Tag Archives: Chris Becker

Police blog: Wyoming makes arrest, Kentwood investigates shooting

September 12, 20223-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Hard Newsarrest, Chris Becker, Kentwood, police, WyomingJoanne

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Courtesy of Wyoming Department of Public Safety

The Wyoming Department of Public safety announced last week that suspect Yenly Garcia was found in Mexico and taken into custody.

Wyoming Police Detectives have been investigating the homicide of Mollie Schmidt since Aug. 30, 2022. The murder took place in the 1500 block of 44th Street SW inside an apartment belong to Garcia. On Sept. 2, 2022, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office authorized an open murder warrant for Garcia associated with the incident.

Earlier this week, Garcia was taken into custody in central Mexico, north of Mexico City. He was arrested through cooperation between Wyoming Police, the United Marshals Service and Mexican authorities. Further details of his arrest are not available a this time. Extradition processes are being exorcized to return Garcia to Michigan to face his changes.

Anyone with further information on this incident is asked to contact the Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345 or to visit www.silentobserver.org

Kentwood investigates shooting

The Kentwood Police Department wants you to keep cool this summer, and one was is to avoid crime and confrontations.

On Sept. 9, 2022, officers of the Kentwood Police Department were dispatched to the area of Kelekent Avenue and 56th Street for a possible shooting that occurred. One subject showed up to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound which is believed to be related to this incident. Three subjects were taken into custody during this investigation for charges related to this investigation and outstanding warrants.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the Kentwood Police Department Detectives Bureau at 616-656-6604 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345 or to visit www.silentobserver.org.

No charges in Burger King incident

Kent CountyProsecutor Chris Becker announced today that he would not be filing charges in the alleged Sept. 4, 2022 assault that occurred at the Wyoming Burger King located at 1313 28th St. SW.

According to a Sept. 4 report from Wyoming Department of Public Safety, a disorderly male customer who was unhappy with his service entered the store and climbed over the counter. He acted aggressively toward staff and assaulted two juvenile employees of the business during the incident before leaving.

Upon further investigation, Becker said that while he finds the suspect’s behavior “abhorrent,” the actions of the Burger King employees was “aggressive and that there is blame on both sides for the incident.

“By no means am I condoning (the person’s) behavior,” Becker said. “This could have been avoided if he would have simply just driven away after not getting the service that he wanted at this Burger King, but he didn’t do so and we have to deal with the facts as they are and there’s just not a basis to file charges for this incident.”

The suspect, who came through the drive thru, was unhappy about the soda coming down the side of his cup. Security footage, which was shown at press conference held last week, shows an employee wiping down a cup and returning it to the suspect who knocks it out of the employee’s hand. It then shows the suspect driving around and coming into the restaurant, jumping the counter, and grabbing a cup. He then went to the soda fountain pour a drink and poured soda on the floor. An employee then threw an ice-coffee at the suspect, who confronted the employee.

From there things escalated with Becker noting that as the suspect left the premises employees pursued him with one appearing to do a flying kick out the door.

Becker said because there was a fight with both sides being aggressive, there’s not enough evidence to charge the suspect with aggravated assault.

Kent County Prosecutor Becker talks court trial backlog, videos as witnesses on latest WKTV Journal In Focus

April 7, 20213-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Crime Prevention, Hard News, Local Faces, Our Cities, WKTV Journal In FocusChris Becker, Kent County Prosecuting Attorney, WKTV Journal In FocusJoanne

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.

Kent County’s top law enforcer answers smoldering questions on legal marijuana

June 5, 20193-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Local Faces, WKTV Journal In FocusChris Becker, Kent County prosecutor, Michigan recreational marijuanaJoanne

By. K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Contrary what you might have recently smelled at local concert venues, if not on the main streets of Michigan, smoking marijuana is legal but — currently — not if you bought it or if you are lighting it up in public.

Didn’t know those facts? Don’t feel alone.

With extensive government regulation and rules still being written, it still a little cloudy on the laws surrounding the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, which Michigan voters approved last fall and which legalized adult recreational marijuana use.

To find out just what is legal and what is not, currently and possibly in the future, WKTV sat down with Christopher R. Becker, Kent County Prosecuting Attorney. And from what he said, smokers are not the only ones a little hazy on the subject — to some Michiganders it is unclear if legal marijuana use it is actually the law of the land already.

“Legalization actually went into effect in December (2018), just about a month from it being passed,” said Becker, who was elected to the position in 2016 and leads the prosecutor’s office team of more than 30 attorneys. “The best description would probably be that it is in a transition stage right now.”

As far as the current laws governing several situations of illegal use and possession, Becker said, “for the vast majority of cases it is a civil infraction … There are some unique things, criminally. But then for the rest, the infrastructure if you will, the dispensary, the system to distribute it … the state is still working through getting that all set up right now.”

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) is the government body drafting the state’s rule and regulations. But at this point, it is legal to possess marijuana but there is no place to buy it — legally.

“Essentially, that is what it is,” Becker said. “If you are over 21, you can have it in your possession, you can smoke it in your own house, you can share it — and that is a very important term. … (selling it, or supplying it ‘with remuneration’) is still illegal.”

Becker, in the WKTV Journal In Focus interview, also went on to detail the current laws of public consumption, the evolving laws — and flaws in the laws— associated with driving in possession and while under the influence, and other current and possible legal aspects of legal recreational marijuana.

In the interview, Becker also talked about his office’s work with new and innovative justice system programs in Kent County, including Restorative Justice for Juveniles, and courthouse therapy dogs for children and vulnerable adult victims.

He also addressed recent criticism of Michigan’s prosecutors from the Michigan ACLU, associated with the group’s Smart Justice Campaign, focused on the rights of poor and minority persons charged with crimes but not convicted. See a WKTV story on the ACLU’s Smart Justice campaign here.

Background on MRTMA and local reaction

On Nov. 6, 2018, Michigan voters approved Proposal 18-1, which created the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (MRTMA) and legalized adult marijuana use for recreational purposes. This law automatically “opts-in” all municipalities, but each municipality can decide the extent to which it may limit or prohibit state-licensed recreational marijuana establishments prior to a December 2019 deadline.

Many municipalities across the state are waiting on their “opt-in or opt-out” decision until the state finishes writing the rules for the new adult-use marijuana industry, expected to be in draft form in June. But Wyoming and Kentwood did not wait around.

The City of Kentwood City Commission, in November of 2018, just after the proposal was approved, voted in favor of an amendment to the city code to prohibit marijuana establishments within the city, according to media reports.

The City of Wyoming’s City Council, in December of 2018, adopted a pair of ordinance amendments: one prohibits the operation of both recreational marijuana establishments and medical marijuana facilities; a second updates the city’s guidelines on recreational marijuana so that is might be regulated the same as alcohol in the future.

Kent County prosecutor, GR police chief questioned at ACLU community discussion

June 29, 20183-bottom, Crime Prevention, Hard News, Local Faces, Our CitiesACLU Michigan, Chris Becker, David Rahinsky, Robert S. Womack, Shelli WeisbergJoanne

Criminal justice in West Michigan was the stated topic of the American Civil Liberties Union Michigan’s “In/Justice” expert panel and community discussion at Grand Rapids’ Wealthy Theatre Wednesday, June 28. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Criminal justice in West Michigan was the stated topic of the American Civil Liberties Union Michigan’s “In/Justice” expert panel and community discussion at Grand Rapids’ Wealthy Theatre Wednesday, June 28.

“Questions about the relationship between police, prosecutors and citizens continue to dominate the American consciousness,” stated the flyer advertising the meeting, which was attended by more than 200 persons. “The forum brings together community groups and public officials to discuss the causes and solutions to problems with criminal justice in Grand Rapids.”

But Grand Rapids Police Department Chief David Rahinsky and Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, two of the forum panelists, fielded most of the questions from moderator and local attorney Anthony Green, and often had to defend the organizations they lead.

Responding to a question about the high number of persons who committed non-violent crimes but end up in prison, Becker pointed out that 73 percent of Michigan Department of Corrections prisoners are violent offenders and that while the federal prison average is about 50 percent drug offenders, the percentage in Kent County is about 7 percent.

In addition to Rahinsky and Becker, other members of the panel included Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack (District 17; City of Grand Rapids) and ACLU Michigan Legislative Director Shelli Weisberg.

Weisberg set the tone of racial disparity in Michigan’s criminal justice system early on when she said: “We incarcerate to many people, but we incarcerate far too many black and brown people.”

Responding to another question from Green, this one on race relations between the police force and minority communities — “The perception is that nothing has changed,” Green said — Rahinsky agreed that a recent report on GRPD traffic stops does show a level of disparity and that his department is taking action to improve race relations and lessen racial disparity in criminal justice.

“We took that report to heart,” Rahinsky said. “We are in the midst of a battle … collectively, we are making progress.”

Womack, at one point, while agreeing that problems exist with the Grand Rapids police force’s criminal justice enforcement involving minority communities, did offer his support of the police chief.

“We are far from having the relationship we need to have,” Womack said. But “I believe we have the right police chief.”

Other topics discussed in the early part of the community meeting related to bail recommendations and the inability of some low-income persons to pay bail for non-violent offenses, the idea of prosecutors over-charging crimes to allow for easier plea bargains, and action by the ACLU to bring about a fairer criminal justice laws in Michigan.

We the People: Kent County Offices

October 3, 20163-bottom, Election, Politics, Upcoming Events, WKTV ProjectsAlida J. Bryant, Chris Becker, Chris Reader, Clerk, Drain Commissioner, Election 2016, James Lewis, Jodi Betten, Ken Yonker, Kenneth Parish, Kent County, Lawrence Stelma, Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Michael Scruggs, Prosecuting Attorney, Rachel Hood, Sheriff, Treasurer, we the peopleJoanne

WKTV takes seriously its role as a communications provider. We want our community to be well-informed and more involved in local matters.

Kent County Sheriff

Lawrence A. Stelma – Incumbent (R)

Occupation: Been in law enforcement since 1972 and has acted as sheriff for 16 years.
Residence: Cedar Springs

Why did you decide to run for Sheriff back in 2000 and continue to run today?

“It’s been a natural progression in my career that started as a corrections officer. We have many projects in the works like the 911 central dispatch that I want to see to completion.”

What are some of the benefits and challenges to the central 911 dispatch?

“Well, some of the challenges are funding and technology, but the benefits are very important. A central dispatch would make for greater efficiency for all the agencies and would create better communication for emergencies and big events.”

With national headlines centered around negative police-community relations, how would you continue to foster and strengthen the relationship between the Sheriff’s Department and Kent County?

“We work hard with the community and with community leaders. We build strong relationships so that we all work together. We work with organization like the Neighborhood Watch, with faith-based organizations, and also with the mental health community.”

Michael B. Scruggs – Candidate (D)

Michael B. Scruggs is the Democratic nominee for the Kent County Sheriff. He will be running against Lawrence A. Stelma in the November 8 election.

Kent County Prosecuting Attorney

Alida J. Bryant – Candidate (D)

Occupation: Staff attorney at the Kent County Defender’s Office. Criminal defense attorney for the past 22 years.
Residence: Belding

Why did you decide to run for Prosecuting Attorney?
“I decided to run in order to validate the need for criminal justice reform. Accountability, productivity, safety, victim’s rights and fiscal responsibility are all goals which must be managed and balanced.”

As Prosecuting Attorney, what would be your main goal or focus?
“The main focus is finding a balanced approach to law enforcement. I want to move non-violent, victimless offenders from accountability to productivity.”

Chris Becker – Candidate (R)

Chris Becker is the Republican nominee for the Kent County Prosecuting Attorney. He will be running against Alida J. Bryant in the November 8 election.

Kent County Clerk

Chris Reader – Candidate (D)

Occupation: Software developer for Spectrum
Residence: Grand Rapids

Why did you decide to run for Kent County Clerk?
“I believe it is the place I can do the most good. I have a decade of community service and I believe the clerk can be a partner to the community. I think I bring a unique set of skills that fit the position well.”

As Kent County Treasurer, what would be your main goal or focus?
“Compared to other offices statewide, Kent County can do a lot more online. I want to find ways for the clerks office to reach out to the community. Right now you have to go downtown to access the clerks office.”

Lisa Posthumus Lyons – Candidate (R)

Lisa Posthumus Lyons is the Republican nominee for Kent County Clerk. She will be running against Chris Reader and James Lewis in the November 8 election.

James Lewis – Candidate (L)

James Lewis is the Libertarian nominee for Kent County Clerk. He will be running against Chris Reader and Lisa Posthumus Lyons in the November 8 election.

Kent County Drain Commissioner

Rachel Hood – Candidate (D)

Occupation: Consultant for Chase Park Grants
Residence: Grand Rapids

Why did you decide t run for Kent Country Drain Commissioner?
“I’m passionate about water and possess a skill set and experience that uniquely qualifies me to take the job into the 21st century. I’ve spent the last 10 years working on changing policy and investments in storm water in the greater Grand Rapids area.”

As Kent County Drain Commissioner, what would be your main goal or focus?
“I will increase responsiveness and transparency by investing in technology and customer service tools. I want to ensure that we do more than just manage our infrastructure; we can leverage our drain dollars to attract federal and state investments that will help us bring more value to our drain dollars. We can use drain investments to achieve water quality improvements, or build recreational facilities that double as stormwater management strategies, like soccer fields that also store and slowly release stormwater underneath the field. Or using stormwater bioswales that double as traffic calming and place-making tools for neighborhood business districts.”