon. There are also
instructors for TASER,
less-lethal, chemical
munitions, defensive
tactics, aerosol restraint,
ASP baton, mobile field
force,
distraction
devices and clandestine
labs.
The SRT conducted two annual competitions for current
team members. Officer Russell Taylor won the 2006 Tactical
Weapons Stress Course and Officer Paul Beckett won the
2006 Daniel C. Duyst Memorial Sniper Team competition.
Both of these courses test team member’s physical stamina
along with tactical and shooting skills and are designed by the
previous year’s winner.
MICHIGAN REGIONAL RESPONSE TEAM
In 2006, the
SRT continued
to build upon
its skills and
ability to work
in extremely
dangerous
biological,
chemical, and
radiological
environments
in the event
of a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) incident. Several
members of the team attended training courses to increase
our knowledge and skills to better deal with these hazardous
threats and situations.
The SRT continues to work and train with the Grand Rapids
Fire Department and the GRPD Bomb Team as part of the
Regional Response Team (RRT) which would respond to any
WMD incident in our community.
TACTICAL FUNCTION
In addition to serving high-risk warrants, the Special
Response Team was utilized in a tactical role on 72 different
occasions in 2006. These occasions ranged from tactical
support for special events to containing critical incidents and
bringing them to peaceful endings. This was accomplished
through a concerted effort with the Negotiator Team, Patrol,
Investigations, Special Events, Support Services, Command
Staff and outside agencies.
SEARCH WARRANTS
The majority of the 242 high-risk search warrants that were
executed in 2006 were for narcotics. Vicious dogs were
encountered on 11 (4%), and firearms were located on 62
(25%). The number of firearms located during the warrants
increased from last year. There were no reported suspect
injuries during any of the warrant services. Three dogs were
shot and killed, while two others were disabled with an
Electronic Control Device. Distraction Devices (FND’S)
were used on four warrants.
Se ar c h W arr an ts
300
2 60
242
250
19 5
200
190
201
20 04
20 05
150
100
50
0
200 2
200 3
2 006
CRITICAL INCIDENTS
The SRT was requested and responded to 24 critical
incidents, which were all resolved safely without any loss of
life or serious injury.
2006 Critical Incidents
Suicid al
Sub ject s ,
2, 8%
B ar r icad ed
Sub ject s ,
9 , 38 %
A r med
F ug it ives ,
13 , 54 %
Page 20
Support Services Division
Captain Kevin Belk
Captain Kevin Belk began his
third year in command of the
Support Services Division in
2006. The Support Services
Division is composed of the
following departments:
•
Financial Services
•
Information Technology
•
Special Services
•
Records Unit
•
Communications
Bureau
•
Motor Equipment Unit
•
Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth
•
Office of Special Events
•
Training Bureau
SPECIAL SERVICES UNIT
Traffic Unit
During 2006, the Traffic Unit conducted 28 investigations
into traffic crashes involving death, serious injury, city liability,
or other circumstances where accident investigation training
and skills were utilized. Of the 11 fatal crashes in Grand
Rapids during 2006, eight were investigated by the Traffic
Unit while the remaining three were investigated by the
Michigan State Police.
Alcohol and/or drugs were involved in four fatal crashes and
nine serious injury crashes. Two fatal and six serious injury
crashes involved pedestrians. Of the crashes investigated,
one involved a police vehicle. Three investigations involved
pursuit related crashes, two by GRPD, and one by MSP.
There was one fatality involving a motorcycle of which
responsibility was assigned to the motorcyclist.
An additional 1,799 walk in or hit and run accident reports
were followed up. Paperwork for 3,658 vehicles towed by
the GRPD was processed along with another 350 vehicles
towed by private tow companies.
RECORDS UNIT
Electronic Submission of Fingerprints
In December 2005, the Unit started processing fingerprints
on a new ID Networks system. The system enabled the
Unit to meet the increased demand for electronic submission
of fingerprints during 2006. The increase was a result of the
Michigan law passed requiring that any person who has
contact with children in a work, daycare, school, etc. be
fingerprinted electronically.
Gun Application Process
The Records Unit implemented a new gun application
process in 2006. Gun applicants are able to obtain a gun
permit at the time of application if they do not have a
criminal history and/or mental condition that disqualifies the
applicant from obtaining a permit.
COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU
Emergency Communications Unit (ECU)
Call for service volume on emergency lines increased to
168,135 calls in 2006 from 153,742 in 2005, a 9.3% increase.
Non-emergency calls increased to 216,407 calls in 2006, an
increase of 2.2%
from 211,610 calls in
2005. An estimated
but
unverified
87,000 calls were
also
handled,
occurring on the
other administrative
lines that do not
have call counting.
The 2006 year marked the final transition of staffing Grand
Rapids Fire Dispatch with professional civilian dispatchers
from the Police ECU, allowing the remaining professional Fire
Alarm Operators to be reassigned to Fire Stations. Each of
the multi-trained Emergency Communication Operator
(ECO) III’s now work both Fire and Police dispatch
assignments during each week, and the last Fire Alarm
Operator was reassigned out of Fire Dispatch by June 2006.
Warrant Unit
The Warrant Unit entered 8159 warrants, 2394 Bond
Conditions, 137 Juvenile Pick up Orders, 829 Personal
Protection Orders, and 164 No Contact Orders. In addition,
the Warrant Unit verified approximately 3,000 Registered
Sex Offenders and developed a process for addressing Sex
Offenders that moved too close to a school zone. During
the course of the year, approximately 183 warrants/citations
were issued for sex offender violations.
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) reported a total of 117,473
police calls and 19,520 rire calls in Grand Rapids during 2006.
At the same time 12,075 fire calls for Wyoming, Kentwood,
Byron, Dutton, Caledonia, and Cutlerville were handled by
Grand Rapids Fire Dispatch.
Property Management Unit
The Property Management Unit took in 17,036 items of
property during 2006. The in-car videotape inventory grew
to approximately 4,000 tapes and approximately 600 firearms
were turned over to the Michigan State Police for disposal.
Technical Services Unit (TSU)
Outside contractors were utilized more in 2006 as TSU
staffing remained at one FCC Licensed Radio Technician and
one Radio Mechanic. With the approval to refill one of the
vacant Radio Technician slots, the Communications Manager
Considerable training occurred during the year. A total of 12
new ECO’s and two supervisors were hired during the year,
ending with 34 ECO’s and four supervisors.
Page 21
updated the Technician test and interview questions.
Negotiations with Sprint-Nextel resulted in an agreement for
that company to pay for reprogramming all MDT-equipped
Grand Rapids Police and Fire vehicles to avoid future
interference with their cellular telephone system.
Projects
The Grand Rapids Wireless Team selected ClearWire as the
system provider for mobile broadband Wireless Internet.
The Team selected the emerging WI-MAX technology, which
will supplement the MDT system, as WI-MAX offers very
high bandwidth for transmitting photos and streaming video.
The NCIC/FBI-mandated MDT data encryption software was
installed in 2006 on selected units and scheduled to be
installed on the new mobile laptop computers. 9-1-1
Mapping moved closer to completion in 2006 with each
Communications 9-1-1 and dispatch position now equipped
with digital maps that actively plot 9-1-1 calls as they are
received, and also plot active Police and Fire CAD incidents.
The 300’ Belknap Tower was unable to pass the last
inspection. Temporary locations for all antennas have been
found to enable the removal and replacement of this
important communications tower.
Through a grant, additional 800 MHz radios were purchased
and are waiting programming by MSP. This will include
installation in the Mobile Command Post. A communications
link between GRPD headquarters and the Kent County
Sheriff’s Department is partially installed and will enhance
joint PSAP backup communications when completed.
MOTOR EQUIPMENT UNIT
The Motor Equipment
Section
cleaned,
maintained
the
equipment for, and
coordinated the service
and
repair
of
approximately 144
vehicles while still
functioning at a reduced
staffing level of one Vehicle Service Worker (VSW). The
Kent County Work Release Program was utilized to provide
additional labor resources in the form of two trustees who
work in the motor pool cleaning the interior and exterior of
vehicles under the supervision of the VSW.
The equipment necessary for every vehicle on patrol was
standardized and the process to replace that equipment was
streamlined to create as little down time as possible. Supply
and equipment storage in the motor pool was reorganized
and the storing of oil on site in drums was eliminated.
A limited vehicle assignment program was initiated, where
four operators were “assigned” a vehicle to operate. The
Page 22
program started has grown to 23 vehicles (four supervisor
vehicles and 19 officer vehicles).
Working with the TSU, in-car video units were removed
from the Detective Unit semi-marked vehicles. This enables
every patrol vehicle to be equipped with an in car video unit
with a newer style universal body microphone/transmitter.
New patrol vehicles are now being built with a “Ready
Buckle” prisoner restraint system that reverses the rear seat
belts. An operator can seat belt a prisoner in without
reaching across the prisoner’s body and the system holds the
prisoner in an upright position to limit their ability to injure
themselves or attempt to escape.
GRAND RAPIDS YOUTH COMMONWEALTH
In 2006, the Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth (GRYC)
welcomed a new Interim Executive Director, Chief Ed
Edwardson from the Wyoming Police Department (Ret.), and
a new Office Manager, Lieutenant Mike Johns from the GRPD
(Ret.). Officer Connie Moore began work at the Steil
Center, while Officer Herschel Crawford was at the Steil
Center for the summer.
A new Tae Kwon Do
program, run by
volunteer Jim Heglund,
founde r
of
the
Heglund Institute of
Tae Park Tae Kwon
Do, kicked off at the
Seidman Center and
youth from both
centers participated.
The Seidman Center basketball teams continued to operate
under the coaching of Officer Michael Harris. Officer Michael
Hearing continued to oversee and coach the Seidman Center
Rocket Football team with the assistance of Officers Greg
Alcala (Community Officer) and Walter Tett (PU1). The
Steil Center continued to provide logistical support and
oversight to the John Ball Park Rocket football team.
Camp O’Malley was closed and renovations were begun and
are ongoing in preparation for re-opening in 2007. The
Capital Campaign to raise the funds to renovate Camp was
started and performed excellently. With Camp O’Malley
closed for the summer, Officers Wendy Dyer and Connie
Moore coordinated several field trips for GRYC children to
attend during the summer months, including Binder Park
Zoo, Double JJ Ranch, Fredrick Meijer Gardens, the Haunt,
Klackle Orchards, and Michigan Adventure Park. Additionally
kids were transported to Camp Blodgett and to a day camp
at Grand Valley State University (Allendale) for “camp”
experiences. Officers Dyer and Moore coordinated a Back
to School Party in September and a “Parent’s Fiesta” (Parent
Open House) in June at the Steil Center. Both were
resounding successes.
Support Services Division — Special Events
Lieutenant Patrick Dean
The Office of Special Events
(OSE) became operational in
May 2006 in an effort to
centralize all City services
regarding the planning,
coordinating, and permitting
of Special Events within
Grand Rapids.
Lieutenant
Patrick Dean is the
commander of Special Events.
Once staffed, the OSE began
issuing permits for street
closures, parades, and organized walks, previously issued by
the Traffic Safety Department. Furthermore, the OSE issued
permits for park reservations for events, as well as
coordinating the rental of specialized equipment such as
portable stages and bleachers used for larger events. OSE
personnel were also tasked with keeping up with light
maintenance, painting, graffiti removal, and other
miscellaneous tasks for the Downtown Development
Authority in the downtown district.
Special Events
During 2006, the GRPD staffed 28 “Special Events,” including
nine parades,
six
festivals,
four marathons,
four walks, and
a large scale 4th
o f
J u l y
Celebration.
Also of note
was
the
Celebration on
the
Grand
weekend, the
annual Festival of the Arts, the 29th Annual Fifth Third
Riverbank Run, the grand re-opening of the Civic Theatre
downtown, and the Vice President Richard Cheney visit to
Wyoming, in which many GRPD officers were involved.
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) requested
assistance with traffic safety issues as they completed work
on several major city roadways. Officers spent a total of 49
days working on MDOT projects. During their MDOT
patrols, officers made 285 traffic stops and issued 267 traffic
citations, mainly for speeding through construction zones.
The Rapid Transit Center requested assistance to help their
security force combat an increase in student related crime at
their facility. Two officers staffed the Center each school day
for a total of 177 days in 2006, patrolling 885 hours.
Van Andel Arena
The GRPD policed 127 events at the Van Andel Arena during
2006, the Van Andel’s 10th Anniversary. Events ranged from
48 Griffins Hockey games to 20 major concerts, seven of
which were sold out. Grand Valley State University held its
annual graduation ceremonies, drawing 12,000 visitors to the
arena.
The NBA Detroit Pistons played a sold-out
exhibition game.
The U.S. Synchronized Ice Skating
Competition hosted a 3-day event, a first for the Arena.
Over 673,000 people passed during the turn-styles at the
arena during 2006. During these policed events, there were
no reported injuries to anyone coming or leaving the arena.
DeVos Place
GRPD officers staffed a combined total of 182 events at the
DeVos Performance Hall and DeVos Place Convention
Center in 2006. These events included the Grand Rapids
Symphony, Grand Rapids Ballet, many Broadway style
productions, and the “Dixieland Challenge,” an indoor motor
racing event. The officers also policed the annual West
Michigan Auto Show, Boat Show, Golf Show, Home and
Garden Show, Homeland Security Conference, the Michigan
Judicial Conference, and the Sports-Fishing and RV Shows.
Senior Volunteer Program
Under the supervision of the Special Events Coordinator and
the Senior Volunteer Program Coordinator, volunteers
provide a variety of services to our community. Just a few of
these services included:
•
Assist disabled and elderly residents through the “You
Are Not Alone” (YANA) program.
•
Sticker abandoned vehicles
•
Handle found property calls when dispatched for service
•
Report hazardous road or environmental conditions
•
Conduct house checks for citizens on vacation
•
Report City Ordinance violations
•
Observe and report suspected criminal activity
Senior
volunteers
donated over 8,443
hours to the community
and the GRPD in 2006.
They tagged or checked
on 2,950 abandoned
vehicles and wrote 716
“Disabled Zone” parking
violations. The Senior
Volunteers also delivered
1355 Food Baskets to elderly residents who are otherwise
unable to shop for themselves.
School Crossing Guard Program
State Law mandates the staffing of school crossing guard
posts. The GRPD has 41 Adult School Crossing Guards who
staff 33 traffic posts as determined by the city’s Traffic Safety
Department. Crossing guards work 35 weeks out of the year
and safely cross children to and from 26 city schools both
public and private. During 2006, there were no reported
injuries to children while crossing these covered posts.
Page 23
Support Services Division — Training Bureau
Strategic Tactical Integrated Critical Skills
The fifth mandatory training session of 2006 was Strategic
Tactical Integrated Critical Skills training, commonly known
as STICS. STICS was the follow-up to the Advanced
Integrated Critical Skills Response (AICSR) training that was
conducted in 2005. It immersed officers into a dynamic
environment, replicating high risk incidents and allowing
officers to utilize problem based learning through a series of
situations.
Lieutenant Daniel Lind
In 2006, Lieutenant Daniel Lind
completed his tenth year of
commanding the GRPD
Training Bureau.
Personnel
assigned to the
Training
Bureau included one Sergeant,
four officers and a civilian
employee. In the year 2006,
sworn personnel reported to
the Training Bureau for 20,180
hours of training.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Each officer assigned to the Training Bureau brings his or her
own area of expertise. Each of the four officers have very
distinct responsibilities, including maintenance of the firearms
range and armory, equipment, fitness center maintenance,
scheduling, Manual of Procedures (MOP) revision and legal
updates, background checks, police interns, and recruitment
and hiring of new police officers.
MANDATORY TRAINING
In 2006, each officer received an average of 37.7 hours of
mandatory training.
M and at o r y T r aining Ho ur s p er
There were eight
Of f icer
mandatory training
42
3 7.7
sessions.
2 5.5
20
•
MOP revisions
& Legal Update:
978 hours
•
Use of Force
2003
2004
2005
2006
Recertification:
1,404 hours
•
Performance Evaluation system: 1,252 hours
•
Bloodborne Pathogens Recertification: 308 hours
•
Strategic Tactical Integrated Critical skills (STICS): 2,496
hours
•
CPR/Mental Health/Resisting & Obstructing: 1,040 hours
•
Strategic Plan: 422 hours
•
Firearms: 3,724 hours
In addition, Training Bureau officers totaled 629 hours on
remedial training and make-up sessions.
50
40
The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards
(MCOLES) awarded the GRPD $107,557 for this training.
Training Bureau personnel, firearms, defensive tactics, and
emergency vehicle operation (EVO) instructors subsequently
spent the months of June, August, and September sending
272 people through the eight hour session. As with the
AICSR training, the GRPD was the only agency of its size that
was conducting this type of advanced use of force training.
30
20
NON-MANDATORY TRAINING
10
0
Mandatory Training Hours
M OP / Le ga l
8%
Fi r e a r ms
32%
Us e of For c e
12%
St r a t e gi c
P l an
4%
C P R / M e nt a l
He a l t h
9%
Page 24
P e r f or m
E val
11%
ST I CS
21%
Bl ood Bor ne
pa t hoge ns
3%
Non Mandatory Training accounted for approximately 41% of
the total training time logged during 2006.
•
The Leadership Institute: 3960 hours
•
Recruit Class 06 – 1: 1400 hours
•
Dr. Gilmartin: 368 hours
•
Bike Training: 240 hours
•
Miscellaneous: 1959 hours
HIRING & RECRUITING
In June 2006, the Training Bureau received approval from the
City Manager to hire five new officers.
Day one of Recruit Class 06-1 was Monday, July 24, 2006.
The recruit class was a young group of officers, two of which
had worked for the GRPD previously as police Interns. Over
the next several weeks, nearly sixty instructors spent
approximately 300 hours with these new recruits. Officers
Rene Garza, Kyle Preslar, Nikalus Sheridan, Brent Stuart and
Thomas Warwick were sworn in as fully empowered police
officers on Friday September 8, 2006. Officer Thomas
Warwick represented the third generation of his family to
serve in the GRPD.
Support Services Division — Training Bureau
When a recruit class finishes its in-house orientation, the
training for them is far from complete. The new recruits are
then assigned to patrol and assigned to a Field Training
Officer. The field training program is a six step, 16 week
process and culminates into the new recruit gradually doing
all of the day to day operations in the patrol car.
Hiring Process
On August 22, 2006, the Human Resources Department
started accepting applications for the position of Police
Officer. The exam was scheduled for October 5, 2006 On
test day, 144 people arrived to take the test. Four days later,
eight officers started their temporary assignment as
Background Investigators. They assisted in screening all 144
applicants. Once it was determined which candidates had
passed the test and the administrative review, they were
scheduled for a panel interview. Over the course of two and
a half days, panels interviewed nearly 90 candidates. From
that list, eight officers completed 56 background
investigations in eight weeks.
Police Interns
Each year, between 30 and 40 college students submit
applications for the GRPD police intern program. In 2006,
Training Bureau personnel spent over 450 hours on
interviews and background investigations of potential police
interns. The GRPD hired 12 new police interns in 2006 who
received 25 hours of training and orientation in the following
topics: Policy & Procedure, Internal Affairs Unit/Ethics, Sexual
Harassment, Silent Observer, Report Writing, and FileMaker
records management system.
During the summer of 2006, two police interns received
additional duties. Concerned about the security of the
citizens in the parks and pools, and in need of someone to
secure the parks in the evening, the City Parks & Recreation
Department solicited the assistance of our interns.
incidents, narcotic use in 19% and mental illness was a factor
in 15% of incidents.
EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATION
There were a total of 51 vehicular pursuits in 2006, a 10.5%
decrease from 2005. An injury was the result of 11 (22%)
pursuits and there were no fatalities. Fifteen pursuits, or
29%, resulted in a property accident.
An Emergency Vehicle Operation (EVO) program was
instituted in 2002, with the goal of reducing officer at-fault
traffic crashes by 50%. Of the 61 officer involved accidents in
2006, officers were found to be at fault in 35 incidents, a 58%
reduction in at-fault accidents since 2002.
Of f i c e r I nv ol v e d Tr a f f i c Cr a she s
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Personnel in the Training Bureau often operate in an
educational role to the community. During 2006, the
Training Bureau scheduled over 150 ride-a-longs and 11 job
shadow or internships experiences. They conducted use of
force demonstrations for new members of the Police Chief’s
Advisory Team, Civilian Appeal board, and City Attorneys.
USE OF FORCE
In 2006, the GRPD had contact with almost 417,000 people,
including traffic stops, field interrogations, citizen contacts,
and telephone calls to the dispatch center. According to the
Kent County Correctional Facility, the GRPD made 13,254
arrests in 2006.
Of these 13,000+ arrests, only 597 incidents evolved into a
situation where some level of force had to be used. After
excluding incidents where force was used on animals or by
the GRPD K-9 unit, some level of force was used in 531
arrests (4%). In 96% of arrests, no force is used.
During these 4% of arrest cases, suspects sustained 256
minor injuries and three serious injuries.
Officers
documented 114 minor injuries and six serious injuries.
Mental illness and substance abuse often influence a suspect’s
behavior and subsequently, the decision to use force or the
level of force used. Alcohol use was a factor in 47% of force
Two Civilian Police Academies were coordinated in 2006,
with nearly 40 participants between the two sessions.
Participants met once a week for ten weeks, receiving
information and instruction on: Internal Affairs Unit, Traffic
Stops, EVO and pursuits, Emergency Communication
Operations, SRT, Criminal Law, Detective & Forensic Units,
Vice Unit & K-9 teams, Use of Force, and PrIsm.
Similarly, in June 2006, the GRPD’s first Youth Police
Academy was held. Students went through a selection
process, including background checks and interviews. For
one week, the students began with physical training in the
morning followed by instruction on a variety of topics in the
afternoon.
A further opportunity to educate the youth of Grand Rapids
was developed. The GRPD High School Cadet program was
developed and started in 2006. Three high school students
now work at the GRPD once a week.
Page 25
Chapter Three
In the Spotlight
GRPD Public Affairs Office
The GRPD Public Affairs Office arranged for members of the GRPD to
participate in many projects, fundraisers, and other community events during
2006. Following is only a partial list of the many activities supported by our
department.
February
Reeds Lake Polar Plunge (fundraiser for Special Olympics of Michigan)
WLAV Mardi Gras Gumbo Cook-off
March
GRPD vs. Mercantile Bank Basketball Game (fundraiser
for Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth
May
Cops on a Doughnut Shop (fundraiser for Special
Olympics of Michigan)
Police Unity Tour (fundraiser for National Police
Officer’s Memorial)
Battle of the Badges Blood Drive
June
Hall & Cass Field Office Dedication
August
R&O Video Premier
Cops Fore Kids Golf Outing
Schools Open Soon (SOS) Campaign
September
Camp O’Malley Capital Campaign (check presentation at Camp O’Malley)
Canine Unit Foundation Expo at Celebration Cinema
Tomato Fest War (fundraiser for local food kitchens)
Chili Cook-off (United Methodist Community
House SWAPP Fundraiser)
October
Young at Heart Fundraiser (fundraiser for
Children’s Assessment Center at GRPD
Headquarters)
GRPD Police Officers’ Ball (fundraiser for
Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth)
Father Dennis Morrow’s 30 year as GRPD
Chaplain celebration
Camp O’Malley Public Capital Campaign
kickoff
Thin Blue Line publication debut
December
GRYC United Way Campaign
Elves & More bike give away
Page 27
Public Affairs Office
Lieutenant Ralph Mason
On August 2, 2006, the Public
Affairs Office premiered the
Resisting and Obstructing
video at the Wealthy Street
Theatre. The video was
produced to address
community concerns and
misunderstandings about
police actions in an effort to
educate the city’s youth and
adult citizens on the Offenses
Against Government Order
ordinance.
Since its release, the GRPD has partnered
with the Grand Rapids Public Schools with
the goal of presenting the video to every
student in grades 6-12. To date, the Public
Affairs Office, along with several
Community Officers, have presented the
video to classes at Central, Ottawa Hills,
and Union High Schools. The video has
also been seen by most sixth grade
students at Riverside Middle School. The
department will continue to work with the
schools during 2007.
In addition to presentations at the public
schools, the Resisting and Obstructing
video has also been presented to Grand
Rapids Community College Criminal
Justice classes and also runs daily on
community access channels 25 & 26 in the
Grand Rapids area.
Page 28
The Public Affairs Office expects to produce more videos in
the future to continue to address community concerns and
misunderstandings about police activities.
Operation ALL-OUT
Avenue and to the 1300 block of Madison Avenue in
response to numerous concerns regarding violence and
subjects congregating, creating traffic problems. No serious
incidents have been reported since the assignment was
launched, and subjects are now aware that they are not
allowed to congregate in area parking lots.
On June 29, 2006, the Grand Rapids Police Department
(GRPD) launched Operation ALL-OUT in response to police
and community concerns regarding an escalating rate of
shooting incidents reported during the month of June.
Throughout the months of July, August, and September,
community leaders, neighbors, and GRPD personnel worked
collaboratively to respond to a growing trend of violent
crime occurring within Grand Rapids. This reflects a national
trend as violent crime in many urban communities across the
United States has increased during 2005 and 2006.
Curfew sweeps in July and August resulted in 30 arrests for
curfew violation, one arrest for minor in possession of
alcohol, and one subject was arrested on warrants.
Violent Crime Comparison – All Shootings Involving Injury
18
2005
8
8
7
5
4
33
3
2006
7 7
6
5
6
4
3
3
2
22
2
3
2
0
Jan Feb
Mar
West Service Area
Officers were assigned to foot and bike
patrols, focusing on the areas near the
bar establishments within the West
Service Area. The two person foot/bike
patrols were conducted during peak bar
hours on Friday and Saturday nights
from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. The officers
made many business contacts along with
arrests, traffic stops, file checks, and
field interrogations.
Apr
May Jun
Jul
Aug Sep
Oct
Nov Dec
Although June 2006 spiked with 18 shooting incidents, that number significantly dropped in July and
August, primarily due to the increased activity of the police officers working in partnership with citizens
and community leaders in neighborhoods most affected by violent crime.
SERVICE AREA AND UNIT OVERVIEW
South Service Area
Two field offices were established directly within
neighborhoods long plagued by violent crime, at Hall Street &
Cass Avenue and at 1031 Baxter Street SE. The offices were
utilized on a 24-hour basis by officers taking complaints,
writing reports, and meeting with citizens. Captain Jamers
Farris and Lieutenant Eric Payne met with officers and
citizens and developed proactive enforcement strategies.
Regularly scheduled foot and bike patrols were conducted in
the area around the field offices. The Hall Street/Cass
Avenue field office will continue to operate indefinitely. The
field office located at 1031 Baxter Street, SE, was removed
during the winter months due to the lack of heating options.
Due to the weapons discharge violations that occurred in
June at the Paul I. Phillips Center, as well as reports of large
disorderly groups in the neighborhood, a foot patrol
assignment was established before, during, and after evening
scheduled events to avoid closing the critical youth center
during the summer months.
Foot patrols continued
throughout the summer, resulting in a successful summer
program. Scheduled events took place without incident.
There were no reported complaints of shots fired and/or
disorderly groups in the surrounding neighborhood.
Officers were assigned to the area of Hall Street and Division
The Bridge Street to Leonard Street
Two Person Bike Patrol Project was
initiated at the end of July and continued
through August, which resulted in
numerous contacts with area businesses,
arrests, and file and security checks.
On August 4, 2006, while on patrol as
part of Operation ALL-OUT, officers
attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of Pine Avenue and
Bridge Street for a traffic violation. The vehicle fled from
officers at a high rate of speed and crashed within seconds.
The driver and passenger fled on foot and were
apprehended. Located on the backseat floor of the vehicle
was a .22 rifle, with a partially loaded magazine.
North Service Area
Over the summer, officers conducted foot and bike patrols at
Orchard Place and Stonebrook Apartment complexes,
resulting in many arrests for littering, urinating in public,
driving offenses, curfew violations, and possession of drugs.
Officers made contact with many of the residents who were
grateful for the officers’ increased presence.
Officers were assigned to the Cherry Street/Madison Avenue
area. There had been many complaints of drug dealing, drug
use, drinking in public, fights, and other issues that affect the
quality of life of citizens living in the neighborhood. A
number of persons were arrested for consuming alcohol in
public, littering, and for trespassing in the parking lot of Clark
Foods. Officers identified other subjects loitering in the
neighborhood who did not live there.
East Service Area
Officers were assigned foot patrol in various high crime
locations within the East Service Area, which resulted in
Page 29
Operation ALL-OUT
numerous arrests, the towing of vehicles, and tickets being
issued. A curfew sweep was conducted, resulting in 12
arrests and one pickup order arrest for a juvenile.
Police presence was increased on Division Avenue at Griggs
Street, a long-time “hot” spot for disorderly behavior, drug
trafficking, and robbery.
Officers performed scene
supervision for multi-suspect arrests for an armed robbery at
43 La Belle Street SW, resulting in two arrests for the
charges of Possession of Cocaine and Operating while
Intoxicated at 2643 Kalamazoo Avenue.
An armed robber was arrested at Quigley Boulevard and
South Division Avenue, which resulted in the recovery of a
handgun and the victim’s wallet and money.
The Support Services Division provided logistical and
technical support for the two field offices operational in the
South Service Area, including:
• Researched and built a remote video monitoring
solution and a remote alarm system for both locations,
installed the cameras, wireless transmitters, receivers,
and the administration and setup of the systems.
• Acted as the secondary contact for any alarms at both
locations, coordinating the use and management of the
security of the field offices.
• Assisted in the investigation of the theft of city property
at the Baxter Field Office. The suspect was arrested, and
the property was recovered based upon information
provided by this unit.
• Coordinated the installation of docking stations and
related network equipment and fiber optic network
connectivity back to the department to provide email
other network solutions into the field offices.
• Obtained and installed distraction video surveillance
equipment at the field offices to off-set the risk of the
destruction of departmental property.
• Installed secure bike lockers at both field offices.
Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth (GRYC)
GRYC officers were assigned additional duty at the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Park and pool area to provide security, in
response to lifeguard assaults and general safety concerns.
GRYC officers utilized foot patrol time in the park to
encourage children to attend the youth centers and build
positive relations with citizens attending the parks. Officers
continued their activities at the Steil and Seidman Youth
Recreation Centers.
Detective Unit
Two detectives and a supervisor were assigned to work
every Friday and Saturday night from July through August,
increasing the availability for immediate response to
shootings and other serious violent crime incidents.
The detectives were available to patrol for additional support
on felony cases. They also had the opportunity to conduct
Page 30
surveillance and devote additional time to a criminal sexual
assault that took place downtown. In addition, Detective
Unit personnel:
• Interviewed suspect of an Assault with Intent to Murder
and preparation for warrant;
• Responded to Assault with Intent to Murder that had
occurred in the downtown area;
• Interviewed a suspect arrested on an Assault and
Battery warrant, who was also a potential witness to a
homicide;
• Supported service areas with curfew sweeps;
• Assisted Fleeing and Eluding, Carrying a Concealed
Weapon, and Possession with Intent cases, which
included interviews of suspects;
• Assisted Michigan State Police Wayland Post with a
search warrant on a large Receiving and Concealing case;
• Worked on four separate homicide cases; and
• Performed additional follow-up investigations (bank
robbery, robbery from a person, business burglaries).
Vice Unit
The Vice Unit supported Operation ALL-OUT by focusing
additional attention and resources within violent crime
neighborhoods located throughout the city. In the Heartside
Delayed Case Investigations, 51 warrants were obtained and
38 suspects charged. The following is a summary of unit
activity during Operation ALL-OUT:
• 97 Search Warrants
• 84 Drug Arrests
• 47 Buy/Bust Arrests
• 90 Prostitution Arrests
• 44 Other Arrests
• 53 Guns Recovered
Drugs Recovered and Street Value:
• Crack Cocaine
500+ grams
$60,000
• Marijuana
5000+ grams
$27,000
• Heroin
10+ grams
$ 1,000
Seizure and Forfeiture:
During this operation, currency, vehicles, and other property,
valued in excess of $164,000, was seized, and the forfeiture
process was initiated.
Special Response Team officers assisted in Operation ALL-OUT
throughout the summer.
Officers continued regular
assignments in addition to foot and bike patrol duties. They
also covered patrol supervisor shifts, supplemented patrol
services, and assisted the Vice Unit in a city-wide buy/bust
operation. This activity resulted in the following totals:
• 153
Reports
• 251
File Checks
• 36
Citations
• 56
Field Interrogations
• 38
Misdemeanor arrests
• 59
Felony arrests
Canine Unit
Fanja are called to track after armed robbery suspects
flee from officers, tossing down handguns during the
flight. K-9 Fanja tracks to a hidden suspect on a porch.
Prints from the gun match the hiding suspect, who the
victim could not identify.
Sergeant Mark Mathis
In 2006, the seven Grand
Rapids Police Canine Teams
responded to 6,882 calls for
service and used their dogs
1,325 times. The unit arrested
122 people that would have
most
likely
evaded
apprehension without the help
of the dogs.
The Canine Teams visited with
over 7,500 people at
presentations
and
demonstrations in 2006. In September all seven active dogs
and the three living retired dogs were able to attend an event
at Celebration Cinemas. The event was hosted by the GRPD
Canine Unit Foundation.
Thirteen demos and several
informational booths were enjoyed by thousands of visitors.
Dogs have been
used in 12,281
incidents since
1998. They
have made
1,217 arrests.
Officer Timothy Hoornstra and K-9 Brik
were added to the Unit in 2006 and began
working the street in May. K-9 Fanja and
K-9 Boe both retired in 2006 after very
productive careers. Both dogs had been
working for GRPD since 1999.
•
Sergeant Jonathan Wu and K-9 Dino are called after a
cell phone store is burglarized. During an area search,
K-9 Dino begins barking at a stream in the sub-freezing
weather. Upon inspection, Sergeant Wu finds the two
suspects submerged in the water.
•
After a string of
church burglaries
Officer Prince and K-9
Blesk backtrack from
one of the churches
to a home that the
suspect came from.
Important information
is developed that
assists
in
the
identification and
ultimate arrest of the
suspect.
•
Officer Kim Hartuniewicz and Boe respond to help after
an armed robbery suspect fled from
officers on foot, jumping off the
Dogs are the
freeway at US131 and I-196. The
only law
suspect is located hiding under a car
enforcement tool
in the nearby neighborhood.
that can be
“called back”
After an afternoon homicide,
once deployed.
Officer LaFave and K-9 Bak track
two blocks to the rear of a home.
One suspect, who confessed to the shooting, is located
inside.
AWARDS
Sergeant Mathis was awarded his Master Trainers
accreditation by the International Police Work Dog
Association (IPWDA). IPWDA has members in six countries
and thirty-seven states. Sergeant Mathis continues to author
the IPWDA Journal, which is distributed to 1,500 Canine
Teams worldwide.
•
A new organization with strong connections in Michigan, the
National Association of Professional Canine Handlers
(NAPCH), was formed in 2006. Officer Michael LaFave,
Officer Richard Prince, Sergeant Mathis, and Sergeant
Darren Geraghty were all granted Trainer’s status by the
organization.
•
SergeantGeraghty and K-9
Liam track to a missing suicidal
subject. The subject is found
unresponsive, underneath a
boat, after an overdose.
Medical Units are summoned
and transport the subject to the
hospital for treatment.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Canine Teams are responsible for catching suspects that
are often involved
in pattern crimes
Canine Unit
# in
% differ
home
2006 from 2005 (robberies,
invasions, larcenies,
Total calls
6,882
+15.8%
etc.). Consider the
Dog Uses
1,325
+ 10.8% impact of just a few
of the incidents in
Arrests
122
-3.2%
which the Canine
Tracks
499
+4.0% T e a m s
were
Narcotic Searches
450
+ 6.7% involved:
Narcotic Finds
255
+ 26.2% •
Sergeant
Geraghty and K9
•
Sergeant Mathis and K-9
Tico track to a naked suspect
that had been exposing himself
to children along a nature trail.
•
Officer Patrick Baker and K-9 Tara respond after
multiple shots are fired by suspects into a car. They
track to a home, where the suspects, the gun, and body
armor are all located inside.
•
Officer Hoornstra and K-9 Brik encounter a suspect on
a shots fired call. The suspect is non-compliant.
Utilizing K-9 Brik, Officer Hoornstra is able to arrest the
suspect, who has a handgun in his waistband.
Page 31
Bomb Team
Lieutenant Paul Warwick
EQUIPMENT
In 2006, Lieutenant Paul
Warwick commanded the
GRPD Bomb Team for his
eighth year. The department
responded to over 50 calls in
2006 involving threats,
recovery and/or explosive
related request for service.
The department has a fully equipped bomb team, which
includes:
•
Protective Equipment (bomb suits and Self Contained
Breathing Apparatus –SCBA)
•
Analysis Equipment (chemical, radiological, computer
and x-ray)
•
Render Safe Equipment (explosive and disruptive
capabilities).
Explosives recovery involving
fireworks, explosive military
ordnance, and other explosive
related items continues to be
an ongoing issue. The GRPD continues to respond to the
requests in a safe and professional way.
A state of the art Remotec Andros F6A robot and 2006
GMC bomb truck are the most recent additions to the
GRPD Bomb Team. The respond truck allows the team to
transport necessary equipment to a scene while also affording
team members a workable platform from which to work.
Officers are assigned to the Bomb Team in addition to their
regular duties. Along with the department’s two explosive
trained K-9 officers, the seven members of the Bomb Team
routinely respond to bomb threats at various locations in and
out of the city of Grand Rapids assisting personnel on those
calls. Additional responsibilities include threat assessments
along with dignitary search and protection details throughout
West Michigan.
The Andros F6A robot offers bomb team members another
level to remotely resolve or to perform analysis of suspect
items. The robot also has to capability to be utilized during
barricaded person calls as well as hazmat related incidents.
The Andros F6A is able to cross obstacles and ditches, climb
stairs and operate in sand, gravel, mud and grass. The
Andros F6A is equipped with multiple television cameras for
remote viewing and a dexterous manipulator for hazardous
tasks.
The department’s Bomb Team currently has four certified
bomb technicians. Three additional officers are waiting their
date to attend the five-week basic training at the Red Stone
Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
TRAINING
Bomb Team members train monthly as part of the guidelines
established by the FBI, who oversees the training and
recertification of all civilian bomb technicians. The training
may involve awareness training with the GRPD Special
Response Team, with the Grand Rapids Fire Department, or
with surrounding departments during full scale emergency
drills.
Team members continue to train on the critical skills
including response to, analysis of, and render safe of suspect
packages or improvised explosives devices (IED’s)
In addition to the monthly training, individual team members
have received advanced training in topics including:
•
Large Vehicle Bombs-Post Blast
•
Large Vehicle Bomb Mitigation
•
Suicide Bombers
•
Explosive Entries
•
Post Blast Reconstruction.
Page 32
Leadership Institute
Lieutenant David Kiddle
In the Fall of 2006, the GRPD
offered its third session of
the Leadership Institute. The
Institute strives to improve
leadership knowledge, skills,
and abilities of all sworn and
civilian personnel through
various instructional
strategies. The program is
organized by Lieutenant
David Kiddle.
The Leadership Institute is a
three week course to provide police officers, supervisors of
all levels, and civilian employees with meaningful supervisory,
leadership skills. It is the goal of the department to ensure
that all supervisors, and eventually all sworn personnel,
attend the Leadership Institute.
This year, 33 participants, representing the Grand Rapids,
Grandville, Kentwood, Walker, and Wyoming Police
Departments, as well as representation from Calvin College
Campus Safety. The Institute was sponsored this year by
Calvin College and was hosted at its Prince Conference
Center.
Participants heard from nationally and renowned facilitators
as well as from local speakers. Speakers included:
• Chief Harry Dolan, Grand Rapids Police Department
• Battalion Chief Kevin Sehlmeyer, Grand Rapids Fire
Department
• Dr. Murlene “Mac” McKinnon, MACNLOW Training
Associates
• Lt. David Kiddle & Lt. John Keelean, GRPD
• Colonel Tadarial Sturdivant, Director, Michigan State Police
• Dr. Arend D. Lubbers, Former President, Grand Valley State
University
• Jack Enter, Jack Enter and Associates
• Steve Sampson,
SoTelligence, Inc.
• Bill Westfall,
Gallagher-Westfall
Group
• Lt. Dan Savage & Lt.
Dan Lind, GRPD
• Mary Jane Pories,
Fishladder, Inc.
• Chief Deputy Sam
Harris, Berrien County
Sheriff Department
(former Chief of
Benton Harbor PD)
• Dr. Don Maine,
Author and former
President/ Chancellor,
•
•
•
•
Davenport University;
Dr. David Steenstra, Business Consultant
Gordon Graham, Graham Research Consultants
Gilbert Skinner, Criminal Justice Management Institute
Gleaves Whitney, Director, Hauenstein Center for Presidential
Studies, Grand Valley State University.
In addition to speakers, participants engaged in small group
activities, conducted individual leadership inventories and
assessments, and researched and presented on a leader of
their choice.
The Leadership Institute covered a wide variety of leadership
skills and issues. Topics included:
♦ Team Building
♦ Keys to Practicing
Successful Leadership
♦ Leadership Ethics
♦ Leadership Styles
♦ Challenging the
Organizational
Culture: Proactive
Leadership Strategies
♦ Communications
Skills
for Law
Enforcement Leaders
♦ Leadership and Mastering Performance Management
♦ Critical Incident Directive Leadership
♦ Leadership Lessons from Benton Harbor Riots,
♦ Organizational Risk Management Issues
♦ Success as a Manager
♦ Presidential Leadership Styles.
The final day of the Leadership Institute was dedicated to
participant presentations.
From these presentations,
participants learned about the leadership styles and strategies
of 32 different leaders.
Page 33
Citizen Police Academy
•
•
•
•
Lieutenant Mark Ostapowicz
During the spring and again in
the fall of 2006, the GRPD
hosted a Citizen Police
Academy, organized by
Lieutenant Mark Ostapowicz.
The Citizen Police Academy is
a ten week program. Members
meet once a week to become
more educated on GRPD
procedures and the pressures
associated with law
enforcement.
Between the
two academies, nearly forty community members
participated in 2006. With the graduation of the
Fall 2006 class, the ninth Citizen Police Academy,
over 220 members of the Grand Rapids
community have participated.
Hostage Negotiation
Internal Affairs Unit
Vice Unit and Canine Units.
Participants also receive instruction on topics such as Traffic
Stops, Criminal Law, Emergency Vehicle Operation, and Use
of Force. Presentations consist of lectures, demonstrations,
videos, computer presentations, and “hands on” participation.
Each member of the academy completes a ride-a-long with a
GRPD officer.
The academy program includes demonstrations
from:
• Patrol Operations
• Detective and Forensic Services Units
• Emergency Communication Operations
Youth Police Academy
were distributed through the schools. After the applications
were received, background checks were completed and
interviews of the candidates were conducted.
Officer Brian Gard
In June, 2006, the GRPD’s first
Youth Police Academy was
held with over 20 students
participating.
Officer Brian
Gard developed and organized
the Youth Police Academy.
This comprehensive, week long
academy provides high school
Juniors and Seniors from Grand
Rapids with an opportunity to
experience what a career in law
enforcement would be like.
Students spent over 50 hours learning a variety of topics
including: patrol operations, dispatch, hostage negotiations,
Vice Unit,
Special
Response
Team, and
C a n i n e
team.
A selection
process was
developed
and
the
applications
Page 34
High School Cadet Program
During the week, Officers Allen Noles and Harrell Smith
provided physical training in the mornings. In the afternoons,
the students had experiences in the classroom, public
speaking, and “scenario based” training. Highlights of the
academy included a mock crime scene.
Officer Gard also developed the GRPD High School Cadet
program, new for 2006. This program was implemented by
the Training Bureau to increase recruitment opportunities for
the GRPD and to create positive exposure in and with our
public schools.
The cadets will
work once a
week either at
the department
or at the GRYC
Steil
Center.
Darryl
Ross,
Maria
Nunez,
and
Stevfon
R og e rs -Bro wn
are the inaugural
members of the GRPD High School Cadet program.
Chapter Four
Awards and
Recognitions
The following awards are selected annually by the Board of
Awards, which is comprised of employees of the Grand
Rapids Police Department.
Submissions are made by
supervisors or coworkers of employees who have displayed
an exemplary level of performance and who deserve
recognition for their service.
•
Memorial Award of Honor: Granted to a deceased
employee who was killed in the line of duty.
•
Police Medal: Highest award obtainable by a living
member of the Grand Rapids Police Department for
risking his or her life to go above and beyond the call of
duty.
•
•
voted on by the Board of Awards based on the past
year’s cumulative performance and achievements.
•
Award of Merit: Granted to an employee for an
accomplishment resulting in improved administration or
operation of the Grand Rapids Police Department.
•
Commendation Medal: Granted to an employee for
exemplary service rendered in the line of duty where a
hazardous condition need not be present.
•
Team Performance: Granted to a group of
employees who identified problems, and, through
teamwork, impacted the quality of life for the residents.
Distinguished Service Medal: Granted for service
rendered in the line of duty when an officer, due to his
or her diligence and perseverance, shows meritorious
conduct involving courage and risk to his or her
personal safety.
•
Achievement Medal: Granted for service rendered
on a difficult task that required problem solving,
initiative, thoroughness, and determination.
•
Combat Star: Granted to an employee who is
seriously injured while in the performance of police
duty.
Meritorious Unit Citation: Granted to each member
of a unit whereby the unit displayed exceptional
professionalism, skill, or performance.
•
Chief’s Citation: Granted at the sole discretion of the
Chief of Police to sworn officers, civilian employees,
citizens, or an organization whom the Chief deems
worthy.
•
Letter of Recognition: Granted to any employee for
noteworthy service but does not meet any of the
previous classifications.
•
Lifesaving Medal: Granted to any employee for the
saving of a human life.
•
Police Officer of the Year: Honor granted to an
officer after being nominated by his/her peers, approved
by the officer’s commander, and voted on by the Board
of Awards based on the past year’s cumulative
performance and achievements.
•
Civilian Employee of the Year: Honor granted to a
civilian employee after being nominated by his/her
peers, approved by the employee’s supervisor, and
Page 35
Employee Awards
Police Officer of the Year
Officer Matthew DeJong
Officer Matthew DeJong is a
lifelong resident of Michigan.
After attending Dearborn High
School, Officer DeJong pursued
his studies at Calvin College,
graduating with a double major
in
Criminal
Justice
and
Psychology, as well as becoming
a graduate from the Kalamazoo
Valley Community College Police
Academy in 1993.
Officer DeJong was hired by the
in January 1994. He has been
assigned as a South Service Area patrol officer for the past 2
½ years. During his tenure with the department, Officer
DeJong has had several other positions, including
Investigations Detective (including six years as a member of
the Major Case Team), Firearms Instructor, and Field
Training Officer. He has served as a member of the
department’s Honor Guard for the last ten years. Officer
DeJong has received numerous Letters of Recognition and
three Meritorious Unit Citations.
Matt DeJong and his wife, Jill, are the proud parents of two
sons, ages six and four. The family is currently awaiting final
approval to bring home their newest addition to the family, a
one-year old daughter from Guatemala. Matt assists Bethany
Christian Services by speaking with potential adoptive families
and by participating in question and answer sessions. Matt’s
outside interests include running and playing golf
Other nominees for Police Officer of the Year:
Officer Valerie Carrasco and Officer Mary Woronko
Officer Timothy Dimock
Officer Jessica Payne
Officer Scott Snyder
Officer Scott Stormer
Officer Russell Taylor
Officer Demetrios Vakertzis
Officer Jason VanSpronsen
Page 36
Civilian Employee of the Year
Latent Print Technician Julie Snyder
Julie Snyder grew up in
Sterling Heights, Michigan.
She first studied biology/
physical science at
Wittenberg University in
southern Ohio, after which
time she returned to
Michigan. She received an
Associate of Applied ScienceCrime Lab Technician degree
from Macomb Community
College and a Bachelor of
Arts in Criminal Justice from
Grand Valley State University.
Mrs. Snyder’s Forensics
career began with positions at the Warren Police
Department, in its Identifications Unit, and at the Michigan
State Police Crime Lab, located in Sterling Heights.
Mrs. Snyder was then hired by the Grand Rapids Police
Department in 1998, when she started in the position as a
Crime Scene Technician. She was promoted to her current
position of Latent Print Technician in 2004. Mrs. Snyder has
been certified as an AFIS (Automated Fingerprint
Identification System) operator by the Michigan State Police
and has been qualified as an expert court witness at both
state and federal levels.
Julie Snyder and her husband, Officer Andrew Snyder, reside
in Grand Rapids.
Other nominees for Civilian Employee of the Year:
Joel Carter
Michael Dekam
Steven Engvall
2006 Employee Awards & Recognitions
Lifesaving Medal
Patrick Dean
Timothy Hoornstra
Thomas VanderPloeg
Theodore Whalen
Police Officer of the Year
Matthew DeJong
Police Officer of the Year Nominee
Valerie Carrasco
Timothy Dimock
Jessica Payne
Scott Snyder
Scott Stormer
Russell Taylor
Demetrios Vakertzis
Jason VanSpronsen
Mary Woronko
Civilian Employee of the Year
Julie Snyder
Civilian Employee of the Year Nominee
Joel Carter
Michael Dekam
Steven Engvall
Award of Merit
Scott Snyder
Commendation Medal
Jose Gamez
Team Performance—South 5
Jason Bernard
Herschel Crawford
Nathan Fynewever
Gretchen Galloway
John Guerrero
Shawn Harmon
Timothy Johnston
Thomas McCarthy
John Newberry
Andrew Snyder
Aaron Stevens
Douglas Wissink
John Wittkowski
Jeremy Wortz
Achievement Medal
Kent Beracy
Daryl Clemens (2)
Matthew DeJong
Jamie Fugate
Dean Garrison
Jason Horrigan
Paul Kenny
Michael LaFave (2)
Amanda Linklater
Brian Reed
Gregory Rekucki
Gretchen Ross
Jerry Shaffer
Scott Vogrig
Catherine Williams
William Wolz
Meritorious Unit Citation Emergency Communications Unit
Sally Ambutavicz
Gary Betz
Erin Boone
Ruth Cook
Michael Dekam
Paula DeYoung
Paul Emelander
David Engle
Patricia Flowers
Tracy Gosnell
Ralph Gould
Carol Green
Judy Hebert
Colleen Johnson
John Knol
Christopher Korstange
Michael Krenz
Meredith Lange
Maria Lemon
Gregory Nelson
Kristin Novitsky
Cynthia Nowack
Donna Pingel
Sylvia Prince
Daryl Recker
Penny Skrycki
Robert Smith
Kenneth Soli
Marc Sonefeld
William Tidey
David VanHouten
Reed Wakeman
Donald Werkema
Meritorious Unit Citation Forensic Services Unit
Julianne Chan
Daryl Clemens
Karen Curtiss
Dean Garrison
Cecile Herald
Richard Litts
Brian Reed
Gretchen Ross
Tracy Saur
Jerry Shaffer
Julie Snyder
William Wolz
Meritorious Unit Citation Training Bureau
Kelly Bowers
Marty Copeland-Shay
John Dorer
Brian Gard
Katie Hefner
Daniel Lind
Jessica Payne
Sean Tully
Chief's Citation
Michael Mesman
Allen Noles
John Riley
Letter of Recognition
Refugio Alcala
Todd Allen (5)
Jonathan Baak
Patrick Baker
Elliott Bargas (2)
Frank Barthel
Joseph Beracy
Jason Bernard (4)
Chris Bernardo
Andrew Bingel (2)
Jeffrey Bouma
David Bouwkamp (2)
Joel Bowman
Brad Bush (2)
Page 37
Thomas Bush (2)
John Bylsma (2)
Susan Clare
Melissa Cobb
Daniel Cobb
Joseph Dailey
Richard Dame
Matthew DeJong
Timothy Dimock (2)
Jeffrey Dionne (3)
Matthew Dwyer
James Fannon
Jeffery Freres
Nathan Fynewever (4)
Gretchen Galloway
Jason Gady
Joseph Garrett (2)
Dean Garrison
Darren Geraghty
Kevin Gilbert
Thomas Gootjes
Mark Groen
Brian Grooms
John Guerrero (3)
Shawn Harmon
Kim Hartuniewicz (2)
Keith Hefner
Karl Holzhueter
Timothy Hoornstra
Adam Host
Robert Howard
Adam Ickes
Dennis Jessee
Timothy Johnston
William Kelly
Beth Kindel
Robert Kozminski (2)
Michael LaFave
Sean Lahuis (3)
Donald Lake
Damon Lange (2)
Thomas Lyzenga (2)
Michael Maycroft
Thomas McCarthy (2)
Ryan McClimans (3)
Chad McKersie (2)
Peter McWatters
Page 38
Marc Miller
Esteban Moreno
Philip Nevins
John Newberry (2)
Dennis Newton (2)
Felix Perdue
Chad Preston (2)
Richard Prince (2)
John Purlee
Marla Rieth
Scott Rifenberg
Jon Schafer (3)
David Schnurstein
Roger Singleton
David Siver (2)
Kevin Snyder
Andrew Snyder
Jason Spoelma
Aaron Stevens (2)
Lee Swafford
Russell Taylor
Joseph Trigg
Matthew Ungrey
Demetrios Vakertzis (3)
Mathew Veldman
Mark Waichum (2)
Charles Ware (2)
James Watson (2)
Bert Webster
Dan Wells
John Wetzel
Torey Whitten
Robert Wiersema
Catherine Williams (3)
John Wittkowski (2)
Michael Wordelman
Jeremy Wortz
Jonathan Wu
Robert Zabriskie (2)
Letter from Chief
Edward Walker
Taser International Citation for
Lifesaving
Dennis Newton
Commendation Letter
Refugio Alcala
Adam Baylis
Bryan Boone
Kelli Braate
Kurt Burns
Julianne Chan
Brad Ditmar (3)
Gregory Edgcombe
Robert Gannon
David Gillem (2)
Michael Hearing
Jason Horrigan
Jeremy Huffman
David Kadzban
Matthew Kubiak
Stephen LaBrecque
Sean Lahuis
Amanda Linklater
Robert Mercier
Patrick Merrill
Marc Miller
Michael Nagel
Lucas Nagtzaam
Richard Nawrocki (2)
Thomas Niemeyer
David Nowakowski
James Potter
John Riley
Aaron Rossin
Douglas Sinnema
Thomas Stasiak
Steven Steele
Walter Tett
Citizen Letter
Daniel Adams (3)
Refugio Alcala
Donna Alexander (3)
Scott Alward
Gregg Arsenault
Patrick Baker (2)
Elliott Bargas (3)
Andrew Barker
Frank Barthel
Gregory Bauer
Cathy Baughman
Adam Baylis
Joseph Beracy (2)
Chris Bernardo
Philip Betz
Andrew Bingel
Robert Bonner
Bryan Boone
David Bouwkamp
Philip Braate
Jason Bradford
Glen Brower
Todd Butler
Terry Bykerk (2)
Nicholas Calati
Pamela Carrier
Robert Cervantes
Julianne Chan
Susan Clare
Daryl Clemens
Geoffrey Collard
Herschel Crawford
Karen Curtiss
Patrick Dean (5)
Brad Ditmar
Terry Dixon
Kristine Dorer
Patrick Douglas
Gregory Edgcombe (2)
Sharon Elkins
Erika Fannon
James Fannon (2)
Troy Fox
Jeffery Freres
Jason Gady
Jose Gamez (2)
Robert Gannon (4)
Michele Garcia-Bargas
Joseph Garrett (2)
Dean Garrison
Peter Gavalis
Kristen Gibbons (2)
David Gillem (5)
Neil Gomez (2)
Thomas Gootjes
Ralph Gould
Brian Grooms
Cecile Herald
Jeffrey Hertel (2)
Brad Heugel
Wayne Hill
Gregory Hillary (2)
Karl Holzhueter
Eric Hornbacher (2)
Jason Horrigan (2)
Adam Host (2)
Jeremy Huffman
Dennis Jessee
Amanda Johnson (2)
Paul Johnson (2)
David Johnston
Timothy Johnston
James Jorgensen
David Kadzban
John Keelean (2)
William Kelly
David Kiddle (2)
Mason Klein
Robert Kozminski
Michael Krenz
Stephen LaBrecque (2)
Michael LaFave (2)
Damon Lange
Eugene Laudenslager (2)
Anthony Leonard
David Lilly
Amanda Linklater (2)
Richard Litts
Patrick Loeb
Mark Mathis
Thomas McCarthy
Ryan McClimans
Terrance McGee
Chad McKersie
James Meeker (3)
Michael Mesman
Paul Mesman
Esteban Moreno
Michael Nagel
Lucas Nagtzaam
Patrick Needham
Philip Nevins (2)
Thomas Niemeyer
David Nowakowski
William Nowicki
Maureen O'Brien (2)
Alan Ort (2)
Matthew Ostapowicz
Felix Perdue
Philip Porter
Chris Postma
James Potter (2)
Richard Prince (2)
John Purlee
Shelly Reinhard
Brent Robinson (2)
Michael Rozema
Curtis Satterthwaite
Daniel Savage (3)
Jon Schafer (2)
Jerry Shaffer
Nikalus Sheridan (2)
Roger Singleton
David Siver (2)
Mark Smalla (2)
Leslie Smith (2)
Harrell Smith
Kevin Snyder
Andrew Snyder
Jason Sotke (2)
Robert Stanton
Aaron Stevens
Scott Stormer (3)
Lee Swafford (2)
Walter Tett
Joseph Trigg
Todd Trofferi
Matthew Ungrey (2)
Curtis VanderKooi (4)
Debora Vazquez
Edward Walker
Charles Ware (3)
Thomas Warwick
Diane Watrous (2)
Shelly Weiss (3)
Case Weston (2)
Theodore Whalen (2)
Torey Whitten
Michael Wierenga
Stephen Wiersema
John Wittkowski (2)
James Wojczynski
Jennifer Wordelman
Joseph Worthy
Helen Wu
Todd Wuis
Page 39
In Memoriam
In the history of the Grand Rapids Police
Department, fourteen officers have given their lives
in the line of duty.
GRAND RAPIDS POLICE MEMORIAL
A wall of blue glass forms the background of the memorial.
This glass wall is etched with a backdrop of the downtown
City of Grand Rapids skyline. Above the skyline at the left, a
flag flown at half-mast is etched.
E t c h e d
above and to
the right of
the skyline
are
the
names and
faces of the
14
GRPD
officers who
gave
their
lives in the
line of duty.
They
are
placed in chronological order by the date each officer died.
In front of the glass is a life size bronze statue of a GRPD
officer. This saluting officer permanently pays respect to
fallen comrades.
The Grand Rapids Police Memorial is located in the center of
the first floor lobby, across from the main entry and in front
of the main elevator. The Memorial is a central and dramatic
feature of the lobby, visible to all visitors entering the lobby
and to those above. A bench is placed in front of the
Memorial, for those
who wish to sit
IN MEMORY
quietly and reflect.
The purpose of the
memorial is to
honor our police
officers for the job
they do every hour
of every day. It was
presented
in
recognition of the
men and women
who dedicate their
lives to public safety
and protection. It
serves as a reminder
to all police officers
of the ultimate
sacrifice that some
have made, and that
others may make in
the future, as they
protect our citizens.
Page 40
Detective George Powers
Officer Henry Slater
Officer Millard F. Davis
Officer Charles DeYoung
Officer George Geng
Officer George Brandsma
Detective Sam Slater
Officer John Meiboom
Officer Francis Gallup
Sergeant Stanley Van Tuinen
Officer Wayne Vonk
Officer Herman R. Gloe
Officer Joseph Taylor
Officer Daniel Duyst
POLICE MEMORIAL DAY
On May 15,
2006, the
P o l i c e
Memorial
Day service
was
held
at
Rosa
P a r k s
Circle
in
downtown
G r a n d
Rapids.
The guest speaker of the event was State
Representative William Van Regenmorter of the 74th
District.
The service, sponsored by the Grand Rapids Fraternal Order
of Police Lodge #97, in cooperation with the GRPD, honored
26 fallen officers from 10 different police departments.
Officers honored are from Kent County and the surrounding
area or who have significant family ties to the area, including
the 14 fallen police officers from the GRPD.
The service started with Grand Rapids Police Officer Walter
Tett singing the National Anthem and the playing of "America
the Beautiful" by the "Michigan State Police Pipe Corps"
bagpipers. Father Dennis Morrow gave the invocation.
Grand Rapids Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #97 Second
Vice President, GRPD Officer Paul Johnson, also said a few
words and introduced the speaker.
Scholarships were presented to six outstanding students.
One student received a scholarship in honor of fallen GRPD
Officer Joseph Taylor. The Police Memorial Scholarship
honored the remaining five students.
East Grand Rapids Public Safety Director Peter Gallagher
read a "Roll Call" of the fallen officers’ names. Family
members or friends of the officers were escorted by a
uniformed police officer from their respective department to
place a rose in front of the memorial. The officer then
saluted the memorial and escorted the family back to their
seats.
At the conclusion of the names being read, an Honor Guard
Detail consisting of an officer from the Grand Rapids,
Walker, Kent County Sheriff, and Kentwood Police
departments placed a folded flag on the Memorial Table. The
Michigan State Police Pipe Corps played "Amazing Grace"
followed by a 21 gun salute by the Grand Rapids Police
Department Special Response Team Snipers. Michigan State
Police Trooper Phil Marshall from the Grand Haven Post
concluded the service with "Taps" on his trumpet. Following
the ceremony, a reception was held at the GRPD
headquarters.
Chapter Five
Offense Statistics
Uniform Crime Report Offenses
PART I OFFENSES
2006
OFFENSE
2003
2004
2005
2006
Difference
from 2005
MURDER
11
12
16
23
+ 43.8%
RAPE
68
84
81
73
- 9.9%
ROBBERY
570
577
713
719
+ 0.8%
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
1602
1398
1300
1159
- 10.8%
BURGLARY
2294
2252
2135
2566
+ 20.2%
LARCENY
6681
6584
7322
7158
- 2.2%
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
638
609
718
720
+ 0.3%
ARSON
92
109
141
126
- 10.6%
TOTAL
11,956
11,625
12,426
12,544
+ 0.9%
REVISED: 3/12/07
Source: Grand Rapids Police Department Crime Analysis
*Preliminary data subject to change
Page 41
Uniform Crime Report Offenses
PART II OFFENSES
2006
OFFENSE
2003
2004
2005
2006
Difference
from 2005
NON-AGGRAVATED
ASSAULT
5015
4624
4923
4432
- 10.0%
FORGERY/COUNTERFEIT
233
131
225
221
- 1.8%
FRAUD
742
881
781
613
- 21.5%
EMBEZZLEMENT
96
99
89
75
- 15.7%
STOLEN PROPERTY
96
109
105
87
- 17.1%
VANDALISM
3360
3221
3107
3066
- 1.3%
WEAPONS
144
105
87
95
+ 9.2%
PROSTITUTION
204
215
174
144
- 17.2%
SEX OFFENSES
421
391
362
358
- 1.1%
NARCOTIC LAWS
1866
1527
1551
1551
0.0%
GAMBLING
7
1
5
5
0.0%
FAMILY & CHILDREN
174
175
127
105
- 17.3%
DUI(LIQUOR OR DRUGS)
930
802
706
699
- 1.0%
LIQUOR LAWS
467
431
372
324
- 12.9%
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
177
182
142
218
+ 53.5%
TOTAL
13,932
12,894
12,756
11,993
- 6.0%
REVISED:
3/12/07
Source: Grand Rapids Police Department Crime Analysis
*Preliminary data subject to change
Page 42
Correctional Facility Admissions
In 2006, over 42% of inmates brought to the Kent County Correctional Facility were persons arrested by the
Grand Rapids Police Department.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Department was responsible for 22% of inmates, just over half that of GRPD. All the
remaining local police departments in Kent County together provided another 22% of inmates during 2006.
Number of Inmates Brought to
Kent County Jail by Arresting Agency
2006
GRPD
Other Local PD
KCSD
State
Self Report
Court
Federal
All Others
Number of Inmates Brought to Jail—2006
By Type of Agency
GRPD
Other Local PD
Sheriff
State
Self Report
Federal
Court
All Others
Total
13,254
6,723
6,649
2,029
1,654
155
145
352
30,961
42.8%
21.7%
21.5%
6.6%
5.3%
0.5%
0.5%
1.1%
Source: Kent County Sheriff’s Department
Page 43
Chapter Six
•
•
•
It is the policy of the Grand Rapids Police
Department (GRPD) to investigate and resolve all
allegations of employee misconduct.
The goal of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) is to
maintain the integrity of the Grand Rapids Police
Department and the confidence and trust of the
community regarding the police department and its
employees.
An objective of the IAU is to investigate and
promptly resolve all allegations of employee
misconduct in a competent, fair and objective
manner.
COMPLAINTS
When a complaint is received by the IAU, it is categorized
into one of three groups, depending upon the seriousness
of the allegations(s) presented by the complainant. Those
groups are:
•
•
•
Formal Class 1 Complaints
Informal Class 3 Complaints
A Formal, Class 1 Complaint is one in which one or more
of the allegations presented by a complainant are severe
and constitute a Civil Rights and/or a criminal law
violation. Such allegations include those covered under
City Commission policy 800-02: Grand Rapids Police
Department Civilian Appeal Board. Examples of Class 1
violations include the excessive use of force, racial
profiling, and improper searches or seizures. If a Class 1
violation is sustained against an employee of the GRPD,
the corrective action taken with that employee could
include discipline, up to and including termination.
A Formal, Class 2 Complaint is one in which the
allegations presented by a complainant, while serious, do
NOT constitute a Civil Rights or criminal law violation.
Examples of Class 2 violations include employee involved
at-fault traffic crashes, insubordination, and repeated
violations of minor offenses. If a Class 2 violation is
sustained against an employee of the GRPD, the
corrective action taken with that employee could include
discipline, up to and including termination.
Informal Class 3 Complaints
An Informal, Class 3 Complaint, is one in which the
allegations presented by a complainant are minor and do
not constitute a Civil Rights or criminal law violation.
Examples of Class 3 violations include minor discourtesy
and diligence offenses.
Unlike a Class 2 violation,
however, if a Class 3 violation is sustained against an
employee, the corrective action would be non-disciplinary
in nature (e.g., remedial training, verbal coaching.)
♦
Less than 2.5 out of every 10,000 citizen contact/stops resulted in the filing of a formal complaint by
a citizen
♦
Of all formal complaints investigated, one-third were filed by GRPD employees
♦
Less than 6 out of every 10,000 citizen contacts/stops resulted in the filing of an informal complaint
by a citizen
♦
91% of all informal complaints were generated by the citizenry
♦
Approximately 32% of all complaints involved Class 1 issues. Approximately 3% of these issues have
been sustained to date.
Page 45
Lieutenant Whitney Wu
•
•
•
•
In 2006, the Internal Affairs
Unit (IAU) received 406
complaints of misconduct
against
employees of the
GRPD. Lieutenant Whitney
Wu continued his command of
the Internal Affairs Unit.
The 406 complaints is
comprised of 334 External,
citizen-generated complaints
and 72 Internal, employeegenerated complaints of
misconduct. Additionally, two formal Administrative Review
investigations were conducted at the request of GRPD
command staff.
INVESTIGATIONS
In total (adding the internally and externally generated
complaints), the IAU investigated 148 Formal (Class 1 and 2)
and 258 Informal (Class 3) cases in 2006.
Complaints
2006
2005
% difference
from 2005
External, Formal
99
111
- 11%
Internal, Formal
49
82
- 40%
TOTAL, FORMAL
148
193
-23%
TOTAL, INFORMAL
258
322
- 20%
Formal
The 148 Formal, Class 1 and 2 cases consisted of 207
individual allegations of misconduct.
To date, the Internal Affairs Unit has sustained 48 of the
Class 1 and 2 allegations it has investigated. Seven of these
sustained allegations were the result of external, citizengenerated complaints. The remaining 38 sustained allegations
were the result of internally generated, employee-filed
complaints. There were 145 allegations which were
determined to be unfounded, exonerated, or not sustained.
Sixteen allegations remain under investigation, and are
contained within 12 open Formal, Class 1 and 2 cases. Two
cases were closed administratively. The IAU also conducted
an investigation for a neighboring police agency (not involving
a GRPD employee).
In total, sustained Formal, Class 1 and 2 allegations accounted
for:
•
•
Page 46
One termination
Nine suspensions without pay (totaling 126 suspension
hours)
15 written reprimands
19 written counselings
One verbal coaching
Three administrative closures
retirement or resignation)
(either
through
Informal
The 258 Informal, Class 3 cases consisted of 303 individual
allegations of misconduct. Of these Class 3 allegations, 48
were sustained, 23 resulting from citizen-generated
complaints. The remaining 25 sustained allegations were the
result of internally generated, employee-filed complaints.
There were 250 allegations which were determined to be
unfounded, exonerated, or not sustained. Five allegations
remain under investigation, and are contained within 4
unrelated Class 3 cases.
In total, sustained Informal, Class 3 allegations resulted in
corrective action, in the form of verbal coaching, taken with
each of the 48 employees found in violation.
Ratios
When comparing the number of cases alleging employee
misconduct in 2006 with the estimated 416,935 citizen
contacts and stops made in 2006, the following ratios can be
determined:
•
•
•
Total citizen-generated (external) complaints: 7.4
complaints per 10,000 citizen contact/stops
Total citizen-generated (external) Formal complaints:
2.37 complaints per 10,000 citizen contacts/stops.
Total sustained, citizen-generated (external) Formal
complaints: Less than 2 complaints per 100,000 citizen
contacts/stops.
IAU REVIEW
In 2006, the Unit investigated a total of 1,199 cases which fell
within the scope of IAU review, as outlined by the GRPD.
Breakdowns of these cases were as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
Formal Complaints-148 (207 individual employees)
City Attorney Claims-8
Lawsuits-3
Informal Complaints-258 (303 individual employees)
Administrative Reviews-781
Civilian Appeal Board
The Internal Affairs Unit conducted 91 investigations
involving over 141 allegations that fell within the jurisdiction
of the Civilian Appeal Board (CAB). Six individuals appealed
the dispositions of their cases. The CAB affirmed the
dispositions of the IAU in all six cases.
Citizen Complaints
Page 47
Corrective Action
Page 48
Administrative Review
Of the 1,199 cases reviewed by the IAU, 781 were
administrative reviews (use of force and officer-involved
crash reports). The IAU also assisted the City Attorney’s
Office with investigation of eight civil claims and three new
lawsuits against the City of Grand Rapids and the GRPD.
In-Car Video Review
The use of in-car video cameras by officers of the GRPD has
been extremely beneficial for the accurate and expedient
resolution of complaints investigated by the IAU. In 2006, 267
formal and informal complaint cases were Administratively
Exonerated or Unfounded by IAU investigators.
Administrative closures are conducted when IAU
investigators review the facts and evidence (such as video
tape) of an allegation and exonerate or unfound a case
without the necessity of questioning an officer regarding his
or her actions. Additionally, in cases where complainants
make clearly false allegations (as evidenced by in-car camera
review) against Grand Rapids Police Officers, IAU
investigators have sought warrants to charge the complaining
party (or parties) with false statements.
Training
In September 2006, investigators of the IAU attended the
Wicklander-Zulawski Course in Criminal Interview and
Interrogation Techniques.
The investigators also attended a seminar in Detroit,
Michigan, on December 7-8, 2006, which further addressed
interview techniques and methods of detecting deception
during the course of investigations.
Page 49

2006 intro - City of Grand Rapids

Transcription

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