The News Room [News Archive]
Sheriff Contact: John Roach: 313-224-0615
Release Date: Thursday, September 30, 2004
Sheriff creates “Spot Check” unit to hold parolees
and probationers accountable --- Goal is to prevent crime by sending
violators back to prison
Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans announced today the formation
of a new full-time unit of officers that will perform unannounced
visits to the homes of state parolees and probationers. Evans said
his goal is to restore accountability to a system that too often
lets released convicts feel as though they are no longer being
held accountable for their actions. He also thinks it will prevent
crime.
“We already know that 50 percent of the 20,000 parolees and
probationers in Wayne County will violate the terms of their release
and many will go on to commit new crimes,” Evans said. “Our
intent, and that of the Michigan Department of Corrections, is to
get out in front of criminal activity by arresting these people on
the spot, before they have a chance to victimize anyone again.”
The Spot Check unit will consist of four sheriff’s deputies
and two state parole officers who will be split into two teams.
The effort is being funded by a $400,000 grant recently awarded
to the sheriff by Gov. Jennifer Granholm and will officially begin
on October 1st, when the grant funding kicks in.
Example highlights need
Evans pointed to one recent example to demonstrate the potential
of his new Spot Check unit: During a recent joint operation with
sheriff’s deputies and state parole agents, officers went
to the home of convicted carjacker Aric Ivan Coleman. Coleman had
been paroled in July 2003 after serving three years of a maximum
15-year prison sentence.
Although officers did not find Coleman at the residence, they did
find the Chinese SKS assault rifle he had stashed in his front
closet, wrapped in a green jacket, easily accessible to his 12-year
old son, who was in the house at the time. Under a new zero-tolerance
gun policy, announced earlier this year by Gov. Granholm to crack
down on state parolees who choose to keep a gun, Coleman was
promptly sent back to prison, where he likely will remain for
five years.
“Common sense will tell anyone that that gun, sooner than later,
would have been used to commit a new crime, very possibly a homicide,” Evans
said. “Mr. Coleman is exactly the kind of person we’re
hoping to take off the streets with this new unit.”
Historically, parole officers have done home checks alone. If they
find someone in violation, they would have to request a police
agency come out at a later time or date to arrest an individual.
By the time an officer could get to the location, however, the
suspect usually has already fled. With officers present, arrests
can be made immediately.
Evans said that the Spot Check team will be able to perform approximately
250 home checks per month, which will be conducted at random times,
so people will never know when to expect a visit. Violations, depending
on each person’s individual case, could range from not reporting
a change of address to having drugs or guns in the house.
Evans added that although cases prompting a return to prison like
Coleman’s will be rare, the effort will send a message to
people on probation and parole in Wayne County. “After a
while, these people are going to get the message: If you’re
on parole or probation in Wayne County, you’re going to be
held accountable, so you’d better stay clean.”
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Detroit, MI 48226
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