Bart fights drug crimes at the Straits

NEWS RELEASE

CONGRESSMAN BART STUPAK 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

************************* Stupak announces $373,609 to combat crime in Arenac, Mackinac counties

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) announced Arenac County and Mackinac County will receive a total of $373,609 to help combat drug-related crimes.

The award was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“This funding is critical to providing law enforcement officials in Arenac and Mackinac Counties with the resources necessary to combat drug-related crimes in these communities,” Stupak said. “Across Northern Michigan there are large areas of isolated land where drug activity can often go unnoticed. These grants from the Department of Justice will help officials better monitor those areas to help reduce drug manufacturing and distribution.”

Arenac County Sherriff’s Department received $142,587 to support its “Restoring Proactive Drug Enforcement in Arenac County” project.

This funding will help restore a full-time police officer position assigned to the Strike Team Investigative Group (STING) that was eliminated due to budget cuts in 2002.

The project will also work to reduce the number of drug houses and drug overdoses, monitor drug activity and reduce criminal activity, and reduce drug trafficking, illegal drugs in school districts, and the cultivation of marijuana on public and private lands.

Mackinac County received $231,022 to increase drug and money seizures, and arrests for sales and possession of illegal narcotics in and around Mackinac County and the Straits area.

Mackinac County will use the funds to provide a deputy and a vehicle for the Mackinac County Sheriff’s Office for use in the Straits Area Narcotics Enforcement (SANE) Team.

The Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs program, administered by BJA, helps rural states and rural areas prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance program strategically targeted to address rural needs.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Stupak served as an Escanaba police officer, and then as a Michigan State Police Trooper for 11 years.

In Congress, Stupak founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, which focuses on the needs of the law enforcement community.

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