CALEA offers agencies information to support continuous improvement and pursue professional excellence (Courtesy Photo)
CALEA Accreditation is a coveted award that symbolizes professionalism, excellence, and competence. The community and police department can take pride in their department, knowing it represents the very best in law enforcement.
Anyone wishing to provide comments regarding the agency’s compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status, may provide comments to CALEA through the following Public Comment Portal:
Comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide the agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence.
All comments made through the portal will be sent directly to CALEA. Submitters will receive acknowledgment of their submission.
Anyone wishing to leave comments and have them sent directly to Wyoming Police should use the non-emergency number 616-530-7300, appear in person at the police department, or use the online Police Department Contact Form.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety announced the death of its former K9 dog, Dutch, today.
“It is with profound sadness that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety announces the death of retired police K9 Dutch,” the department stated in a prepared press release. “Dutch served with the Wyoming Police Department for approximately nine years before retiring in 2020.
Retired K9 Dutch
“Dutch was a lot and beloved member of the Wyoming Police family and will be greatly missed.”
Dutch served the department for nine years, retiring in 2020. After his retirement, he went on to live with his handler, Officer Kelsey Eisen.
“I don’t know what I would do if someone said I couldn’t keep Dutch after working all those many training hours and working the road ,” Eisen said during Dutch’s retirement celebration in 2020. “You literally spend more time with the dog than you do with your family. So if someone was to tell me that I couldn’t take him afterwards it would be devastating and I would be heartbroken that I couldn’t give him that special treat afterwards for how much work he has done in the city and couldn’t spoil him in retirement.”
For past three years, Dutch’s only job was finding the couch and getting all the attention from Eisen’s family.
Photos of the first suspect. (Courtesy, Wyoming Department of Public Safety)
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety is seeking help of the public to identify the suspects of a Dec. 18 robbery at the Citgo gas station at 4405 S. Division Ave.
The station was robbed by two individuals, according to investigators. A firearm was used in the robbery. There were no injuries. The two suspects fled on foot from the scene after obtaining beer form the store. A K-9 track was attempted but the suspects were not located at that time.
Photos of the second suspect. (Courtesy of the Department of Public Safety.)
One suspect is described as Hispanic male about 5-foot tall, late teens to early twenties, and wearing a blue hat and black coat. The second suspect is described as Hispanic male around 5-foot, 2 inches tall, late teens to early twenties, and wearing a black sweatshirt with a Santa on it and a black hat.
Anyone with information regarding the suspects on the Dec. 18 robbery are asked to contact the Wyoming Police Investigative Division, Detective Gray at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-77f4-2345.
Kentwood’s Drug Take Back Day event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. (WKTV)
The fall National Drug Take Back Day has been set for this Saturday, Oct. 29, with both the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Kentwood Police Department participating in the event.
The annual event is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back initiative. The event is held in April and October as part of ongoing efforts to combat prescription drug misuse and overdose deaths. For the April Take Back Day, the Department of Drug Enforcement reported that about 720,000 pounds of unneeded medications were collected. Since starting the program in 2010, around 16 million pounds of unneeded prescription medications have been collected.
“By taking advantage of this free and anonymous Drug Take Back Day, residents can help save lives,” said Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin. “Proper medication disposal prevents identity theft, accidental poisonings, drug addiction and overdose deaths. It can also help preserve the environment by reducing the amount of medications in landfills and sewer systems. Please gather unneeded medications from your home and join us Oct. 29 as we work together to keep our community safe.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, more than 107,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose last year. This figure means that someone in the United States is dying of a drug overdose every five minutes.
City of Kentwood
Residents may drop off unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills and patches from 10 a.m to 2 p.m at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Liquids, needles and sharp objects will not be accepted. For disposal of needles and other sharp objects, visit the Kent County Health Department’s reimaginetrash.org or click here.
The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
City of Wyoming
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave., has a SafeMed box at the station where anyone may properly dispose of medications throughout the year.
The department also partners with University of Michigan Health West, 2122 Health Dr. SW, on Drug Take Back Day. The event at UMHW will be a drive-thru from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. People are encouraged to stay in their car and a volunteer will come to the vehicle.
As with the Kentwood program, this program is free with no questions asked.
To give its residents an opportunity to view and comment on its new master plan, the City of Wyoming will be hosting eight open houses across the city.
In August, the Wyoming City Council voted to open the 63-day public comment period for the community-driven master plan, Wyoming [re]imagined. City Planner Nicole Hofert said with the social distance requirements due to COVID-19, city officials decided to offer a series of outdoor public events where residents would be able to review the plan.
The 18-month master plan process continues to involve Wyoming residents, businesses, employees of businesses, developers, and stakeholders who are guiding the content and priorities of the plan. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The four-day event starts Monday, Sept. 28 at Oriole Park, 1380 42nd St. SW. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., city staff will be on had to discuss the new master plan with the event also featuring the Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s K-9 unit. The rest of the schedule is as follows:
Monday, Sept. 28, at Lemery Park, 4050 Byron Center Ave. SW, from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature the Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s Bicycle Unit
Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Marquette Park, 1251 Marquette SW, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Southlawn Park, 4125 Jefferson SW, from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature the Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s K-9 unit.
Thursday, Oct. 1, at Ideal Park, 5843 Crippen SW, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thursday. Oct. 1, at Gezon Park (north side), 1940 52nd St. SW, from 4 to 6 p.m.
All events are open to the public and require attendees to follow COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, including face coverings and physical distancing.
“We received input from the community and it formed the foundation of the plan. Our community knows Wyoming and what it wants for our future. They want to see things like affordable housing options and flourishing economic development and parks,” Mayor Jack Poll said in a recent release about the events. “Please join us at one of our open houses. You will have a chance to learn about the plan and provide us with the necessary feedback we need for a successful master plan.”
At the open house events, community members have another chance to provide input after the draft master plan was intentionally developed with community voice and needs at the forefront. The 18-month process continues to involve Wyoming residents, businesses, employees of businesses, developers, and stakeholders who are guiding the content and priorities of the plan. Each section of the draft plan details what community stakeholders and residents want to see in Wyoming’s future and how the collective vision will be implemented. Upon final approval, the master plan will guide how the City will develop over the next 15 to 20 years.
A morning accident that involved a Wyoming police car has Wyoming Department of Public Safety officials reminding drivers to slow down.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., a Wyoming Police officer was policing a five-car crash on Chicago Driver near the westbound I-196 ramp. As vehicles were slowing down for the crash, one vehicle lost control and struck another vehicle before striking the police vehicle, according to a department press release about the accident. There were minor injuries in the original five-car crash and not injuries in the three-car crash involving the police vehicle.
Lt. Eric Wiler said during the first snowfall, there seems to be a number of crashes as people relearn how to drive in the snow. In fact, stations reporting the weather on Sunday night reminded viewers of being careful on the roads as West Michigan got its first taste of winter.
“We just want to remind people to slow down,” Wiler said. “Make sure they are leaving plenty of room between them and the car in front of them and approach accident scenes with caution.”
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Study, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 deaths every winter. For winter driving, the National Safety Council and AAA recommend the following driving tips:
Avoid using cruise control in wintery conditions
Steer in the direction of a skid so when your wheels regain traction, you don’t have to over correct to stay in your lane.
Accelerate and decelerate slowly.
Increase following distances 8 to 10 seconds.
If possible, don’t stop going uphill.
According to the National Safety Council, if the weather looks iffy, wait out the storm if possible. The council also notes that there are a number of safety features built in on today’s cars. For more tips and what those car features are, click here.
UPDATE: Person of interest in the Saturday 6:50 a.m. crash was lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) second. The person injured is in the hospital with serious injuries.
It was a busy Saturday morning for the Wyoming Department of Public Safety with a robbery and serious car crash taking place in the early morning hours.
At around 2 a.m. this morning, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the report of a robbery of a person in the area of 36th Street and Raven SW. Two suspects threatened the victim with a knife and took an undisclosed amount of cash and other personal belongings. K9 Azar and his handler began tracking the suspect while other officers established a perimeter. K9 Azar was able to flush the suspect out of several backyards and officers subsequently took the suspect into custody. He is lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility.
The remaining suspect is still at large and is described as a tall, skinny black male, approximately 20 years of age. it is believed that the suspects and the victim may be known to each other.
Anyone with information that may lead to the identification of the suspect is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
At 6:50 a.m., the Wyoming Department of Public Safety was called to Chicago Drive and Wendell Avenue SW on the report of a serious crash involving two vehicles. It appears that an east bound vehicles crossed the center line and struck a west bound vehicle head on. The west bound vehicle was driven by Polita Saavedraleon, 24, from Grand Rapids. She was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the east bound vehicle is a 28-year-old male from Kentwood.
Officials stated that the name of the east bound driver will not be released as crash investigators are attempting to learn more details of the crash and whether alcohol and speed are a factor in the crash.
Wyoming Public Safety personal continue their investigations into both the crash and the robbery. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
On Saturday, December 19, children near the Godfrey-Lee school district right here in Wyoming, MI received a surprise gift sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Thanks to the 11th annual Elves & More West Michigan project, 1,800 kids went home as brand-new bike owners.
Each year, organizers of Elves & More decide on an area of need in West Michigan, and bring Christmas joy to families by giving away bikes to kids age 3-16. The location is kept secret until the morning of the giveaway, and then the message is released in a hurry! Families in the Godfrey-Lee area were alerted by a last-minute text through the school district, and the Wyoming police and fire department rolled through neighborhoods announcing the giveaway from their loudspeakers.
This year, 300 volunteers unloaded a bevy of bikes from semi-trucks and set up at Lee Middle and High school off of Havana Avenue.
Elves & More is a non-profit organization devoted to bringing hope to children. They do this by raising funds to purchase, assemble and deliver high-quality bikes and treasure boxes to 1,000 children each holiday season.
In the past 11 years, Elves & More West Michigan has provided 11,800 new bikes and helmets to children in need around Grand Rapids.
Last year, 1,500 bikes were donated in Southeast Grand Rapids.
If you’re looking to get involved for next holiday season, visit Elves & More West Michigan! A donation of $65 buys one lucky child a bike and a helmet. This past year, 13 corporate donors helped provide the 1,800 bikes now tearing up the black top in Godfrey-Lee!
It’s time to honor our local law enforcement officers and firefighters!
Join Steve’s Antique Auto Repair and other local businesses on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, for their Second Annual Police & Fire Appreciation Day from 12-3 pm at 1803 Farragut SW, Wyoming, Mich. Area restaurants like Main Street Pub, Tommy Brann’s, and others are providing food and refreshments. Expect a most excellent cake from Marge’s Donut Den.
Lately, the media has focused on the acts of a few bad cops. That gives people a skewed perception and often incites violence against law enforcement officers. Steve’s Antique Auto Repair wants to help change that perception.
“The police are always here for us, and we never take the time to give a big thank-you to them,” says Harriet Sturim, PR Manager of Steve’s Antique Auto Repair.
Husband, Rick, and son, Steve own the business, which repairs cars 1972 and older—before the advent of computers and catalytic converters, back when you could put an ear toward the engine and figure out the problem.
“The police are very involved in our community,” says Sturim. “They come to business meetings and keep us informed about crime in the area or bad checks circulating. They patrol our businesses at night and leave a business card letting us know that all was well at 2:00 a.m. We need the police, and we support them.”
Expect to see some cool cruisers, crime scene vans, EMT rescue ambulances, and big fire trucks. The public is welcome to join in the festivities, but no unescorted kids are allowed. “Parents must keep an eye on their small children at all times,” says Sturim. “This is an active garage, with machinery, tools, and cars.”
Former and current members of the K-9 Unit. (left to right: Sergeant Jeff Bylsma, Kresten Green, Bob Robinson, and Eric Toonstra)
Imagine a job where your work partner was around all day, every day. Punching out after a shift just meant you had to drive them home, to your house, to eat your food!
Now, imagine that partner with four legs, a beautiful fur coat, and a sense of smell 10,000 times better than yours. Welcome to the Wyoming Police K-9 Unit, a position that understands the importance of a dog being a man’s best friend.
What is the K-9 Unit?
The Wyoming K-9 Unit is a division within the Wyoming Police Department where officers are paired with dogs for a 10 year stint. The dogs do everything with the police officers they’re partnered with. They train together, work together, and come home under the same roof.
They are not only partners on the job, but they’re family on and off the clock.
How does an officer get involved with the K-9 Unit? Is prior dog handling experience necessary?
No prior dog handling experience is needed to handle the dog. However, that doesn’t mean anyone off the street can apply to be a member of the unit. The K-9 Unit is hired from within the Wyoming Police Department. If you’re not already a member of the police force, you won’ be considered.
Even though it’s a big commitment to work with a dog 24 hours a day, the positions aren’t difficult to fill when they open up. There are officers always willing to be dog handlers. It’s a unique experience and lifelong friendships are created with the dogs.
You keep saying ‘dogs’, what kind of dogs are we talking about here?
Bob Robinson and his dog of 10 years Arras.
German Shepards are the dogs of choice within the K-9 Unit. As a dog, the German Shepard has the best package of skills necessary to be an exceptional police dog. They’re smart, agile, personable, and have a keen sense of smell good for tracking scents and sniffing out narcotics. German Shepards can also be trained to bite if they have to!
Bombs and narcotics!? That seems like a lot for one dog to handle. How do you know whether the dog has sniffed out a drug or a bomb?
The dogs are either trained for one or the other, never both. If a dog is trained to sniff out both, than the officer has no idea what to expect! Because of that reason, dogs are specialized on what to look for. Some dogs are brought in for bomb detection while others are brought in for drug identification.
Is that all these dogs are used for, drugs and bombs?
No, the dogs are used whenever their superior sense of smell and tracking abilities are needed. The dogs respond to burglaries, search for the elderly that are wandering about, kids that are lost, and situations where suicidal people are out in the woods and need help.
Which season works best for tracking and which season is the most difficult?
It’s easiest for the dogs to track in the summer and most difficult in the winter. However, the winter snow usually leaves footprints behind, and that makes things more manageable!
Where does the Police Department get these highly specialized dogs?
Eric Toonstra and his Dutch Shepard named ‘Dutch’
There is a facility down in Indiana the Wyoming Police Department likes to use to find their new dogs. It’s close in proximity and gives the department the flexibility to choose between 30 different dogs. Some of the dogs are even imported from Europe.
Hold on a quick second, they import dogs from Europe? Why would they need to do that? What’s wrong with dogs bred here in America?
It’s not that there’s anything ‘wrong’ with American bred dogs, it’s more the way in which dogs are bred in Europe as opposed to in America. In America, dogs are bred for beauty and purity. A negative side effect of breeding dogs for purity are health problems earlier in life. If a dog has bad hips after two years on the job, they aren’t a very effective or reasonable choice as a police dog.
European dogs are bred differently, they’re stronger because they’re bred for sport. It’s more important for the dog to be healthy and athletic than it is for the dog to look ‘pure’. If they’re going to be a member of the police force, the dogs need to be reliable for an extended period of time. These dogs are expensive, and even though they’re great pets and friends, they have a job to.
Kreston Green and his dog Azar
Speaking of cost, how much are these dogs and how are they paid for?
The dogs are expensive, the newest addition to the team, a full German Shepard from Slovakia named Azar, cost $6,300. The department puts on a 5K the first week in October to help raise funds and awareness for the K-9 Unit. The 5K this year raised enough money to buy Azar.
That’s one expensive puppy! What do they feed the dogs to keep them work ready?
Meals consist of high energy foods. High protein and high carbs are a must! The most important rule, NO PEOPLE FOOD! If a dog is used on a house raid, and there’s food out in the open, it becomes a problem if the dog’s first instinct is to go to the food. It not only makes the job more difficult for everyone involved, but it could be detrimental to the dogs health if they eat something they’re not supposed to.
Something I still haven’t quite figured out, how do the dogs ride to work with their officer? Do they just hangout in the back seat of the cruiser?
The backseat of the K-9 Cruiser
Well, kind of! Although, the cruisers are specially built to accommodate the dogs. There is a special place for them where they can lay down with food and water readily available. The cruisers designed for the K-9 unit are used specifically for the purpose of accommodating the dogs.
How would you describe the dog’s relationship with their handlers?
It’s a very positive relationship in both directions. The dogs get excited when they alert about a find because they are consistently given positive reinforcement. The dogs all have a favorite chew toy or ball that they are given to play with when they do complete their job. They live to please their handlers.
The officers see their dogs not only as partners, but as family. The job is different everyday and it’s impossible to get bored.
The dogs all have their own personalities and quirks. They have good days and bad days, but at the end of the day, they’re a team!
What happens to the dogs after their service is completed?
After the dogs and their handler completes their 10 years of service together, the officer gets the reward of taking the retired dog home, to live life as a pet and a member of the family.
WKTV would like to thank the K-9 Unit for spending time with us!
