The new drug initiative has been taking a dent out of the drugs in the area. This is shown in the decrease of drug related incidents as well as less activity at suspected drug houses as well as other drug activity. We are far from where we want to be, but we will keep on keeping on while continuing to provide proactive enforcement.
In this edition of the "Sheriff's Corner," I provide you with updates on drug enforcement inside Lake County.
PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT
In an effort to increase our activity to get illegal drugs off the streets as well as targeting those who are selling them, I initiated my "SHO-NUFF" drug initiative, "Strike Hard On Narcotics Under Full Force," in September 2020.
For the record, the "sho-nuff" reference came from one of my favorite 80's kung-fu movies, "Berry Gordy's: The Last Dragon."
This initiative has five arms:
1. Proactive approach to known or perceived drug houses.
2. Randomly conducting "blitz enforcement" with several cars on at a particular day/time targeting certain areas.
3. Networking with area law enforcement agencies on known drug activity in the region.
4. Being a partner with an area SWAT team to utilize when the need arises.
5. Working with county officials on the possibility of having the regional drug team (SSCENT) regularly work Lake County.
DRUG UPDATES/ARRESTS
Here is a short list of some drug related incidents/arrests from February 2021 through April 2021. This is not a complete list due to open investigations and sensitive information.
• Feb. 1: Assisting in a search warrant, deputies recovered a meth pipe, two baggies with a white powdery substance (believed to be methamphetamine) as well as recovering numerous stolen property items to include approx. 12 firearms and a stun gun. Subject who admitted to the drugs as well as being in possession of the firearms was a felon. Subject faces numerous charges.
• Feb. 15: After a possible breaking and entering, a female was taken into custody for outstanding warrants while also recovering a glass smoking pipe with brown residue inside. It is the belief that this was methamphetamine.
• March 9: Numerous syringes seized from a subject on a traffic stop, one containing a brown liquid. Numerous pieces of aluminum foil with burn marks were also recovered. Female subject stated she knows these are for consuming heroin while also explaining how it was done, but they were only in her gym bag because she likes to collect "cool things" and she has never used heroin. Two items of Narcan were also located from inside the vehicle. The subject was arrested.
• March 12: A subject was arrested for being drunk and disorderly while also being found with a prescription medication that he did not have a prescription for.
• March 17: A black box was located on a traffic stop that contained a glass container with a white powder, a razor blade, three hypodermic needles, six plastic baggies and a plastic baggy with cotton balls in it. There was also a blue/black container that contained another needle with a clear liquid inside it.
Behind the passenger seat in a backpack, we located approx. 150 more needles, a scale with brown residue, and a clear pipe with black and white residue. There was also a glass cup with a small amount of cash in it. Subject was arrested and faces multiple charges.
• March 19: Subject was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon amongst other numerous charges subsequent to a traffic stop. After a further search, deputies located hydrocodone pills which resulted in an additional drug charge.
• March 19: Subject was arrested for drugged driving who was believed to be under the influence of stimulants and opiates. The subject did admit to being a past heroin user and is currently taking suboxone, which she stated it was ok to drive after taking it.
• March 20: Two subjects were arrested for drug possession after a backpack was located inside a vehicle with a glass smoking pipe with white residue inside. The passenger admitted that the backpack and contents belonged to her and that she uses the pipe to smoke methamphetamine while also stating that it is her drug of choice.
• March 30: After a vehicle pursuit where the subject crashed her vehicle on a power pole line, deputies located white pills, determined to be tramadol hydrochloride, which she did not have a prescription for. This subject faces numerous charges.
• April 4: Deputies located a meth pipe with white residue inside it during a traffic stop. Later in the investigation, deputies located a plastic bag with a crystal substance located inside the subject's purse. The subject stated she had never seen the pipe or meth before in her life. Two other baggies were located containing a small amount of unknown pills. The subject was arrested on drug charges.
• April 14: Deputies attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle that fit the description of having been involved in a breaking & entering that occurred earlier. The vehicle failed to stop, driving to where the tire had blown leaving deputies on numerous roads and snowmobile trails. It was believed that a stolen handgun was inside the vehicle.
The subjects abandoned the vehicle behind a pole barn and escaped the area. A search of the vehicle discovered all types of what is believed to be stolen property, as well as two baggies of a white or crystal substance.
The subjects later broke into a residence and stole a vehicle which was later wrecked on US-131 in Osceola County. One subject was airlifted to Grand Rapids to the hospital. Numerous charges are pending in several counties for two subjects.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Please remember we can make an arrest and/or submit a request for criminal charges, but ultimately it comes down to the prosecutor to authorize these charges. We do not receive a list from the prosecutor's office on the disposition of most cases. Charges are sometimes dropped, or reduced to lesser charges.
This will be an ongoing process. Let it be known, if you are selling illegal drugs or possessing illegal drugs in Lake County, we are coming for you. Enough is enough.
— This information is provided to you for clarification on specific laws, and not legal advice. This is not to be construed as a personal opinion, agreement or disagreement of any specific law. Topics covered are for educational and informational purposes only. As needed, excerpts from other articles are used for reference and/or content. If you have any questions on any specific topic, you may always email me your questions to rmartin@co.lake.mi.us.
