At the opening of Guiding Light’s Iron House, sober-living apartments, in the City of Kentwood in late January, Guiding Light Board Chair John Harrington provides opening remarks and Esther Yff-Prins, one of the Guiding Light spiritual directors, gives the blessing of the Iron House. (Supplied)
Guiding Light, a Grand Rapids non-profit that helps men struggling with addiction and homelessness to return to society, announced this week the opening of its sixth Iron House as two of its clients moved into the sober-living apartments in the City of Kentwood.
Clients, staff, board members and volunteers gathered for a private blessing and tour of the recently remodeled building on Jan. 28.
The new Iron House comes at a time of increased demand for addiction recovery services, according to the announcement. Since the beginning of 2021, Guiding Light has experienced increases in the number of inquiries and program enrollments for its Recovery program.
The opening of a new Guiding Light Iron House in the City of Kentwood. (Supplied)
Able to accommodate seven men, the four-unit apartment building increases the nonprofit’s capacity to house men “as they transition back into the mainstream of society after successfully completing the Foundation phase of Guiding Light’s Recovery program,” according to the announcement.
In total, Guiding Light can house a total of 42 men in its six Iron House locations.
The apartments are designed for community-oriented sober living and are reserved exclusively for men who have finished four to six months of intensive residential treatment that combines evidence-based practices, life-coaching, therapy, support groups, spiritual direction and other resources to equip men to stay sober and reengage with their family, friends and community.
Background on Iron House program
The Iron House model has proven to be a “key component” in setting clients up for success to achieve long-term recovery, according to the announcement. Guiding Light has found 76 percent of men who move to Iron House reach at least one year of abstinence-based sobriety.
Guiding Light Board Chair John Harrington provides opening remarks at the opening of a City of Kentwood Iron House. (Supplied)
“We want to give men the best opportunity possible for living a healthy, connected life in recovery,” Recovery Director Brian Elve said in supplied material. “That’s why we created a structure with Iron House that allows men to stay connected with the support offered by Guiding Light.
“We recognize it takes a year or more to change the physical structure of the brain and its response to addiction. Iron House allows for truly comprehensive, long-term, transformative care and we are excited to invest in our community this way.”
After completing the “Foundation” phase of recovery, Guiding Light clients who are interested in continuing their recovery journeys at Iron House are able to apply for the opportunity. If accepted, clients are able to move into an apartment once they have secured full-time employment.
In addition to abstinence-based sobriety, Iron House residents focus on honing important life skills. Residents all have jobs. They buy and prepare their own food, pay their own bills and engage with each other in a communal-living environment.
“They look after and support each other, practicing community and providing support to one another with a common goal of creating lives worth staying sober for,” according to the announcement.
Programs, goals of Guiding Light
While living more independently, residents still have access to the support and resources of the recovery program, such as the opportunity to attend classes or support groups, participate in a spiritual direction group, work with a life coach and give back to the community through service.
Not only has Iron House been a key part of helping residents maintain their sobriety, it has also generated profits to ensure Guiding Light’s programming can remain free to participants, according to the announcement.
Funds from Iron House and The Job Post, Guiding Light’s two social enterprises, benefit clients while also aiding in the financial sustainability of the nonprofit’s programs. The programs are otherwise entirely funded by donations and grants.
Founded in 1929 as the West Fulton St. Mission, Guiding Light has grown into a recovery and reengagement community designed to “help those living at society’s margins fulfill their God-given potential,” according to supplied information.
For more information about Guiding Light’s recovery program, call 616-451-0236, ext. 23 and “take a confidential first step.” Learn more at guidinglightworks.org.
The City of Kentwood’s 62-B District Court announced this week that it has launched On the Road, a new program that encourages individuals with certain license-related charges to obtain a valid license, potentially avoid a criminal conviction, and helping the community have safer roads.
Launched in late 2021, On the Road eliminates hurdles for individuals who have been charged by the city with driving unlicensed or with a suspended, revoked or denied license. The program aims to help community members avoid the repeated suspensions that can result from license-related convictions and keep them from appearing on their permanent criminal record.
This helps drivers avoid Secretary of State penalties as well as the “barriers that criminal convictions can lead to in terms of employment eligibility, housing and education,” according to the announcement.
62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg. (Supplied)
“Our goal is to create incentives for people in these situations to become licensed drivers, which will ultimately result in safer roads for our community,” 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “Often, we see defendants who are close to getting their license for the first time but are unable to overcome certain licensure hurdles or who are unaware their license is suspended because of an unpaid ticket. The additional charges put more distance between them and valid-license privileges.
“This program gives individuals the opportunity to conform their conduct to the law without a criminal conviction and streamline the process for them to become a licensed driver.”
State law was amended last year to create a presumption that these offenses should not be punished with jail time. Individuals are now frequently required to pay fines and complete community service, which can be difficult for individuals who do not have a driver’s license and another form of transportation.
(Michigan.gov)
Failing to complete the requirements can result in additional penalties including up to 93 days in jail, probation, fines of up to $500 plus court costs, and a misdemeanor conviction on their permanent criminal record.
With On the Road, eligible individuals can avoid this difficult situation and sanctions if they successfully complete the program.
The court’s judge will determine if a person is eligible for the program during arraignment. However, individuals whose driver’s license has been revoked due to drug or alcohol convictions, Friend of the Court, or immigration status may be ineligible.
If an individual does qualify, they must agree to accept responsibility for a civil infraction and pay a fine during a review hearing scheduled up to four months later. Leading up to the review hearing, a person must fulfill obligations to become a licensed driver. This may include paying all tickets, removing all suspensions from their Secretary of State record, paying all fees, completing a defensive driving course and passing their road or written driving test.
For more information about On the Road, visit kentwood.us/OTR or contact Court Administrator Michele White at 616-554-0715 or whitem@kentwood.us.
Encountering email and phone scams has become a common nuisance in recent years, even more so as we become more online- and internet-focused as a culture. It is not unusual for consumers to discover a fraudulent email in their personal and business accounts every day as scam artists attempt to cheat them out of money or information.
When this WKTV writer was asked to research an article on prevalent scams in the community, I was suddenly inundated with stories of those who had become victims of scams. Some escaped unscathed, others did not.
WKTV recognizes the importance of community members being aware of current scams so they can protect themselves against becoming victims, and has compiled several personal narratives, from this writer as well as other residents, to raise that awareness. (Names have been changed to protect the victim’s identity.)
Seeing red flags in emails
Within the space of a few days, my personal email account received a message with the heading, “Happy New Year – Your Order ID#740217.” It did not specify what company I supposedly ordered from, but did contain the message, “This message is from a trusted sender.” The body of the email contained two links. One labeled, “You have won!! Gift inside.” The other, “Go Here.”
It immediately raised red flags as I didn’t remember ordering anything recently, and the email didn’t specify the sender. The line about it being from a trusted sender, however, made me pause for just a moment and consider that it might be legitimate — and that is what scammers are hoping for.
(Michigan Attorney General)
Next came an email titled: “Re: (smiling emoji) Your Package delivery notification ID#87946477.” Supposedly, this email was sent by USPS. However, I couldn’t see the United States Postal Service using emojis in their emails, and when I noticed that the email address the message originated from was indecipherable, it became obvious that it was a scam.
Some are harder to discern. The next email seemed to legitimately come from Best Buy, an electronics retailer. The sender was listed as Bestbuy.com, which made sense. The heading was: “Your Order #502-20201222—is still awaiting instructions!” It then instructed me to track the status of the order by clicking on the link offered.
There weren’t any misspellings or emojis to make me think twice about the validity of the sender. What did make me think twice was that I hadn’t ordered anything from Best Buy in years.
After a closer look at the email — which looked alarmingly similar to many invoices received from other online orders placed — I noticed that listed under Order Details was another listing of an order number. This one, however, contained a lowercase ‘n’ and then the degree symbol before listing the number, and ended with a right parenthesis. Those small mistakes reassured me that the email was a scam. A company as large as Best Buy would make sure those mistakes were nonexistent.
Another email appeared to be from a friend, but the sender’s email address did not match her true email address. Another claimed to be from Quicken Loans Affiliate attempting to confirm my mortgage savings package (I neither have a mortgage nor have ever used Quicken Loans) but the email address was a random jumble of letters and numbers, not a legitimate address.
Other stories, other scam attempts
We have all received emails that make us think, “Is this legitimate?” What we need to do is slow down and take a closer look before assuming they are real and clicking on links.
While scam artists use email more often than phone calls due to the online nature of our culture, phone calls are still prevalent, especially for elderly community members who may not be quite as media oriented.
Attempting to sell a SLR camera body on Marketplace, Denise was asked if she could chat to an interested buyer via Messenger audio. She agreed and was then asked to ship the camera directly to the buyer’s brother because it was a birthday gift. She was willing to do so. The buyer then asked if she would include a birthday card and a $50 gift card since it would be shipped directly to his brother, and he would not have the opportunity to do so himself; he would then reimburse her for the camera, shipping, and gift card once she showed proof of shipping.
Alarm bells went off in Denise’s head.
The buyer was insistent and talked fast, so she pretended to agree to do as he asked so she could bring the call to an end. When the call finished and Denise had time to organize her thoughts, she realized she would have lost the camera, shipping, and $50 if she had gone along with the man’s request.
Scam artists prey on their victim’s emotions and promote a sense of urgency that is hard to ignore when someone believes a family member is in trouble.
Molly’s father-in-law received a garbled call: “Grandpa, I’m in Atlanta, was in an accident and broke my jaw. I was arrested for being drunk but hadn’t had a drop … will you wire me money for my bail and attorney?”
Thankfully, Molly’s father-in-law suspected fraud and instructed the caller to phone his father, then called Molly and asked her to check with her son to make sure it was fraud and that his grandson truly did not need help.
It was fraudulent.
Amy’s elderly parents experienced the same call and “made it all the way to the bank, where the employee stopped them and explained that they must not make that withdrawal. We figured out that my nephew’s phone had been hacked. He was out of the country on a trip at the time.”
Mark received what appeared to be a legitimate phone call from a scammer who claimed to be from his bank, warning him that a scammer had tried to break into his account.
They asked him to verify his information to make sure everything was okay. The scammers listed his address and phone number (all easily accessed public information) and asked if it was correct. When he replied that it was, they asked, “And I have your social security number on my screen, can you verify that for me, please?” Once the Mark recited his social security number, the scammer said, “Yes, that’s right.”
The victim had just given enough information for the scammers to steal his identity and/or open various accounts in the victim’s name.
“They (the scammers) say it so casually that the victim often doesn’t realize they’ve just given away a vital piece of information to the victim; it almost sounds like the scammer supplied all of their info,” Mark said.
Marci relayed an experience of an elderly woman who received a call that her taxes were late, and her house would be foreclosed on if she didn’t wire funds within the hour. Fearing that she would become homeless, “the woman called a cab and told the driver why she had to hurry. He took her instead to the police department.”
The police handled the matter, and the woman did not lose any money.
What to do, where to for for help
Katie Grevious, Better Business Bureau Communications Specialist, urges residents to slow down and “think before you act.”
Even if you feel a sense of urgency or fear as a result of an email or phone call like the ones listed above, step back, take a deep breath, and search for those clues that will help you know if the message you received is, in fact, legitimate.
If you are unsure of the best way to identify if a message is a scam, visit Better Business Bureau’s website for tips on how to differentiate between authentic and fraudulent communications.
Please report scams to BBB’s scamtracker site: https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker. This allows consumers to know what is happening and protect themselves. It also helps law enforcement and other government agencies like BBB to root out the source of the scam and put a stop to it.
Every day online users are bombarded with real — and scam — communications. The trick to keeping your money and personal information is knowing the difference. (Pixere.com)
With email and phone scams on the rise in an ever-increasing online and media culture, local law enforcement and government agencies are working to educate consumers on current scams and how to protect themselves from becoming victims.
Phishing, defined as the fraudulent practice of sending messages designed to trick individuals into revealing personal information, has become one of the main conduits for fraud.
Katie Grevious, Better Business Bureau Communications Specialist, told WKTV that falling victim to a scam has become more difficult to avoid as “scammers are becoming more crafty and creative.” Grevious said that scammers use fear and a sense of urgency to prompt consumers into following their directives: “It is an emotional situation. Something is wrong, something bad is going to happen — that’s what gets people.”
The ongoing pandemic has also played a role in increasing the phishing strategy, with emails offering grants to those out of work and in need of money. In a more general sense, an increasing number of consumers have begun shopping online, providing ample opportunities for scam artists to create situations that involve an emotional response of fear and urgency.
“We don’t see it really slowing down as the pandemic continues and we become more online and internet focused,” Grevious said.
An online scam could also be as simple as clicking on a link to track an order. Scam artists often use the names of larger corporations, such as Amazon, to send emails offering a link to track an order that the consumer may not remember placing.
Grevious urges consumers to hover their computer mouse over the link, which will reveal a bar that states where it will actually take you, and even hover over the sender’s name to see the email address associated with that email. If it is a jumble of letters and numbers instead of, for example, Amazon.com, it is not legitimate. Also look at the browser — if there is a lock symbol and “https” listed there, it means it is a secure and authentic site.
“It is really important that people are vigilant all the time,” said Grevious. “Look for simple grammar and spelling mistakes. Big companies make sure everything is spelled correctly.”
Slowing down is also key to ensuring consumers don’t miss something important.
(Pixere.com)
“Think before you act,” Grevious said. “Our culture has a quick-go pace. We do a lot on our phones, so we don’t do that double-checking and hovering.”
Det. Andrew Tompkins of the Kent County Sherriff’s Office and member of the Metropolitan Fraud and Identity Theft Team agrees: “Good practice is that if you didn’t order anything or didn’t sign up for something, then it’s most likely a scam.”
Grevious also urges consumers to avoid emails that tell you to re-log into another account you may have, such as Facebook, and offer a link to do so in order to complete the instructions given. These are often ploys that will reveal your password to the sender.
“People may think it’s not important if their Facebook or Instagram account gets hacked,” said Grevious, “but a lot of people have a lot of similar passwords because it’s too hard to remember 200 different passwords to everything. Your Facebook password may offer a clue on how to get into more important accounts — like bank accounts.”
Preying on pet, gift card buyers
In 2021, one of the most common phishing scams involved buying pets online.
“People tried to buy pets online because of the pandemic,” Grevious said. “They pay for the pet through payment apps and then find out it’s a scam. The scammers will often use a random address on the website they create, so people assume it’s real. Then they show up at that address to get their animal and it’s not there.”
Buying pets online is also a place to be aware of possible cams. (Kent County District Court historic photo)
Grevious advises seeing the animal you are interested in purchasing in person beforehand, even if it involves traveling. “Legitimate businesses want to know you are a good fit for their animal. They want to see you in person.”
While email scams have become increasingly common, scams involving phone calls are still prevalent and used often in attempts to illicit money from victims.
Det. Tompkins said that one of the most common scams involves cold calls targeting people to send gift cards, claiming they are from various government agencies and that they have a warrant for the arrest of the consumer unless he/she pays to absolve the issue.
“Government agenc(ies) will never ask for gift cards to get you out of legal trouble,” Det. Tompkins said. “No legitimate business is going to ask for gift cards for services.”
Summer and winter have revealed an upward trend in scams as air conditioning and heat are turned on in homes.
“If you pay your electric bill online, and someone calls you saying they are from Consumers Energy and ask you to confirm personal information,” Grevious said, “say you will call them back and call the company from a number you know, like the number provided on the bill.”
Det. Tompkins had similar advice: “Do not give personal information or identifying information out. Don’t call the number that a person provides you over the phone, search the number for that business to call and confirm this is a real interaction.”
Some scams, however, play on the familiar. Det. Tompkins warns residents, especially the elderly, to be careful of scammers who call claiming to be family. “Scammers call elderly pretending to be their grandkids saying they were arrested and need to send money.”
When asked the standard amount lost by individual victims of scams, he said, “The typical amount of loss is under $1,000. But if the scammers target business or subject(s) that are wealthy, then the loss is in the several thousands.”
Grevious reminds consumers to remember that, “you are in control of your information and who you are talking to. Think before you act.”
Consumers are also urged to speak up if they become victims of a scam.
“The more people let us know what is happening, the more we can help,” said Grevious.
Thanks to a federal grant totaling three-quarters of a million dollars, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes by adding six community police officers to its department.
During a National Night Out event, a Wyoming police officer helps a resident on a motorcycle. Through a federal grant, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety plans to expand its Community Services Unit. (WKTV)
The Department was awarded the $750,000 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program grant from the United States Department of Justice. The Wyoming City Council accepted the grant at its Dec. 20 council meeting. With the grant money, the Department will be able to add six officers to its department, bring the police department’s total number of sworn officers to 99.
“We have seen a significant increase in violent crimes,” said Capt. Timothy Pols, the department’s public relations officer. “Last year, we had eight homicides, which is an all-time high for the city.”
Pols said the department could not contribute the increase specifically to COVID, as there was a rise before the pandemic started. However, current conditions have impacted the community with there having been an increase in reported shootings involving property damage and people being hurt, he said.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety has been searching for funding to help increase its numbers. The COPS Hiring Program is designed to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by proving direct support to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. The program funding supports the hiring of career law enforcement officers to increase an agency’s community policing capacity and crime prevention. The funding covers up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits of full-time officers for three years. The city is required to cover the remaining 25 percent.
The COPS Hiring Program is an open solicitation. For the 2021 fiscal year, COPS received 590 applications from about every state and U.S. territory. It awarded grants to 183 state, local, and trial law enforcement agencies totaling $139,232,523 to support the hire of 1,066 full-time officers and deputies.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety was one of four police departments in Michigan to receive a COPS Hiring Program grant. The other cities to receive funding were Battle Creek, West Branch, and Hamtramck. Wyoming received the highest awarded grant monies out of the four Michigan cities that received funding.
“Obviously this is a great thing for the City of Wyoming and it is really hard to turn money like that down,” said Mayor Jack Poll during the Dec. 20 City Council meeting. The grant does come with the requirement that the city fund the new six positions for at least 12 months beyond the three-year time period. The department hopes through additional local funding to maintain the new positions beyond the three-year timeframe.
The Community Services Unit works on building relationships. (WKTV)
The COPS Hire Program grant is dedicated to community policing. With the six new hires, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be able to move seasoned officers into its Community Services Unit, which currently consists of four Community Services Officers, three School Resource Officers, and a supervisor. By expanding the community policing, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes through expanded evening coverage; adding a dedicated crime analyst office, gang intelligence officer, dedicated apartment liaison, and dedicated hotel/motel liaison; and increasing participation with juvenile offender reentry programs and area summer camps comprised predominately of at-risk youth along with high visibility patrols, especially in high crime areas and other community policing initiatives.
Currently, the Department is in the hiring process, Pols said adding that they have interviewed some strong candidates.
“With all that has happened in the past couple of years with COVID, I believe it has given us some dedicated candidates who have a good understanding about what is involved with today’s police work,” Pols said.
The department is seeking to fill the six positions along with several other positions that will be opening up due to retirements this year. Pols said the goal is to have the positions filled by the end of 2022.
Kentwood Police Captain Stephanie Morningstar was with family as she was promoted from sergeant to the department’s first female captain in 2018. Now she is the department’s first deputy chief. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The leadership change at the City of Kentwood Police Department continues as, following last week’s appointment of Chief Bryan Litwin to replace retired Chief Richard Roberts, the City of Kentwood announced Dec. 15 that Captain Stephanie Morningstar has been promoted to deputy police chief.
Deputy Chief Morningstar previously was a captain in the Kentwood Police Department’s Services Division. Chief Litwin had previously been deputy chief.
As deputy chief, Morningstar is responsible for assisting with the planning, coordination and management of the city’s police, code enforcement and traffic engineering functions and staff, according to the announcement.
“Deputy Chief Morningstar brings exceptional leadership, communication and strategic planning skills as well as more than 20 years of experience with the Kentwood Police Department to her new role,” Chief Litwin said in supplied material. “Her expertise in the department’s investigative, patrol and training efforts will be invaluable as we continue to focus on reducing serious crime, increasing traffic safety and serving the community with excellence.”
Kentwood Police Department Deputy Chief Stephanie Morningstar. (Supplied)
Morningstar started her career in Canton Township before coming to Kentwood in 2000. She served as a patrol officer, general case detective, patrol sergeant and detective sergeant before becoming the department’s first female captain in 2018.
As the former captain of the Services Division, Morningstar oversaw the Detective Bureau, Special Investigations Unit and Records Bureau, as well as the city Justice Center’spolice and court building maintenance, operations and security. Additionally, she has provided guidance and instruction at major crime scenes and conducted complaint investigations to ensure quality customer service.
“I am honored to be deputy chief of the Kentwood Police Department and serve our community in this role,” Morningstar said in supplied material. “I look forward to continuing our efforts to deliver professional police services and partnering with residents and other community members to make sure Kentwood is a wonderful place for everyone.”
During her tenure with the City of Kentwood, Morningstar has taught precision emergency vehicle response driving to police academy recruits at Grand Rapids Community College since 2007. She also developed and presented lectures on death investigations at the Grand Valley State University Police Academy from 2014-18.
Morningstar serves on several specialized units, including the Kent County Child Death Review Board, Sexual Assault Response Team, Adult Mobile Crisis Unit and Human Trafficking Coalition Coordinated Response Team. She is also a Kentwood District Court Sobriety Court advisor.
Morningstar has completed numerous trainings in different types of interviewing, interrogations and investigations, according to the city’s announcement, as well as critical incident stress management and peer support. She has also completed leadership programs through the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and Grand Rapids Police Department Leadership Institute.
Morningstar graduated from Grand Valley State University and GVSU Police Academy in 1996 with a degree in criminal justice.
The City of Kentwood announced this week that after action by the City Commission on Tuesday, Dec. 7, Deputy Chief Bryan Litwin will be the next Chief of the Kentwood Police Department.
As chief, Litwin will lead a team of nearly 95 personnel, including 71 sworn police officers. And, according to the city announcement, “he will continue the department’s efforts to recruit and hire individuals who are representative of Kentwood’s diverse community, collaborate with other City departments to support community safety and engagement efforts and work to enhance quality of life.”
Additionally, he will continue to provide “the best training and equipment possible for members of the police department,” and will also oversee the department’s goal of obtaining state accreditation in 2023 through a “continued commitment to following state and national best policing practices and procedures.”
“Throughout Deputy Chief Litwin’s 22-plus years of service to the City of Kentwood, he has played an integral role in the department’s service, recruitment and training efforts,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “I have no doubt the department will continue to provide excellent service to our community as has been provided by our department under the leadership of the chiefs before him.
“I look forward to the future accomplishments the department will achieve under Chief Litwin’s leadership and direction.”
Litwin joined the Kentwood Police Department in 1999 as a patrol officer. He has also served as a field training officer, community services officer, Staff Services Bureau officer, special response team member and team commander.
The Kentwood Justice Center which houses 62-B District Court and the Kentwood Police Department. (WKTV)
He was promoted to sergeant in 2012, captain in 2016 and then to deputy police chief in 2019. As captain, he managed the Professional Standards Division, served as the public information officer and oversaw the police cadet program, which recruits and develops future police officers.
“It will be an honor to serve as police chief and continue to work alongside the dedicated professionals of this outstanding department,” Litwin said in supplied material. “We will continue to commit ourselves to serving the community with excellence with a high emphasis on community engagement, transparency and accountability.”
During his tenure with the City of Kentwood, Litwin has taught ethics in law enforcement to police academy recruits at Grand Valley State University and led GVSU’s Police Academy Subject Control program. He served as chair of the department’s training committee from 2016-19. Litwin has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from GVSU.
Litwin also helped implement the City’s first Youth Police Academy, which gives high school students and recent high school graduates hands-on experience in a variety of police-related tasks.
Litwin has completed numerous trainings, including leadership programs through the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and Grand Rapids Police Department Leadership Institute.
Litwin serves as chairman of the GVSU Police Academy Advisory Board and Kent Career Technical Center Law Enforcement Advisory Board. He also has served as president of the West Michigan Tactical Officers Association.
“Deputy Chief Litwin has long been an integral part of our leadership team, demonstrating steadfast dedication to the department, profession and service to our residents,” retiring Chief Roberts said in supplied material. “With the leadership, communication and strategic planning skills he has illustrated during his career, I have complete confidence he will continue to provide exemplary leadership and fulfill the department’s mission.”
Compiling a series of photographs of the career of City of Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts two things stand out — there is a ton of him standing proud among his “Brothers in Blue” and a close second is him getting personal with community members, especially kids.
As Chief Roberts prepared to retire from his position this week, and end a career of four decades in police work and 30 years with the City of Kentwood, he sat down with WKTV and reflected on what has changed and what has not over his career.
“What doesn’t change, over the years as I think back, is what I thought about (when he started), what drove me to get into police work,” Chief Roberts said. “A sense of community. To help the community, be an advocate for those victims of crimes, to try to solve them, to hold people accountable. Just basically make a community a safe place for people to live, to have businesses, raise a family. … Those are the same reasons that young people, now, are seeking to get into this profession.”
Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts with wife Maria in an undated photo. (Supplied)
Along the way, however, Chief Roberts said, there has been good days and bad days; there has been mentors and young officers to be mentored; there has been the constant support of a policeman’s family — including his wife, Maria — who he said are “in it as much as we are.”
“It has to be that way,” he said. “We are one of those handful of careers where we work nights, holidays and weekends. This career, the family of someone who has chose this career, has to understand that. … There has to be that support from the family.”
If he did not know that the first day on the job, he knows it now.
And about that first day …
From first day, to an unexpected career path
On his first day as a patrol officer, before he even joined the Kentwood Police Department, he learned lessons about knowing your beat and dealing with the community.
“It was 38 years ago and I can remember my very first call,” Chief Roberts said. “It was a small department, one square mile, City of Roosevelt Park, over near Muskegon … It was a call for me to respond to a traffic crash.”
Problem was, as he tells the story, he did not know the city very well, wasn’t from that area, and ended up — shall we say — taking the long way to go a short distance.
“Seemed like it took me forever to get there. … (But when he did) they asked me ‘What took you so long?’,” he said. “It’s a 1-square-mile city and they could hear my siren going all around them.”
And while on that first day in a patrol car Chief Roberts really had no thoughts of one day being a department chief, he did have the mindset of taking advantage of the opportunities presented.
“I didn’t have any long-term plans to become a chief,” Chief Roberts said. “I had some shorter-term goals that I wanted to, first, take advantage of the opportunities as they came along. And my first opportunity was as a field-training officer.
“The reason that interested me is that my field-training officers here at Kentwood turned out to be some of the people that I looked up to the most throughout my career. … That is one of the most important positions here, training our new officers.”
He added that he had some “aspirations” to be a supervisor, “but there was no race to get there.” Yet he certainly got there.
Prior to joining the Kentwood Police Department, he served as deputy corrections officer at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and as a police officer with the City of Roosevelt Park.
Roberts joined the Kentwood Police Department in 1987 as a police paramedic and has served in many different roles, including 24 years in supervisory and management positions — the last few leading a team of nearly 95 personnel, including 70 sworn police officers.
Uniquely, Chief Roberts was the first in the Kentwood Police Department history to move through the ranks from patrol officer to police chief. In addition to his paramedic experience, he also served as a detective, field training officer, field training supervisor, road patrol supervisor, Staff Services Bureau supervisor and Detective Bureau supervisor. He also served on the crisis negotiating team.
Roberts was promoted to captain of the Patrol Division in December 2012, deputy police chief in August 2017 and then to chief in November 2019.
Along the way, there were mentors and people to be mentored, he said.
“I had two very good sergeants,” Chief Roberts said. “Sgt. (Michael) Hollinrake and Sgt. (Ted) Herrington. Both were my primary sergeants early on in my career. … Just the way they carried themselves. They were good officers themselves before they became supervisors, and both of them encouraged me to take advantages of opportunities as they came along.”
Later on, he said, Capt. Scott Yerrick and Capt. Randy Williamson mentored him after he became a supervisor.
Technology, policy changes but job remains the same
While a lot has changed over the years, in Chief Roberts career and in police work in general, he said. But most of it was for the good of law-enforcement officers and most of it is good for the community they “protect and serve.”
When he first started there were no computers in the car — “Everything was done over the radio. We hand wrote everything. Now there is so much technology in these vehicles that the officers can use.”
And that use of technology extends to all aspects of police work.
“I kid with my detectives now, with all the technology that is available for investigations, I could never go back in there,” he said. “It has changed a great deal.”
When he worked as a detective, “we were door-knockers. Talking to people. Talking to people on the phone,” he said. “But now much of modern investigations are done though social media platforms and many other computerized resources.”
And as far as changes to the “way” police do their business, he simply said “policies evolve over time” and those policies are driven by case law, changes to equipment, and more and more of a focus on being part of the community not just the protector of the community.
“I think what has changed in policy goes along with what has changed in policing over the last 30, 40 years,” he said. “It has moved to more of a profession than just a job. More and more of our staff are college educated.
(Photo supplied by Kent County Sheriffs’ Office)
“Along with new technology came police changes. Probably the most prevalent one is body cameras. The use of that and the policies on the use of force. Use of force has been standard and defined based on case law, for many, many years. … What has evolved is what tools we may have to deal with the use of force” including tasers and pepper spray … “The soft techniques.”
What hasn’t changed, he said, is community involvement, community interaction.
“We are the guardians for the community,” Chief Roberts said. “So, they count on us to protect them from crime, to try to keep crime at a reduced level. We do the best we can. … Part of serving is answering their calls when they call us. But what else can we do to enhance our community?
“We can work with the community, be transparent with them, because they have to trust us. So we spend a lot of time having positive interactions with our community, not just enforcement actions.”
Chief Roberts’ retirement is effective Friday, Dec. 10. Upon the recommendation of Mayor Stephen Kepley, the City Commission confirmed Deputy Chief Bryan Litwin to become the city’s next police chief during its Dec. 7 meeting.
The City of Kentwood announced this week that Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts is retiring, effective Dec. 10, after a “distinguished law enforcement career spanning more than three decades.”
Roberts joined the Kentwood Police Department in 1987 as a police paramedic. During his more than 30 years with the City of Kentwood, Roberts has served in many different roles, including 24 years in supervisory and management positions, according to the announcement.
As chief, Roberts has led a team of nearly 95 personnel, including 70 sworn police officers, who “serve and protect the community with excellence,” focusing on reducing serious crime and increasing traffic safety.
“For 34 years, I have had the tremendous honor and privilege of serving this community,” Chief Roberts said in supplied material. “I am grateful to have helped guide and develop the dedicated team of the Kentwood Police Department and work with great people throughout the City. I am proud of the department’s accomplishments around technology and programs that enhance accountability and transparency and fulfill the department’s vision.”
Roberts was the first in the Kentwood Police Department to move through the ranks from patrol officer to police chief. In addition to his paramedic experience, he also served as a detective, field training officer, field training supervisor, road patrol supervisor, Staff Services Bureau supervisor and Detective Bureau supervisor. He also served on the crisis negotiating team.
Roberts was promoted to captain of the Patrol Division in December 2012, deputy police chief in August 2017 and then to chief in November 2019.
Prior to joining the Kentwood Police Department, he served as deputy corrections officer at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and as a police officer with the City of Roosevelt Park.
Praise from mayor; planning for the future
“Chief Roberts has been a vital team player for our Police Department and our entire community for more than three decades,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “He has played an integral role in fulfilling the department’s mission to protect our residents and implementing new technology to better serve our community. While we are sad to see him go, we wish him the best as he moves into retirement and thank him for his dedicated service throughout the years.”
During his tenure, Roberts instituted a body camera program to enhance accountability and transparency, including the training and outfitting of all officers with the new technology. He also implemented the Data-Driven Approach to Crime and Traffic Safety program, which integrates location-based crime and traffic data to establish effective and efficient methods for deploying law enforcement and other resources. This has led to a reduction in crime, crashes and traffic violations, according to the announcement.
Roberts also prioritized the start of the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Program through the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. This accreditation requires the voluntary adoption of professional standards and analysis to ensure department operations meet these standards. It is anticipated the department will receive accreditation in late 2022.
Mayor Kepley is recommending the appointment of Deputy Chief Bryan Litwin to the City Commission for confirmation to fill the police chief position. The City Commission will consider the appointment during its Dec. 7 meeting.
“I have the utmost confidence in the next generation of leadership within the department,” Roberts said. “We have always made internal leadership development a priority. I have no doubt the department is well-prepared to continue to serve the community with excellence and bring the organization to new heights.”
In retirement, Roberts and his wife, Maria, plan to travel and spend more time with family, according to the announcement.
Police and other Michigan government employees could be sued and held liable if they hurt or kill someone while on the job, under proposed legislation working through the state legislature.
Current, qualified immunity shields government workers from lawsuits for gross misconduct or negligence while on duty.
A police reform package pushed by the state House of Representatives’ Democrats would reduce the blanket protections. They say it would allow police departments and other government agencies to more easily weed out bad apples.
“If you go over, above and beyond, outside the scope of your duties that are spelled out, there has to be some accountability,” said co-sponsor Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, a 24-year veteran of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. “And the general public is tired of paying for lawsuits for officers for their outrageous, egregious conduct.”
Locally, Kent County’s top law enforcement official is quick to define that qualified immunity is much more than simply a policing issue, and says changes are unnecessary.
Qualified immunity “is a very complex term, but simplistically put, it is something that protects an individual from the government, an individual who is a representative of the government — it may be a police officer but it may be the sewer guy or it may be someone from the health department,” Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said in a recent interview with WKTV. “It protects them from being held liable for a decision they make if that decision is in compliance with local laws, policies and procedures of the department, and doesn’t act in a way that is irresponsible, outside of their direction.
“The consequences for taking qualified immunity away really has to do with the civil liability of the government unit. … None of that is to say the a person should not be personally responsible for a decision that is outside of their training and direction and procedures. … There is already a way to sue a government (or government individual) that is not compliant.”
Support and opposition to change is a national issue
A national survey by the Cato Institute found that 63 percent of Americans support eliminating governmental immunity.
Nationwide criticism of qualified immunity catapulted into the public eye after the murder of George Floyd who was killed by a Minneapolis policeman on May 25, 2020. Since Floyd’s death, Colorado, Connecticut, New York and New Mexico either ended or limited the protective scope of qualified immunity.
“Although qualified immunity has prevented victims of police misconduct from holding officers accountable for decades, until recently it had been a relatively obscure doctrine that was not on the radar of many non-lawyers,” said Michael Steinberg in a faculty Q&A. Steinberg, who advocates for ending qualified immunity, is a professor and director of the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School.
But strong resistance to any change in the law remains.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld such protection by overturning lower court decisions to remove qualified immunity in cases in California and Oklahoma.
Bipartisan police reform negotiations in the U.S. Congress ended without resolution in September, even after Democrats removed controversial changes suggested for qualified immunity.
The Michigan bills are co-sponsored by Detroit representatives and House Democrats across the state. If they are signed into law, when police officers or government officials are sued and found liable, they will have to personally write the check.
Law enforcement officials say that’s a deal breaker.
“When a municipality gets faced with a lawsuit, more times than not they look at it as a business decision on whether or not to settle,” Livingston County Sheriff Michael Murphy said.
And the insurance company or municipality writes the check, he said. “I’m a cop. I’m just essentially a blue collar worker. I don’t have a million dollar check to write.”
Qualified immunity does not mean that law officers have complete immunity for their actions, Murphy said. It has to be granted by a judge.
“This is not something that the cop or the municipality can just hold up and say, ‘Oh, hey, I work for the government or I’m a cop, I get qualified immunity.’”
Removing qualified immunity protection is currently a case-by-case decision, Steinberg said.
Under the qualified immunity defense, people injured by police or family members of those killed must prove the violation of their rights with examples from “nearly-identical” court cases, the American Civil Liberties of Michigan said in a prepared statement.
Still, police say removing any part of the qualified immunity statute is a bad idea.
“Ending qualified immunity puts police officers always at risk of having their actions judged, not by what they knew, and not judged on what the rules were today but judged upon hindsight being 20-20,” said Bob Stevenson of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.
Murphy and Kenneth Grabowski, the legislative director of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, say they believe the current law is working fine.
“Most of this stuff is just to placate people complaining,” said Grabowski. “But it works.”
Murphy said that if people understood how difficult it is to get qualified immunity, this discussion wouldn’t even be taking place.
“I really, truly believe in my heart, that most men and women put on that uniform every day to do the right thing,” he said.
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Kentwood’s National Night Out community celebration this week had police and other city personal at more than 15 locations throughout the city, but events at three local churches clearly showed a shared desire to engage the community after a long period of pandemic distancing.
On the evening of Aug. 3, at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue — which along with Faith Baptist Church and Pentecostals Church on 44th Street hosted special large scale events — Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible pastor Jason Ross talked to WKTV about their shared focus on the community.
Kentwood police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible Church Pastor Jason Ross, at the church’s National Night Out event. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“What we share, is we desire to connect with the community in a positive way,” pastor Ross said. “We can do that as a church. We can also do that with the people, within Ada Bible Church, as well as in the community. … We want you to feel like you are welcome here.”
Chief Roberts also talked about the shared focus and the great opportunity of interacting with the community at local churches.
“We are privileged to be invited to Ada Bible Church … This just gives us a great opportunity, especially given this past year, for us to all come out and celebrate in a special way on National Night Out,” Chief Roberts said.
McGruff and a future Detroit Lions fan had a moment at Woodland Mall. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Kentwood was truly bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities — including a special presence at Woodland Mall — on National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.”
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and city leaders joined residents, who had the opportunity to explore police cruisers, fire engines and other emergency response vehicles at events, as well as learn about a variety of safety topics.
“Positive interactions with residents are invaluable for fostering strong community relationships and safer neighborhoods,” Chief Roberts previously said in supplied material. “National Night Out creates a wonderful opportunity to bring officers and community members together in a fun and relaxing setting. Members of our department always look forward to getting to know residents better and encourage more open lines of communication.”
National Night Out was created in the 1980s through an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the nation. It began with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes.
“Democracy is about voting and it’s about a majority vote. And it’s time that we started exercising the Democratic process.”
Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Voters at the voting booth. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)
Voting in Kentwood and Wyoming
There will be contested primary elections happening in both Kentwood and Wyoming, with a Kentwood City Commission race possibly settled, and local Democrats and Republicans set to decide who from their part will be on the ballot for a State Senate seat up for final vote in the fall. Go here for the story.
National Night Out is all about getting people out and mixing with local public service employees including police and firefighters. (NATA.org)
Night out in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will be bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities as part of the city-and-community celebration of National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.” Go here for the story.
Night out in Wyoming
A change for this year’s Wyoming National Night Out event will be that the city will host two main sites — Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW, and Grace Christian University, 1011 Alden St. SW. Both locations will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
71
Number of cities in Michigan which have registered to be involved in National Night Out. Source.
“It is basically our Super Bowl,” said Wyoming Officer Jenni Eby as she described National Night Out, which will take place Tuesday, Aug. 3.
“It is a nice opportunity for us to be able to focus on the people and the connection between the police and the community,” Eby said.
Give me five: A residents gives a Wyoming police officer a high-five. (WKTV)
Always the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out is a nationwide event that encourages residents to turn their porch lights on and come out and meet their neighbors. With last year’s pandemic, the event was cancelled.
“We are excited about seeing people especially since it has been more than a year,” Eby said.
A change for this year’s Wyoming event will be that the city will host two main sites, Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW, and Grace Christian University, 1011 Alden St. SW. Both locations will be open from 5 to 7 p.m.
“Our community service officers work very closely with the neighborhood associations over the years and this is something they wanted to try on a trial basis this year.” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Chief Kim Koster during a recent council meeting. “They wanted to be able to bring all of our resources together and to have two big parties where people can come and enjoy all the services.
“Sometimes, say our K9 unit, they don’t have the time to make it to all 15 parties, so there are people who don’t get to see the K9 unit or get to see the motorcycle unit.”
By hosting the two larger events, it is the hope that these parties will have “a bigger splash,” allowing the Public Safety Department to have a greater reach and connect with more residents, Koster said.
Neighborhoods can still host individual events, she said, adding that if they reach out to the department, officers will see what they can do to have someone from the department stop by.
Eby said that the department’s resources will be split between the two locations.
“There will be K9s at both locations, as well motorcycles and other vehicles,” she said. “The tactical truck will be splitting its time between the two locations as there is only one.”
Basically, residents attending either location, GR First or Grace Christian University, will be able to see all that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety has available.
Flashing lights: Residents check out a Wyoming police car during a past National Night Out event. (WKTV)
Eby said there will be tables at both locations providing information on a variety of safety programs, such as:
Smart 911: With landlines, it was easy to determine where a call was being made. Cell phones make it much harder to know the location of the emergency. Through Smart 911, residents can create a free, secure profile that dispatch operators can call up to help police and rescue personal get to a person faster.
OK2SAY: This is a student safety program that operates similar to Silent Observer in that students are able to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities.
Stop the Bleed: A program that teaches people how to help those who are severely bleeding while waiting for first responders.
All sides within the Kent County courts’ criminal trials system know that after more than a 18 months of a pandemic-related pause of in-person trials there will be issues as courts slowly resume a courtroom calendar — most especially a backlog of criminal and civil cases awaiting trial, a backlog that could take more than a year to clear.
All Kent County courts handing criminal trials — from the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood’s smaller 62A and 62B district courts, to the larger countywide 63rd District and 17th Circuit courts — are now scheduling trials.
Kentwood’s 62B recently reported it held its first in-person trial in June and currently has a dozen or so scheduled through the end of the year — “We have a slight back log of cases waiting trial … All other hearings are current at 62B District Court,” a spokesperson for Judge Amanda Sterkenburg’s office told WKTV.
The 63rd District Court, however, will not begin criminal trials until mid-August, and their backlog could stretch out well into 2022 before a “sense of normal” returns, a situation most larger courts across the state are facing.
63rd district court Judge Sara J. Smolenski (Kent County)
“What is a sense of normal in the court system, that is a good question,” 63rd district court Judge Sara J. Smolenski said to WKTV. “Obviously, the pandemic has taken its toll on every aspect of our lives. Here at the Court, we are working daily to have things be more normal or resume to normal, but it is constantly evolving. A good guess would hopefully be by the end of 2021.”
While Judge Smolenski is, maybe, optimistic about the backlog, the leaders of the two criminal trial lawyer groups often in opposition in the courtroom — the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office and Kent County Office of the Defender — are not so optimistic.
“It will take at least a year to get back to ‘normal’ in my estimation,” Prosecutor Chris Becker said to WKTV. “There is such a backlog of cases, while adding new ones through all of this, there just is not an easy and fast way to catch up. It is going to take time to work through all of them.”
“Misdemeanors (in District Court) are a little better positioned for returning to normal sooner than felonies in Circuit Court,” Chris Dennie, Director, Kent County Office of the Defender, said to WKTV. “Even though there is quite a backlog, I can see getting close to usual in about a year.”
In general, the Kent County District Court system handles trials of civil suits involving $25,000 or less, and adult criminal misdemeanor offenses punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment. The Kent County Circuit Court is the trial court in all civil cases involving more than $25,000, in all criminal cases where the offense is a felony or a serious misdemeanor, as well as all domestic relations cases, and all child abuse, neglect, and delinquency cases.
No shortcuts in criminal cases during pandemic
All sides in the county’s legal system also make clear that while judges and opposing lowers have been “creative” is handling cases during the pandemic, nothing has been done to simply push cases through.
“Every case is dealt with on an individual basis,” Judge Smolenski said. “The right to a speedy trial is very important, but no one has ever been through a pandemic like this where for many months you couldn’t bring jurors together for a case. Defense attorneys and prosecutors are working together to resolve the cases that can be resolved.”
Prosecutor Becker and Defender Dennie might argue that judicial point, however.
“The judges have tried to encourage resolving cases throughout the pause in jury trials,” Dennie said. “However, the prosecutors (both county and city) must be willing and the offices have made it clear they do not want to have what they call a “fire sale” on cases. There has been some work to resolve cases, but not enough to make a big difference.”
“I’ve told my staff to know and go over their cases and make the best possible offer they can, without violating the norms of what we do,” Becker said. “I’m sure if I offered a misdemeanor larceny $200-1,000 to someone charged with an armed robbery felony, they would take that deal. We could ‘catch up’ the docket pretty quick that way. We are not going to do that however; we still have to consider plea offers in relationship to long term public safety and the victims who were impacted by the crime.
“We have done things around the edges more, we have given more sentence recommendations perhaps, but nothing extreme. Judges have gotten involved more as well in this area.”
Backlog not only problem awaiting return to ‘normal’
Two other issues which could come into play with the resumption of jury trials after about 18-months is the as-yet resolved issue of defendants not gaining a “speedy” trial during and of a possible reluctance of citizen jurors returning to their civic duties live and in the courtrooms.
Becker, however, does not think the denial of a speedy trial will be a big issue, but he does hedge his bets a bit.
The idea “has been raised in other places, and I’m sure it will be brought up again. So I can’t say it is a settled part of the law at all,” Becker said. “I’m not sure how successful it will be however, when you had the (State of Michigan) Supreme Court saying trials were not allowed for a large portion of the pandemic. It is fairly unprecedented, but not sure how you can hold a trial when being told not do by the people who run the court system to some extent.”
However, when it comes to the issue of juror reluctance, Judge Smolenski, Prosecutor Becker and Defender Dennie each expressed concern.
“It has been the jury trials, wherein we were prohibited from having groups of jurors in the courtroom, that has become our biggest focus to resolve,” Judge Smolenski said.
“Not sure (but) hearing reports in other areas of larger amount of jurors not showing up when summoned when things re-started,” Becker said. There is “still fear out there, and people may not want to show up in a public area when ordered to. So it will be interesting to see how jurors respond when called to serve.”
And that possible lack of ‘a jury of peers” is particularly of concern to Defender Dennie.
“Defense attorneys have been very concerned about getting a fair and true cross section of the community for the jury pools,” Dennie said. “I’ve been told that in practice, so far, as they send out jury summons, very few people are asking to be released. So we remain concerned, but hopeful, that our clients are able to have fair juries.
The City of Kentwood’s 62-B District Court announced this week that it has implemented an Alternative Dispute Resolution plan that “will allow community members to resolve certain disputes outside the courtroom through mediation and other facilitated processes.”
The court implemented its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) plan to reduce client costs, produce more timely resolutions and increase satisfaction with the justice system, according to the announcement. The plan lays out a process for determining which cases are appropriate for mediation and how mediators are appointed.
Mediation was previously available for the 62-B District Court’s small claims cases in partnership with the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan. With the ADR plan now in place, mediation is even more accessible, “so disputes can be resolved in the most efficient way and with the most satisfaction,” according to the announcement.
Mediation involves a trained third-party individual who works with litigants to resolve disagreements outside the courtroom and reach a mutually acceptable resolution. Mediation is often scheduled and completed quicker than court cases and does not require litigants to pay attorney fees, according to the announcement.
62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg. (Supplied)
“Court cases involve a significant financial and emotional investment,” 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “I am proud the 62-B District Court is offering this plan as a way to save time and money for those seeking resolution, preserve relationships and help each party walk away more satisfied.
“Another beneficial aspect of ADR is each party gets the opportunity to have their voice heard in a safe and neutral environment. Being able to express themselves empowers the parties to work past the conflict and seek resolution.”
In collaboration with the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan, mediation is a routine part of the 62-B District Court pre-trial process.
If a case is referred for mediation, the court’s ADR clerk will send a letter to the parties to let them know they can use the Dispute Resolution Center or select a private mediator by agreement.
According to the court announcement, mediation also helps “minimize disparities in power, where one party may be represented by counsel, but the other party is not. Mediators are specifically trained in these nuances to make sure the balance of power is fair when parties are negotiating and bargaining. Mediation can preserve or restore relationships by overcoming misunderstandings and improving communication between parties.”
The ADR plan was designed to be used in conjunction with facilitators who understand how diversity may affect a dispute and use processes that are designed to overcome barriers to find common ground.
“The best ADR outcomes are reached when varying perspectives are taken into consideration,” Sterkenburg said. “The 62-B District Court remains committed to acknowledging diverse cultures, values and socioeconomic statuses within disputes. We see each perspective in the room as equally valid and we use well-trained mediators and interpreters to reach optimal resolutions.”
Parties are encouraged to pursue any form of ADR if they believe it will assist them in resolving the dispute. The court intends to refer appropriate summary proceedings and civil cases such as breach of contract, property disputes and debt collection to mediation. Sterkenburg will oversee the implementation of the new plan and the mediator selection process.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young says what’s on her mind on a wide range of subjects, from her office’s response time to incidents, how it handles those incidents, and how the staff — all of the staff — of the Kent County Correctional Facility excelled in this time of pandemic.
In May, her office presented a report to the county Board of Commissioners detailing the results of its yearly Performance Measurements Review — covering a period of time almost exclusively falling within the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Including among the measurements are the Sheriff’s office’s response time for both the 911 dispatch and deputies patrolling the roads, the department’s community engagement efforts, and the percentage of contacts resulting in use of force.
On the WKTV set, we talk with the Sheriff about those performance measurements, about what’s new in her department including the roll-out of body cameras, and — taking a cue from the current public scrutinization of law enforcement actions on the streets — we ask about her policy of de-escalation of citizen/deputy incidents and her opinion of law enforcement officers being granted qualified immunity from civil lawsuits.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The Kentwood Place Department’s Traffic Services Bureau launched a safety campaign during the 2019-20 school year partially focused on Kentwood, Kelloggsville, and Forest Hills school buses when students were boarding and departing. (City of Kentwood)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood announced last week that the Kentwood Police Department has received the 2020 Outstanding Traffic Achievement Award from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission in recognition of its school safety campaign.
The GTSAC honors organizations, programs and individuals for outstanding contributions to traffic safety, according to supplied material. The virtual awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 27.
“We are grateful to the state for this high honor, which is a reflection of our department’s ongoing commitment to increasing traffic safety and our Traffic Services Bureau’s hard work to help make school zones safer for students and drivers,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said in supplied material.
The Traffic Services Bureau includes one sergeant, three traffic specialists and one police cadet. The team’s primary responsibility is to enforce traffic laws. Other services include abandoned vehicle follow-ups, salvaged vehicle inspections, traffic engineering studies, speed monitoring and accident investigations.
The police department’s Traffic Services Bureau launched a safety campaign during the 2019-20 school year that provided dedicated personnel to monitor and enforce residential speed limits near schools on 60th Street SE and whether drivers stopped for Kentwood, Kelloggsville, and Forest Hills school buses when students were boarding and departing.
The police department had received complaints about drivers speeding in properly posted school zones and not stopping for buses when their red flashers were on, according to supplied material.
The initiative started in October 2019 and ended early in March 2020 due to school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 184 personnel hours were dedicated to the five-month campaign, which yielded 428 school speed zone violations and 31 school bus violations.
This enforcement resulted in an 800 percent increase for school speed zone violations and a 300 percent jump in school bus violations from the previous school year. Fifty-one school speed zone violations and 10 school bus violations were issued in 2018-19.
During the first month of the campaign, 93 school speed zone violations were issued. That number peaked at 104 in February 2020 before dropping to 31 in the final month.
“This was a successful effort that changed behaviors and garnered positive feedback from our community, with many parents stopping to thank our officers,” Chief Roberts said.
The safety campaign encompassed Kentwood, Kelloggsville and Forest Hills schools. It resumed in October 2020 and went through December, resulting in four school speed violations and eight school bus violations.
More information about the Kentwood Police Department is available at kentwood.us/police.
This last weekend, reacting to Michigan’s Clean Slate Act coming into initial effect on April 11, two expungement resource fairs were held in West Michigan — “expungement” is the setting aside of a person’s record of criminal convictions for certain “lower level” crimes including older marijuana possessions offenses no longer even considered crimes.
The expungement resources fairs, held in Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor, are part of a wide-ranging series of actions being taken as part of the state’s criminal justice reform, specifically the Clean Slate Act, with actions by groups ranging from the office of Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, to Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School, to the Black & Brown Cannabis Guild.
A photo from a previous Clean Slate Act expungement resource event promotional material. (Black & Brown Cannabis Guild)
“At both (expungement resource) events, volunteer attorneys and law students will assist registrants who appear to be eligible with filling out their expungement applications and give them general instructions on the expungement process,” Kamau Sandiford, a Kentwood based lawyer serving as WMU-Cooley’s Access to Justice staff attorney, said to WKTV before the events.
The resource fairs were co-hosted by the Black & Brown Cannabis Guild, a group which, among on other advocacy efforts, seeks to gain cleared criminal records for persons imprisoned for crimes related to outdated cannabis laws.
“As the United States moves away from the criminalization of cannabis … there remains the fundamental injustice inflicted upon those who have suffered criminal convictions and the consequences of those convictions,” as the guild states on its Last Prisoner Project webpage.
Even before the expungement resource fairs, Sandiford and WMU-Cooley Law School associate dean Tracey Brame have been hosting training sessions for attorneys on the new law including for the the Grand Rapids Bar Association and Legal Aid’s Spring Training Session early this year.
During the presentation, according to the WMU-Cooley website, Sandiford explained that under the new law, the state will be required to have an automated expungement program in place by April 2023.
That “automated expungement” system is, however, a cause of some concern from Kent County’s top criminal prosecutor.
“The Prosecuting Attorney’s Association of Michigan was generally supportive of the Clean Slate bills,” Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said to WKTV. “If someone has truly reformed their life and are doing well after past criminal convictions we did not see a problem in giving them a chance to have a clear record.
“If anything is wrong with it, I think the idea that we are going to have a computer system that is going to be able to ‘automatically’ clean convictions off records in two years is highly unlikely,” Becker continued. “The state is littered with computer programs/systems that were supposed to be developed and operational in a certain time, that took much longer than anticipated and never worked as promised. I fear something similar will happen here.”
Despite such concerns, the law will came into effect and the state is already working on a pilot program to aid people who have been hampered in their employment opportunities due to their past convictions and employers being able to gain access to such records.
Law’s history and state interim action
While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Clean Slate” bill package into law in October of 2020, the efforts to move it forward started much earlier, driven in part by studies that showed not only the individuals involved but society as a whole benefits from such actions.
According to the state’s Michigan Courts website expungement “can help more people have the opportunity to find good jobs and secure safe and affordable housing. A ‘clean slate’ can help strengthen families, communities, local economies across the state, and promote public safety.”
Also, a 2020 study by two University of Michigan Law School professors found that those whose criminal records are set aside experience “a sharp upturn in their wage and employment trajectories.” The study stated that job seekers obtained employment at an increase of 11 percent and their income rose by 25 percent in two years.
And the state is not waiting for 2023, for the automated process to come into effect, to start aiding those persons with criminal records to better gain employment.
Last week, the state announced the launch of a $4 million investment in a “Clean Slate Pilot” program to assist “returning citizens” — convicted persons returning to the community and the workforce — with setting aside a conviction, through which the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) will awards funds to Michigan Works! Agencies to support local workforce efforts until the expungement system is in place.
“My goal since day one of taking office has been to build fundamental reforms to make our communities safer and improve the people’s outcomes going through our criminal justice system,” Lt. Gov. Gilchrist said in supplied material. “The bipartisan Clean Slate legislation fundamentally changed Michigan’s criminal history expungement laws, for the better … (and) the Clean Slate Pilot program offers a stop-gap for expungement services until the Clean Slate law goes into effect.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signing “Clean Slate” bill package into law on October 12, 2020. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is in b background. (Office of the Governor)
As part of the pilot program, returning citizens can get an order setting aside their conviction and, according to the state announcement, “can legally state on any job or school application that they have never been convicted of or arrested for that crime.”
They will also be able to state that they have not been convicted of that crime on applications for public benefits, housing or employment.
“Before this legislation and this pilot program, there were many barriers in place for returning citizens,” Susan Corbin, LEO director, said in supplied material. “These barriers to seeking criminal record expungement include a lack of information, time constraints, cost of retaining a private attorney and fear of the criminal justice system. With the Clean Slate Pilot program, Michigan Works! Agencies will help these citizens overcome many of these barriers and guide them on a path to success.”
The Clean Slate Pilot Program funding will be awarded to all 16 Michigan Works! Agencies throughout the state with each of the agencies providing localized efforts.
For more information on the Clean Slate pilot program, visit here. To contact the local Michigan Works! office visit westmiworks.org.
Details of Clean Slate Act eligibility
Setting aside a conviction is the process that clears a public criminal record. In Michigan, there is one process to set aside a conviction on an adult record — often called expungement — and a different process to set aside a juvenile conviction, called an adjudication.
In WMU-Cooley promotional material for the recent expungement fairs, it was explained that individuals will be eligible for expungement after a waiting period of 10 years for certain felonies, or seven years for certain misdemeanors. Most traffic offenses will be available for expungement except DUIs, offenses causing injury or death, and offenses while operating a commercial vehicle.
Additionally, those who qualify for automatic expungement can have no more than two felonies and four 93-day misdemeanors expunged during their lifetime.
The Clean Slate Act also specifically allows individuals convicted of low-level misdemeanor marijuana offenses to apply for expungement, as “the law creates a presumption that these offenses were based on activities that would not have been considered crimes on or after Dec. 6, 2018.”
Crimes that will not be considered for automatic expungement include, according to supplied material, “assaultive crimes; serious misdemeanors; crimes of dishonesty; offenses punishable by 10 or more years imprisonment; violations related to human trafficking; and crimes committed against minors, vulnerable adults, injury or serious impairment, or death.”
City of Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts, as part of a discussion on WKTV Journal In Focus, talked about the changes in police vehicle camera technology — which at one point was dashboard cameras and VCRs in the trunk. (WKTV)
The City of Kentwood Police Department prides itself on not only its transparency and accountably but also its community interaction and involvement. So, when Kentwood’s top police official, Chief Richard Roberts, visited WKTV Journal In Focus recently the conversation ranged from plans for expanded officer body camera use to working with local employees to help local restaurants and patrons.
In early March, the City of Kentwood announced its police department would equip its entire force with body cameras in an effort to enhance both accountably and transparency during community interactions. Chief Roberts detailed the program, its needs and goals, training and department protocol for use, and how body cameras are equally good for the community as they are for police officers.
(For a previous WKTV Journal In Focus interviews with Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker and Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young which included discussion of the use of law enforcement body cameras, visit Becker’s discussion here and LaJoye-Young’s discussion here.)
Additionally, in our interview with Chief Roberts, he discussed programs such as pop-up events in support of local restaurants and customers, as well as the planned Kentwood Police Youth Academy.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
In March, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker gave a Performance Measurements Review to a committee of the county Board of Commissioners. While some of the review was mostly statistics and governmental detail, we at WKTV thought it an opportunity to get the county’s top attorney in to discuss a wide range of his office’s activities — including its goals, accomplishments and challenges.
In addition to his report to the Board of Commissioners, the county’s top attorney discussed how the current pandemic has impacted the state of the county’s criminal courts, last year and into the future. And, given the news of the day out of a Minneapolis courtroom, we got his take on the value of video evidence in criminal trials — are police body cameras or public cell phone video good witnesses?
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
A City of Kentwood Police Department officer shows police car controls and features to participants during a lesson about traffic stops, from the Kentwood Police Department’s 2019 Youth Academy. (City of Kentwood)
The City of Kentwood Police Department knows that local youth often consider the field of law enforcement to be something they might want to pursue after graduation, but they also know that those same youth might not really know what the career field is all about.
The Kentwood Police Department’s Youth Academy, currently accepting applications for this year’s academy scheduled for July, gives those youth that “first-hand” knowledge.
The academy allows “them to just come in and see what it is like to be a police officer, to be involved with some of the training, some of the scenarios,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said to WKTV during a recent visit to our studios. “We think that is important to offer that to individuals who might be considering law enforcement.”
Chief Roberts also pointed out that “we are offering (the academy) to any high schooler — they don’t have to be a Kentwood high schooler — as long as they are graduating this year, or they will be (a returning high school student next year) …, if they are interested in law enforcement.”
This year’s four-day program will take place Monday to Thursday, July 26-29, and is open to all graduating seniors and students who will be a sophomore, junior or senior in the 2021-22 school year. Applications are due May 14.
The free program will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE, with COVID-19 safety precautions in place, according to a statement from the City of Kentwood.
Students will experience a wide-range of police training activities including traffic stops, drunken driving enforcement, building searches, subject control and handcuffing, as well as tactics of the Special Response Team.
Eligible participants “must possess good moral character and pass a background check,” according to the statement. They will be interviewed before being accepted into the program and will be required to attend a pre-academy informational meeting with a parent or guardian. Each participant will be provided a uniform and daily lunch.
To participate, students must contact Sgt. Tim Wierenga for an initial screening and application at wierengat@kentwood.us or 616-656-6561. Applications may be delivered in person at the Kentwood Police Department or by mail to Sgt. Wierenga at 4742 Walma Ave. SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. Applications are available online here.
The City of Kentwood has announced that the Kentwood Police Department is introducing a body camera program that will include the training and outfitting of all officers with the new technology.
While the department has had in-car cameras since 2000 and some body cameras since 2016, the new program, according to a March 22 statement, is “an effort to enhance accountability and transparency.”
The Kentwood City Commission recently approved a five-year contract with Axon, the largest body camera provider in the U.S., for the equipment and technology. The annual cost for the equipment and technology will be $117,000, according to the statement.
Kentwood Police Department Chief Richard Roberts. (Supplied)
“The Kentwood Police Department has consistently placed great emphasis on community engagement, accountability and transparency,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said in supplied material. “With the implementation of this technology, we can build on those efforts to continue to serve our community with excellence and grow trust. We know the trust of our community can only be earned by impartiality and fairness in daily policing functions and outreach to engage and educate the community.”
The Kentwood Police Department has 71 sworn officers serving a community of approximately 51,000 residents “through a variety of programs and community engagement efforts.”
The body camera program, according to the statement, is part of the department’s “longtime commitment to accountability and transparency in order to achieve its mission to reduce serious crime, increase traffic safety and serve the community with excellence.”
The department plans to have all the department’s officers trained and issue them body cameras by the end of May.
“This technology is beneficial for our community and our police officers,” Chief Roberts said. “It serves as another tool to ensure the safety and security of our community and the residents we serve. The Kentwood Police Department appreciates Mayor Kepley and the city commissioners in supporting the department’s goal in implementing this technology.”
KPD joins eight other Kent County agencies that have implemented or are in the process of implementing body cameras.
A tradition of community engagement
The Kentwood Police Department, according to the statement, utilizes a variety of programs and engagement efforts to “strengthen relationships with the community, address immediate needs and ensure safety.”
Operation P.R.I.C.E. was launched in 2014 by the Kentwood Police Department in an effort to curb retail theft along the 28th Street corridor. (Supplied)
The department uses resident satisfaction surveys and continually reviews its policies, procedures, tactics and techniques to ensure all align with federal and state legal standards, as well as best practices in the profession. These include trainings several times a year on multiple tactics and techniques for various types of interactions with community members, and annual review of agency practices.
Among its existing and on-going efforts are:
— A data-driven approach to crime and traffic safety program that integrates location-based crime and traffic data to establish effective and efficient methods for deploying law enforcement and other resources. The goal is to reduce the incidence of crime, crashes and traffic violations in the community.
— An interactive crime mapping portal that further fosters awareness of crimes and builds trust through transparency. Data is automated daily, allowing residents to stay up to date with incidents that occur in their neighborhoods.
— A school resource officer program that is a partnership between KPD, the community and schools to reduce crime, increase security and promote a positive role model between youth and law enforcement. KPD has three dedicated certified police officers assigned to specific school districts in the city.
— Operation P.R.I.C.E., the Preventing Retail Theft Through Initiative, Collaboration and Enforcement, which since 2014 has helped local businesses decrease incidents of retail fraud.
— Drug Take Back program, which provides community members with a free and secure location to safely dispose of unused and/or unwanted prescription medications. This reduces potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose.
— Participation in community events such as National Night Out, Touch-A-Truck and Trunk-or-Treat to “build meaningful relationships with residents.” Officers also attend Neighborhood Watch meetings to provide crime and safety information and strengthen community relations.
More information about the Kentwood Police Department is available at kentwood.us/police.
When Kim Koster started her college career, her plans did not include going into law enforcement much less becoming the chief of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety.
Chief Kim Koster
“When I started at Grand Rapids Junior College, and back then it was a junior college, I was in interested in teaching,” Koster said during a recent interview with WKTV. “But then I took a criminal justice class and I found it intriguing, and, at the same time, I was working out at a local gym and my instructor for aerobics was a Wyoming police officer.”
About 15 percent of the sworn on-duty officers are women with about one percent serving as head of their departments. It makes Kent County unique in that in many of its law enforcement agencies, women are leads in various departments with Koster and Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young, heading up two of the county’s three largest law enforcement departments.
“I grew up on the east side of the state,” LaJoye-Young said. “My father worked for the Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Department and became the sheriff. I remember going to restaurants and community events and everyone would come up and talk to him about issues they were having and I just loved how he could pour into their lives and the community.”
Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young
With that desire to serve the community, but not work for her father, LaJoye-Young moved to West Michigan and joined the Kent County Sheriff’s Department in 1989. Koster joined the Wyoming Department of Public Safety in 1996.
Throughout their careers, neither woman had the goal of eventually becoming chief or sheriff, but rather to simply do their best.
“It was never anything that I aspired to,” Koster said. “Things happened in my career where doors opened or a door was cracked and I decided I was going to take the opportunity to walk through and that is what I encourage other women to do.
“I think sometimes we don’t see those doors or we are afraid to walk through them and I just decided I would walk through it and see what would happen and I think even the day I was promoted chief, I was still a little surprised at myself that I had taken that role on.”
In the 1900s, the Portland Oregon Police Department swore in the first female officer. Lola Baldwin.
The history of women in law enforcement dates back to the mid-1800s with women serving as matrons in New York City jails. Widows of police officers were hired by departments to work with women and children and one of the first persons to do so was Marie Owens who was hired in 1891 by the Chicago Police Department. The beginning of the 1900s, the Portland Oregon Police Department swore in the first female officer, Lola Baldwin.
However it was not until the Civil Rights Act passed in 1971 that women’s roles in law enforcement expanded and helping the perception that women were cable to serve were such shows as “Policewomen” and “Charlie’s Angels.”
“I focused everyday at being a leader in whatever group I was working within…,” LaJoye-Young said. “Making sure I was always putting my best foot forward, doing the right thing for the right reasons and advocating for others if I was in a position to do so and I think when you are working in that way leadership positions kind of naturally happen.”
Koster or LaJoye-Young wouldn’t deny there have not been challenges, but more so from the overall actions and reactions to law enforcement.
“I thought it was just so important what we were doing and for women to be involved in policing,” Koster said. “I just knew there was a reason for us to be there and I knew that people were really being responsive to women in policing and developing good relationships with the public.”
With LaJoye-Young adding that the importance of having someone like you when faced with a situation remains a key benefit in helping to resolve problems.
“The more variety you have on your police department or sheriff’s department the more prepared you are to deal with the circumstances that you are faced with,” LaJoye-Young said. “Law enforcement changes so quickly and is so dynamic and there is such a variety of things. There are some places that a female is more successful. There are some places that somebody of color is more successful.”
The key is having that “heart to serve,” Koster said, adding it is what she looks for when talking to a potential candidate. Someone who can listen and show empathy, she said, adding that she encourages people interested in the profession to reach out to their local law enforcement agency to talk to officers in the field. There are also several places that offer criminal justice programs such as the Kent Career Tech Center (for high school students) and numerous colleges such as Grand Rapids Community College. Local departments like the Kent County Sheriff’s Department and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety also have cadet and internship programs.
“I feel like law enforcement in general is at the beginning of a very dynamic change,” LaJoye-Young said. “I think you are going to see a lot of things in law enforcement really go in a different direction in the next decade or so. There couldn’t be a better time to get into law enforcement to be part of that progress, to be part of that adaption.”
“Last year certainly brought its challenges (to the Kent District Library system), but we never allowed those challenges to stop us from serving our communities – our impact continued. Our branches were closed for a time, but the library never closed.”
KDL Executive Director Lance Werner
(pxhere.com)
The COVID-19 vaccine is coming for a wider population
The Kent County Health Department this week was notified by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that the state is expanding vaccination eligibility — including beginning March 22 expanding vaccine eligibility to include all Michiganders 50 years of age and older. Go here for the story.
Despite the pandemic, local lead exposure battle continues
The pandemic has shut down many things, but not the efforts of Kent County and its partners to identify and reduce lead exposure in the community — a serious health hazard especially for children before, during and unfortunately likely to continue after COVID-19. The health department issues a report this week. Go here for the story.
Wyoming City Council debates funding of Kent County Dispatch
While recognizing the accomplishments of the Kent Country Dispatch, the Wyoming City Council this week expressed concern over the funding of the dispatch authority and decided to only approve a one-year renewal agreement for dispatch services at the council’s Monday night meeting. Go here for the story.
(Not so) Fun fact:
33,000 county households without the internet
According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 33,000 households in Kent County do not have a broadband internet subscription. But Kent County, the City of Kentwood, and others are working on the problem. Read the story here.
Kent County, in recent months, has made two unique expenditures as part of its public safety efforts. One, taking a more traditional approach, saw the county spend more than $2 million to equip the Sheriff’s office with state-of-the-art equipment, most notably body cameras. The other, in a distinctively non-traditional approach, has the county funding nearly $500,000 in grants to non-profit community groups to prevent crime from occurring.
During a recent visit to the studio of WKTV Journal In Focus, we talked with Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt and Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young about the two expenditures and why they are important to the community.
Discussion includes the protocol for use of body cameras and vehicle dashboard cameras, and how both can protect law enforcement and the right of the pubic during sometimes tense interactions. Then we get their take on why the prevention of crime, specifically community violence, will take more than just law enforcement officers on the streets, and why the county is allocating funds to its new Community Violence Prevention Grant program.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you have accomplished … It’s about who you’ve lifted up. Who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
Denzel Washington
Kentwood police Off. Jeff Augustyn was at Al-Bos restaurant as the police force and Lacks Enterprises Inc. paid for a customer’s take out meal. (City of Kentwood)
Kentwood police and Lacks Enterprises
The Kentwood police community services team, led by Sgt. Tim Wierenga, had this idea to “showcase” local small business, to not only offer monetary support to eateries but to provide a little holiday surprise to customers by paying for their take-out meal. Lacks Enterprises Inc. stepped up for the community where they work and their employees eat out. Kentwood police community services team, led by Sgt. Tim Wierenga, had this idea to “showcase” local small business, to not only offer monetary support to eateries — on Dec. 16, Al-Bos and Daniele’s Pizzeria — but to provide a little holiday surprise to customers by paying for their take-out meal. Go here for the story. If you are business which wants to be spotlighted for donating and helping local small business, call Sgt. Wierenga at 616-656-6561.
With the pandemic, Family Network of Wyoming, like many area food pantries, have seen an increase in need. (WKTV)
Family Network of Wyoming
With the increased need, Family Network of Wyoming has been receiving an increase in food assistance requests. So through a holiday season partnership with the Wyoming Family Fare — and donations from the community — Family Network is set to provide holiday meals to area families. Go here for the story. This time of the year, and all year round, donations are needed at www.fntw.org/donate.
Ton Evans pof Bethany Christian Services of West Michigan talks to WKTV about his organization. (WKTV)
Bethany Christian Services of West Michigan
One group working hard to make West Michigan a better community, in a multitude of seen and unseen ways, is Bethany Christian Services. WKTV talked with a representative of the group recently about its efforts to be funded by a new Kent County Community Violence Prevention Grant. But that is just one element of the group’s work. Go here for the story and video. Do you want to find out more about Bethany? Support its efforts? Visit bethany.org.
Fun fact:
Giving is good for the giver
Studies show that giving can actually boost your physical and mental health. From volunteering at a soup kitchen to committing to raise money for a specific charity, health benefits associated with giving can include: lower blood pressure, increased self-esteem, lower stress levels and — maybe most important — greater happiness and satisfaction. Source.
During a recent visit to the studio of WKTV Journal In Focus, we talked with Antonio (Tony) Evans, a vocational trainer for Bethany Christian Services of Michigan, about the history of Bethany and some of its West Michigan services — especially its upcoming work funded by a Kent County Community Violence Prevention Grant.
But for Evans, it is clear that his work for Bethany Christian Services is more than simply providing any one service or fulfilling one grant action requirement.
“In order to work for Bethany Christian, in order to work for Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation, it’s not a job, it’s a way of life,” Evans said to WKTV. “You have to be entrenched in it. … Our center is one of those spots where, whatever you need, we are going to help you.”
Bethany Christian Services of Michigan, part of a national group with several West Michigan locations including in Wyoming and Kentwood, has been approved for a Community Violence Prevention grant of nearly $150,000 to, quoting from the group’s application, “take a multi-acton approach at crime prevention by increasing opportunities, information, and activities to those within the south Grand Rapids’ 49507 zip code” — an area that borders both Wyoming and Kentwood.
For more information about Bethany Christian Services, visit bethany.org.
Antonio (Tony) Evans, left, a vocational trainer for Bethany Christian Services of Michigan, recently visited the set of WKTV Journal In Focus and talked with host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
There will be a changing of the guard at the leadership of the City of Kentwood’s 62-B District Court this month as Amanda Sterkenburg will be sworn into the post and will take over for retiring long-time Judge William G. Kelly on Jan. 1, 2021.
And the public is invited to witness the changeover with two virtual ceremonies.
Judge-elect Sterkenburg’s investiture is set for Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m., with the swearing-in ceremony to be fittingly conducted by Judge Kelly. Members of the community are invited to attend via Zoom (Meeting ID 4280940961) or on the 62-B District Court’s YouTube channel.
Then, on Wednesday, Dec. 30, also at 3 p.m., the public is invited to attend Judge Kelly’s virtual retirement celebration via Zoom (Meeting ID 4280940961) or also on the court’s YouTube channel. The event will include remarks by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack and other distinguished speakers.
Judge Kelly, In Focus, from August 2020. (WKTV)
Kelly has served the Kentwood community as the city’s first and only district court judge since 1979. He was elected in November 1978, following his father, Joseph Kelly, who served as Kentwood’s municipal judge from 1971-79. In 2014, he was re-elected for his seventh and final six-year term. The district court judge leads a team of nearly 25 court personnel.
In August, WKTV Journal In Focus talked with Judge Kelly about his years on the bench and his retirement. See the video here.
“Judge Kelly has been an invaluable asset to Kentwood and the West Michigan area,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “His dedication to our community has been demonstrated by his service on the bench along with his many accomplishments for our court system. We wish Judge Kelly the best as he moves into retirement and we sincerely thank him for his leadership in directing Kentwood’s 62-B District Court for these past 42 years.”
During his tenure, Judge Kelly instituted several programs, including the Sobriety Court and meditation of small claims cases. Kelly also conducted more than 4,000 weddings throughout his time as district court judge.
Additionally, Kelly explored ways technology could better serve the justice system and Kentwood community. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 62-B District Court quickly adapted and created a virtual court on Zoom with a livestream on its YouTube Channel. Kelly also has worked with the Supreme Court to implement a paperless system throughout the state to begin in the near future.
“I have been fortunate to have had a great law career,” Judge Kelly said in supplied material. “I have loved serving this community for so many years and I am grateful for all the opportunities that have helped me become a better judge. We have a great team at 62-B District Court, and I look forward to seeing the court’s future accomplishments and growth.”
Handing the gavel to the next judge
With the new year, Sterkenburg will lead preside over the 62-B District Court for a six-year term after being elected to the post in November. (To see her WKTV We The People candidate video, visit here.)
The 62-B District Court settles disputes, processes criminal charges and manages legal appeals. Common offenses heard by a district court judge include operating while intoxicated, domestic violence and retail fraud less than $1,000. The court also conducts weddings, maintains legal records and provides resources for community members.
Judge-elect Amanda Sterkenburg (City of Kentwood)
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in this capacity,” Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “As 62-B District Court judge, I will remain committed to ensuring well-reasoned sentences, proportionate punishment and fair rulings that reflect the unique circumstances of every matter that comes before me.”
Sterkenburg has represented criminal and civil defendants, landlords, tenants and litigants with many different types of claims throughout her career as an attorney, according to supplied material. Her experience includes successful jury trials on assault, theft and retail fraud offenses. She has more than 90 hours of mediation training and has handled matters in many local circuit and district courts, including the 62-B District Court.
Sterkenburg is active in many local organizations, including the Kentwood Aquatics Club, Glenwood Elementary Parent-Teacher Council, Kentwood Baseball League and Mediation Services of Ottawa and Allegan counties. She and her family attend Kentwood Community Church.
The 62-B District Court judgeship must go to a Kentwood resident.
“We are delighted to welcome Judge-elect Sterkenburg to the 62-B District Court,” Mayor Kepley said. “I have confidence she will follow in Judge Kelly’s footsteps in demonstrating outstanding dedication to justice and service to the Kentwood community.”
Sterkenburg graduated cum laude from Franklin College and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Drawn to the “diversity and opportunity in Kentwood,” Sterkenburg moved to the city with her two children almost 10 years ago, according to supplied material.
Kent County announced this week the first round of grants to non-profits as part of the new Community Violence Prevention Grant Program, with seven nonprofits awarded grants ranging from $15,000 to $150,000.
Two groups, Bethany Christian Services and the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, have local operations in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners previously allocated $500,000 of CARES Act funding to the Community Violence Prevention program “to help stem the increasing rate of violence occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to a Nov. 18 statement from Kent County.
The grants support local 501(c)(3) organizations “that work to prevent violent behaviors from occurring, stop the progression of violence and rehabilitate individuals with established violent behavior,” according to the statement.
“Keeping our residents and communities safe is a top priority for the Kent County Board of Commissioners,” Commission chair Mandy Bolter said in supplied material. “We are proud to make these resources available to community organizations who are working tirelessly to develop innovative solutions that make our neighborhoods safer.”
As listed in the grant application, some of the strategies possibly used by the groups receiving grants include:
Reducing the availability and misuse of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances;
Reducing access to lethal weapons like guns and knives;
Changing cultural norms that support violence;
Rehabilitating individuals with a history of violent behavior;
Providing mentors, counselors, or other similar support for youth;
Providing alternative activities during the day and at night for youth that keep them engaged and involved, thus combatting idleness and lack of direction;
And, education and support of anti-gang measures.
Local group initial plans
Bethany Christian Services of Michigan has locations in both Wyoming and Kentwood, and, according to their application, will use the grant for a wide range of initiatives, including its “Silence the Violence Project”, which “using virtual reality, local youth partner with software developers to create simulated experiences designed to show youth ages 10-17 how to combat violence in their lives and communities.”
Bethany Christian Services’ project is an existing initiative of NAACP, it is estimated that 125-150 youth will engage in these simulations, and while the grant funds will be used this year, the program will continue throughout 2020 and 2021.
YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids’s Spartan Nash YMCA is located in Wyoming. According to its grant application, it will use the grant to engage in teen violence prevention by “providing alternative choices and activities” during out-of-school time.
“The goal for our programs is to keep teens engaged and involved in community, thus combatting lack of direction or idleness. The Y has staff who are trained in trauma-informed care who can confidently facilitate conversations about gun violence issues as well as strong partnerships with mental health providers like Arbor Circle and Mental Health Foundation to provide group-based mental health support. This work is becoming increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Local United Way partners with county on grants
Kent County contracted with Heart of West Michigan United Way — which already has extensive relationships with local non-profits — to review funding applications and administer the grants.
Other non-profits to receive grants as part of the first round of awards include the Boys & Girls Club of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth, Inc.; Edge Urban Fellowship; Grand Rapids Urban League; New City Kids, Inc.; and Muse Ed (Mus(ed)).
“The agencies receiving funds have established track records in transforming our community,” Michelle Van Dyke, president & CEO of Heart of West Michigan United Way, said in supplies material. “They serve as leaders in preventing violence, facilitators of diversion efforts and mentors for local youth. Together, we will educate and support Kent County residents to ensure the place we call home becomes safer and stronger than ever before.”
For more information on the grants and application process, visit hwmuw.org.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Department works to combat community violence, but it is looking to get some help with newly funded grants to community nonprofits. (KC Sheriff’s Department)
The Kent County Board of Commissioners announced this week the recent allocation of $500,000 of CARES Act funding to community violence prevention grants “to help stem the increasing rates of violence occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The grant program will be administered by the Heart of West Michigan United Way.
Grant applications are due to the Heart of West Michigan United Way by noon on Monday, Oct. 19, and all funds must be expended by Dec. 15, 2020 pursuant to federal requirements.
“We have seen a rise in violent crime throughout the County since the start of the pandemic,” Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said in supplied material. “We need to work together as a community on prevention and education initiatives that can help reduce the incidents that result in violence.”
The Community Violence Prevention Grant Program will assist nonprofit organizations in preventing violent behaviors from occurring, stopping the progression of violence, and rehabilitating individuals with established violent behavior, according to the announcement.
To receive a grant, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) based in Kent County, have been in existence for at least one year, deliver all programming in Kent County, comply with all applicable state and federal laws, and provide a written summary of the project and its outcomes in January 2021.
A selection committee comprised of Kent County leaders, law enforcement, and community members will award grants ranging from $5,000 to $150,000.
“Ensuring we have a safe community is a fundamental role of government. However, we alone cannot solve the spike in violent crimes that is occurring because of COVID-19,” Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter said in supplied material. “It was a priority for the board to support local, grassroots programs that are working to make our communities safe for all.”
The Kent County Board of Commissioners last week approved a $2.2 million request from county Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young to purchase new body cameras for about 200 law enforcement personnel in the Sheriff’s Office, and well as replacement tasers for all officers and replacement in-car cameras for about 83 police cruisers.
“Combined with training and clearly defined protocols for camera use and for public access to video footage, body cameras are shown to be valuable tools to increase the accountability of all parties involved,” according to the Kent County announcement.
WKTV asked Sheriff LaJoye-Young to define those planned protocols for camera use and public access.
“Training is scheduled to happen as soon as we get the full delivery of the equipment and installation in the vehicles — it is a very hands-on training,” Sheriff LaJoye-Young said to WKTV. “We have developed a protocol. It has largely been based on our experience with in-car camera systems, but also on the guidance we have received from other departments who have had body cams in play for awhile. Obviously, protocol is always managed, it constantly gets updated. And so we are going to see how it starts and then adjust it if we need to.
“That protocol will be available (to the public) for people to understand. And they should expect that any time they are dealing directly with an officer who is in uniform and a body cam, that that body cam is recording. They are always free to ask an officer if their camera is recording, and our officers would be required to answer that question.”
Approximately 200 Sheriff’s office uniformed and plainclothes deputies and sergeants, community police officers, undercover officers and other personnel performing law enforcement duties will be equipped with body-worn cameras in the first quarter of 2021.
The funding for the body cameras and other upgrades was transferred from the projected Sheriff’s Office General Fund to the Fiscal Year 2020 Capital Improvement Program Fund, according to the county statement.
“The Board of Commissioners strongly supports Sheriff LaJoye-Young’s commitment to transparency, accountability and effective law enforcement practices,” Board of Commissioners chair Mandy Bolter say in supplied material.
The Sheriff echoed the public transparency aspect of the effort.
“This investment will allow for greater transparency for the residents in our community,” Sheriff LaJoye-Young said in supplied material. “Body cameras offer real-time information about what happened on a call for service or with any public contact. Plus, the footage from these calls can be used in training and monitoring exercises to strengthen the performance of our law enforcement officers in the field.”
According to the county’s announcement, the tasers, in-car video cameras and body cameras “are all part of one seamlessly integrated package” — a package the includes five cameras for the detective bureau interview room and 25 docking stations as well as a service contract at a cost of $75,000 per year for the second through fifth years of use.
“Altogether, this system will allow for a streamlined Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and discovery process, further increasing the Sheriff’s Office transparency,” according to the statement.
If you fish out a gun, or something like this old grenade, the Grand Rapids Police Department recommend you call your local police and let the experts handle it. (WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
Fishing on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids is nothing new. You can see anglers on the banks almost every day, year around.
But a not-so-new version of fishing for fish with the usual bait, fishing for anything metal with magnets, is turning up some unusual catches. From the usual odds and ends, to guns and even an unwisely disposed of military grenade, to — and we have the photograph to prove it — an antique metal toilet, one local magnet fisherman has stories to tell.
Magnet fishermen find the strangest things — like an antique toliet. (WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
“Me and my buddy have pulled up all sorts of stuff, including five guns and a World War II grenade,” Matt Kavaluskis, a lifelong Grand Rapidian and a community volunteer at WKTV Community Media, said recently. “And for that iron toilet, we used three magnets and fourth rope to haul it up.”
Kavaluskis said that while the usual finds — metal odds and ends, large and small — are usually just turned in for scrap. But we are not taking about a little scrap here and there. He points out that in addition to the toilet, they recovered a metal cross beam for a sign that weighed nearly 200 pounds.
His favorite magnet fishing spot, he says, is on either side of the river at the Sixth Street Bridge — “That’s were we have found the most stuff.”
Most guns fished out of the Grand River of of no value to the police, except for getting the off the streets. (WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
And those guns? That grande? They turned them over to the police, as a Grand Rapids Police Department spokesperson said they should do so.
“With the popularity of magnet fishing, things like this are going to happen,” Sgt. John Wittkowski said to WKTV. “… for the most part we just take them and melt them down. They are really just paperweights, but for obvious reasons we do not return them.”
Unlike in the movie or on television crime dramas, the guns are rarely of any real value to the police.
“Typically, they are in such poor condition, they are of no evidentiary value,” Wittkowski said. “We may check the serial number if that is visible, but usually they are not much use to police.”
But about that World War II antique which Kavaluskis and his buddy turned in …
“If we are taking about a grenade, that is more of a safety issue,” Wittkowski said. “That is very unusual. People occasionally will occasionally bring us things … say they found something when there were going through their father’s belongings. … They are usually inert, but you never know.”
But the bottom line advise from the police department is simple: if you find something like guns or things that could be explosives, call your local police and let the experts handle it.
Back to fishing for the everyday stuff: What might be the beginners tackle box look like for a magnet fisherman?
The usual haul from magnet fishing — odds and ends.(WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
“Magnets start at $29, go up to $300, depending on what pull weight you want,” Kavaluskis said. “Each magnet comes with 70 feet of rope, a carry box, set of gloves and a carabiner clip. There is like four or five really good magnet companies.”
And what is next on Kavaluskis’ magnet fishing to-do list? He says there is the motorcycle he and his buddy think they know the whereabouts of.
This fall the residents of the City of Kentwood will select a new judge for the 62 B District Court. But before that happens, WKTV Journal In Focus sat down with Judge William G. Kelly, who after more than 40 years on the bench of Kentwood’s district court will be giving up his seat this year due to state law mandated age restrictions.
Judge Kelly has served the Kentwood community as the city’s first and only district court judge since 1979, following his father, Joseph Kelly, who served as Kentwood’s municipal judge from 1971 to 1979. Judge Kelly is also known as a historian of Michigan’s court system, and will we talk with him about how courts have changed over the years, especially the District court system, which is often called the public’s court.
On In Focus, Judge Kelly talks about the changes his court has seen over the years, both in technology and jurisprudence, as well as his offering a bit of advice to the person who will take his gavel.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Humanity for Prisoners started in 2001 when Doug Tjapkes formed the organization driven by his relationship with Maurice Carter, who had been behind state prison bars for 29 years for a crime he did not commit. Two decades later, the issue of treatment of prisoners — and prison reform — is no less important.
The mission statement of the Grand haven based non-profit Humanity for Prisoners is stated on their website as: “With compassion for Michigan’s imprisoned, Humanity for Prisoners provides, promotes and ensures — with strategic partnerships — personalized, problem-solving services for incarcerated persons in order to alleviate suffering beyond the just administration of their sentences.”
WKTV Journal In Focus recently interviewed Matt Tjapkes, son of Doug and now president of Humanity for Prisoners, and talked about the group’s history, what it does and does not do in support of prisoners, the current state of Michigan’s prison reform efforts.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The story of a 2019 cooperative project between the City of Kentwood police department and the Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics team, a robot that reached full operation in 2020, was a good news story early this year.
And despite Kentwood schools, and WKTV Journal, seeing big changes in how they did business starting in March due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it is still a good news story — a tool for Kentwood police to help them make better decisions in the field and an example of the high level of interaction between the city’s schools and city staff that Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley relentlessly advocates for.
“What I love about this is always investing in the next generation,” Mayor Kepley said in March when WKTV was producing a video project on the Red Storm Robotics project with the police department. “And this is just another opportunity, and really a great opportunity, to invest in the next generation. … The city working with the school, working with professionals, using technology, and more importantly investing in the very individuals who will be leading this community in the future.”
The police robot project is a prime example of not only engagement with the students but of also giving advanced students a lesson in real-world, on-the-job, design of robotic technology.
Of course, Red Storm was up to the challenge presented by the police department.
WKTV talked with Mayor Kepley, Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Sgt. Jeff Leonard, and instructors/parents of the Red Storm Robotics project, including Adam Veenendaal, Mark VanderVoord and Wendy Ljungern.
But most importantly, we talked with students of the program past and present, including Jason Gray-Moore, Kerim Puczek, Jacobi Thompson and Annalise Welch.
For more information on Kentwood Pubic Schools’ Red Storm Robotics program visit their website at redstormrobotics.com.
